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Dems and Reps Agree on at Least One Issue

Discussion in 'Free Speech Alley' started by TigerWins, May 23, 2006.

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TigerWins Founding Member

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It's rare these days to see reps and dems agree on anything, but they believe the FBI search of Jefferson's Congressional office is unconstitutional. It violates separation of powers.

So, in their opinion, a Congressman can commit a crime and hide all the evidence in his office. And this office should be off limits to law enforcement?

What brilliant people we elect...

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Speaker Dennis Hastert said Tuesday that the FBI and the Justice Department "took the wrong path" when they searched a Democratic congressman's office this weekend as part of an anti-corruption probe.

"We understand that they want to support and pursue the process that the Justice Department is trying to pursue," Hastert, a Republican from Illinois, said. "But there's ways to do it, and my opinion is that they took the wrong path."

Over the weekend, The FBI searched the Washington home and office of Rep. William Jefferson, D-Louisiana, and found $90,000 of allegedly ill-gotten funds in the freezer of his home, according to an affidavit. (Full story)

Jefferson's office is located in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill.

Leaders from both both parties and both houses of Congress have expressed concern about the search.

On Monday, both Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and Hastert said they were "very concerned" about the search, which was conducted under a warrant issued by a federal judge.

Hastert said the search was the first time a lawmaker's office had been searched in U.S. history.

"Nothing I have learned in the last 48 hours leads me to believe that there was any necessity to change the precedent established over those 219 years," Hastert said on Monday.

House Majority Leader John Boehner of Ohio said Tuesday that "the congress will clearly speak to this issue of the justice department's invasion of the legislative branch. In what form I don't know."

"I've got to believe at the end of the day it's going to end up across the street, at the Supreme Court," Boehner said. "I don't see anything short of that."

While emphasizing that all lawmakers must obey the law and the rules of the House, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, on Tuesday echoed Hastert's concern that the Constitution's separation of powers had been violated.

"Our founders in their wisdom placed this separation of powers into our Constitution, not to put anyone above the law but to protect the American people of the abusive power of the executive branch," Pelosi said.
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Full Story

TigerWins, May 23, 2006

#1
LSUDeek All That She Wants...

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They had full cause to enter his office. They had video of him accepting bribes on tape.

****in congressmen.

LSUDeek, May 23, 2006

#2
LSUGradin99 I Bleedeth Purple 'N Gold

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TigerWins said:

What brilliant people we elect...
Click to expand...

Today Bush ordered everything taken in the search be sealed for 45 days........

LSUGradin99, May 25, 2006

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red55 curmudgeon Staff Member

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Jefferson is probably a sleazebag criminal and congress won't be protecting him personally, in fact they asked him to resign from an important committee yesterday and are shunning him on the floor. They just want the FBI to pursue the investigation outside of the physical halls of Congress.

Congress must be clear to the people about this. They concerned with the separation of powers for very good reason. This time it is about a criminal matter, next time it could be done for political reasons. This about the third recent issue where the Executive branch has overstepped the established lines regarding oversight and separation of power between Executive and Legislative privilege. Congress has been resisting but now they are fighting back.

Jefferson is also a Democrat being pursued by a Republican Justice Department. The Republicans in charge today don't want to see any precedents established that could be used against them in the future. It is dangerous to allow the Bush administration any power that they would not like to see a Hillary Clinton administration administering. There is always political payback.

red55, May 25, 2006

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TigerWins Founding Member

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red55 said:

Congress must be clear to the people about this. They concerned with the separation of powers for very good reason. This time it is about a criminal matter, next time it could be done for political reasons. This about the third recent issue where the Executive branch has overstepped the established lines regarding oversight and separation of power between Executive and Legislative privilege. Congress has been resisting but now they are fighting back.
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So far, it appears they did this one by the book. A federal judge issued a warrant with special procedures before raiding the office.

