EDITORIAL: Pelosi confronts justice
The Washington Times
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is working to buffer lawmakers from federal investigators. This is a bad idea. Special legal protections for politicians encourage unethical conduct.
Irvin B. Nathan, general counsel of the House of Representatives, sent a letter to Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. on Monday about establishing a protocol on how to handle “hopefully rare searches and electronic surveillance involving members of Congress.” Mr. Nathan previously failed to negotiate such an agreement with the George W. Bush administration when Republicans controlled the House. His return to this effort isn’t surprising given the number of congressional Democrats facing accusations of ethical misconduct.
Democrats facing scrutiny include the chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, John P. Murtha of Pennsylvania, for his close ties to the defense lobby firm PMA Group, which is under federal investigation; House Ways and Means Chairman Charles B. Rangel of New York about a number of tax issues; Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr. of Illinois over his reported effort to persuade ousted Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich to appoint him to fill President Obama’s former Senate seat; and Rep. Jane Harman of California, who reportedly was taped in 2005 by the National Security Agency purportedly agreeing to help seek leniency for two accused Israeli spies in exchange for help in lobbying her appointment to chair the House Intelligence Committee.
Mrs. Pelosi, California Democrat, on Thursday invoked the separation of powers as justification for the move. Mrs. Pelosi, who has acknowledged being aware previously of Mrs. Harman’s controversial dialogue, claims the stance is a matter of principle. “Whether it’s invading an office or wiretapping a conversation, it’s important for us to have the separation of powers and the respect for individual liberties, again, while not harboring information that would be useful under the speech [or] debate clause,” she said.
Wild Thing’s comment………
These people already get to do anything they want with zero accountability. She wants to be able to unilaterally grant “Above the Law” status to HER favorites.
Hmmmm, Is she getting a little nervous after lying about her knowledge of interrogation techniques?
Republicans had best start now for 2010 and the country needs to wake up and start the change in course next year.
Bob A.
What is it with this Bit_h? She always has her forefinger in the air. Gawg; what a fossil face.
They may be elected, but Democrats are practicing dictatorship.
I reckon Pelosi will use the same defense that Murtha used, that laws do not apply to them. Ask anyone in the media, Democrats never lie!!!
Good point Tom. Hamas was elected too!!!
They call themselves the Democratic Party when in reality they are the Democrat Party, the truth offends them as the embrace Communism.
Let’s look at some countries that practice Democracy, heck some of them are ones that Obama and his minions simply have orgasms over.
North Vietnam, also called the Democratic Republic of Vietnam
North Korea, officially the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Republic of Cuba
People’s Republic of China
Lebanese Republic
Islamic Republic of Iran
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Arab Republic of Egypt
Syrian Arab Republic
How about that democratic rule in Africa, eh?
I’m ready for a third party with conservative values not preformed by the corruption that already exists in both parties now.
In point of fact, there is a point to be made here. Our Constitution laid-out a stacked form of government. The States on top, the Congress beneath with more freedom of action and all of the Federal money, beneath them and removable by them at any time they can all agree the President (to date never, Nixon was a quitter) with more freedom of action and as the Chief of Law Enforce the only branch of Government able to bring legal action, and lowest the Judicial branch with no freedom of action. The business about three co-equal branches of is pure 20th century Liberal propaganda.
Two problems have arisen first with the 17th amendment, which cut the States ability to reach directly into the Congress and then unwillingness of the Congress to impeach judges who step outside of the law. This has happened almost continuously since WWII.
A branch that can be removed at will cannot be allowed to monitor the conduct of the superior branches of Government.
That impatient break in to the Congressional office building by the FBI last year trying to get more goods on Congressman Jeffers should probably get the FBI eliminated since, under the constitution, it was nothing short of treason. The One Man One Vote Supreme Court decision of the nineteen sixties that corrupted 49 of the 50 State Constitutions removing the Anti-gerrymandering provision should have gotten that court impeached. (Gerry Ford did sponsor a bill of impeachment.)
I do not think that any founding father would have believed how long we have gone without a Constitutional Convention.
Bob A., I agree, those that want to step
up to the plate better start right away.
They need the time to show us what they
are made of and for us to see if we would
have confidence in voting for them. Among
all the other things to take a stand now
when it is desperately needed.
SSgt Steve, you are sooo right. I looked
in google for a recent photo and so many
of them had her with that stupid finger up
like that.
Tom, I really get afraid we will not be
able to win anything back and it has got
to be with conservatives or we will just
get democrat lite in office.
You are so right about it being a
dictatorship.
Jack, thanks for the list, your right.
If all we get are more rinos we are
done. I am kind of watching some of
the republicans to see what they say
and do right now and not waiting till
later on. I want to see the ones that
take a stand. NO way later on will they
convince me they are good if they can’t
say something now. There are a few that
are doing pretty good, but I want more.
haha
Avitar, thanks for all of that, very
interesting.