Saw it yesterday. McCain should use it as a campaign ad!
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (commonly referred to as RICO Act or RICO) is a United States federal law that provides for extended penalties for criminal acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization. It also provides a civil cause of action for those injured by violations of the act. RICO was enacted by section 901(a) of the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970 (Pub.L. 91-452, 84 Stat. 922, enacted 1970-10-15). RICO is codified as Chapter 96 of Title 18 of the United States Code, 18 U.S.C. § 1961–1968. It was intended to make it easier to prosecute organized crime figures, but has been applied in several other cases as well.
Under RICO, a person who is a member of an enterprise that has committed any two of 35 crimes—27 federal crimes and 8 state crimes—within a 10-year period can be charged with racketeering. Those found guilty of racketeering can be fined up to $25,000 and/or sentenced to 20 years in prison per racketeering count. In addition, the racketeer must forfeit all ill-gotten gains and interest in any business gained through a pattern of "racketeering activity." RICO also permits a private individual harmed by the actions of such an enterprise to file a civil suit; if successful, the individual can collect treble damages.
When the U.S. Attorney decides to indict someone under RICO, he or she has the option of seeking a pre-trial restraining order or injunction to temporarily seize a defendant's assets and prevent the transfer of potentially forfeitable property, as well as require the defendant to put up a performance bond. This provision was placed in the law because the owners of Mafia-related shell corporations often absconded with the assets. An injunction and/or performance bond ensures that there is something to seize in the event of a guilty verdict.
In many cases, the threat of a RICO indictment can force defendants to plead guilty to lesser charges, in part because the seizure of assets would make it difficult to pay a defense attorney. Despite its harsh provisions, a RICO-related charge is considered easy to prove in court, as it focuses on patterns of behavior as opposed to criminal acts.
There is good news for “We the People”. We do not have to depend on a corrupt federal government for action. There is also a provision for private parties to sue. A "person damaged in his business or property" can sue one or more "racketeers." The plaintiff must prove the existence of a "criminal enterprise." The defendant(s) are not the enterprise; in other words, the defendant(s) and the enterprise are not one and the same. There must be one of four specified relationships between the defendant(s) and the enterprise. A civil RICO action, like many lawsuits based on federal law, can be filed in state or federal court.
Now with the foundations of our economic system under attack we are entrusting those responsible to address the symptoms. The Democrats cry that this is not a time to point fingers all the while they, and their media accomplices place the entire blame on the Bush Administration and the GOP.
I am demanding that the Justice Department begin a full RICO investigation that will not exempt anyone inside or outside of government. I am encouraging those whose businesses were harmed by these culprits file numerous suits against the offending parties. If Raines, Schumer, Dodd, Frank, and the like do not end up penniless and in orange jump suits then we need to seriously reread the words of Thomas Jefferson when he said:
"Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness"
"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies."
"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."
"Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms [of government] those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny."
"Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have ... The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases."
“Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period and pursued unalterably through every change of ministers, too plainly prove a deliberate, systematic plan of reducing [a people] to slavery.”
I just watched it for the second time... David Asman and the others did a very good job with this one.
Yes, I just caught about the last 15 minutes or so. It’s a terrific piece- I was scribbling down notes as fast as I could for future reference. I also just emailed Asman to thank him for the piece and urged Fox to run it on prime time.
I also commended to him the American Thinker article, “Barack Obama and the Strategy of Manufactured Crisis” which a Freeper has been touting on a couple of threads. If you haven’t seen it, it is a valuable tool to add to your information arsenal.
I only caught the end and am very happy to know that it will replay this evening. It's a shame this book isn't required reading(BEFORE the election) for every one of those college students who are voting twice. It sounds as if we're going to be led down the dark tunnel by liberals who want to repeat FDR's mistakes.
Just saw it, a great piece. Just following up on one of its guests, Amity Shlaes author of “The Fogotten Man, A New History of the Great Depression”.
A one hour program from C-Span:
http://www.booktv.org/program.aspx?ProgramId=8320&SectionName=After+Words&PlayMedia=No
That show was tremendous. Nails Clinton, Carter, LBJ, FDR, Dodd, Frank, Shumer, ACORN and Obama.
Extremely informative and powerful.
It should, and I hope and pray that it does, spell doom for them!
PING
I’ve watched it three times since last night- I am finally grasping the concept of derivatives and CDS thanks to the informative explanation to David Asman by the NYU professor..
This is an absolutely wonderful presentation! Clear, easy to understand, and most important names names! David Asman is the anchor and does a very good job. I’ve emailed lots of “heads up”. I’m sure FOX will be repeating this often, or at least I hope so. Notice FOX is the only place to see anything like this——perhaps some kudos to them are in order.
Great show - was on last night and again this afternoon - particularly good in showing how Republicans including Secretary Snow and John McCain tried to reform the FM’s way back in the early 2000’s.........