I understand the need for separation of powers, but to say law enforcement should never step foot inside their office to investigate makes it too easy to hide some evidence.

Corruption seems to be the rule these days in DC, not the exception. I hope they nail all of them and I suspect the amercian people will support raiding their offices.

TigerWins, May 25, 2006

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TigerWins Founding Member

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LSUGradin99 said:

Today Bush ordered everything taken in the search be sealed for 45 days........
Click to expand...

'08 can't get here fast enough for me...

TigerWins, May 25, 2006

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Bengal Buddy Founding Member

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TigerWins said:

It's rare these days to see reps and dems agree on anything, but they believe the FBI search of Jefferson's Congressional office is unconstitutional. It violates separation of powers.

So, in their opinion, a Congressman can commit a crime and hide all the evidence in his office. And this office should be off limits to law enforcement?

What brilliant people we elect...

Full Story
Click to expand...

I totally agree. So long as a warrant was obtained, I don't see any problem at all. Are they claiming a congressional office is a separte nation unto itself and not subject to the laws of this nation?

Bengal Buddy, May 25, 2006

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Bengal Buddy Founding Member

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red55 said:

Jefferson is probably a sleazebag criminal and congress won't be protecting him personally, in fact they asked him to resign from an important committee yesterday and are shunning him on the floor. They just want the FBI to pursue the investigation outside of the physical halls of Congress.

Congress must be clear to the people about this. They concerned with the separation of powers for very good reason. This time it is about a criminal matter, next time it could be done for political reasons. This about the third recent issue where the Executive branch has overstepped the established lines regarding oversight and separation of power between Executive and Legislative privilege. Congress has been resisting but now they are fighting back.

Jefferson is also a Democrat being pursued by a Republican Justice Department. The Republicans in charge today don't want to see any precedents established that could be used against them in the future. It is dangerous to allow the Bush administration any power that they would not like to see a Hillary Clinton administration administering. There is always political payback.
Click to expand...

Sorry Red, but there is a difference between an federal law enforcement agency searching an office with a legal warrant as part of a criminal investigation, and a politician odering an office be illegally searched for political reasons. It is not likely you could get a federal judge to sign a warrant for a political agenda. It is possible that some congressmen are concerned about the kind of prescedent this sets (it has never been done before), but I think it sets a great precedent. It tells public officials that in the future they cannot expect their offices to become a sanctuary for criminal activity. If that upsets some of them, tough.

Bengal Buddy, May 25, 2006

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red55 curmudgeon Staff Member

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Bengal Buddy said:

Sorry Red, but there is a difference between an federal law enforcement agency searching an office with a legal warrant as part of a criminal investigation, and a politician odering an office be illegally searched for political reasons.
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Of course. But just a simple search by the FBI can incriminate somebody in the eyes of the public. Just see the pathetic Richard Jewell case for an example. Congressmen are rightfully concerned about politically-inspired "investigations" being used for political mudslinging.

Congressmen do not have the right to criminally abuse their offices, of course. But the Congress wants to police their own, apparently. They certainly need to.

red55, May 25, 2006

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Bengal Buddy Founding Member

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red55 said:

Of course. But just a simple search by the FBI can incriminate somebody in the eyes of the public. Just see the pathetic Richard Jewell case for an example. Congressmen are rightfully concerned about politically-inspired "investigations" being used for political mudslinging.

Congressmen do not have the right to criminally abuse their offices, of course. But the Congress wants to police their own, apparently. They certainly need to.
Click to expand...

Congress policing itself. Oh yea. I can just see how effective that would be. Congress is not a law enforcement agency. As far as I know it has no authority to request a warrant or to search offices. Such an act would be as much a violation of the separation of powers article as what they are accusing the executive branch of doing. An FBI search certainly makes an individual look bad in the public's eye, but that cannot be avoided except by not allowing the FBI to do its job, which would be even a greater problem.

Bengal Buddy, May 26, 2006

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