Posted on 06/10/2015 10:04:58 AM PDT by Kaslin
Lavrenti Beria, who ran Josef Stalin’s KGB, once commented on the ease with which the feared organization he headed could convict any individual at will: “Show me the man and I’ll find you the crime.” But that was early 20th Century Soviet Union, and this is 21st Century America, you might say; we have all manner of procedural safeguards in place to guard against individuals being charged and convicted of things not truly evil or harmful to others. Ahh, were it so.
Just how easy is it in 21st Century America to run afoul of one or more of the many thousands of federal criminal offenses on the books? Just ask Former Speaker Denny Hastert, now under federal indictment for nothing more egregious or harmful to our nation’s well-being than trying to conceal from prying eyes payments of his own money to another individual, and then not telling the FBI what it wanted him to reveal in order to incriminate himself.
Many of these criminal offenses have been on the books for decades -- some conceived at the same time as our Internal Revenue Code a full century ago; others the offspring of the “War on Drugs” in the late 1960s. However, the zeal with which Uncle Sam’s agents target individuals who seek nothing more than to keep certain personal activities private, has become pronounced in recent years.
We live in a world in which the federal government not only makes it nearly impossible to engage in any private financial transaction, but actually resents the person – to the point of making them a felon -- who dares try to evade revealing to federal regulators and investigators what they are doing with every red cent of their own money.
From the massive, NSA-directed meta-data collection programs revealed two years ago by Edward Snowden, to the FBI’s continuing efforts to outlaw any encryption of electronic data by individuals or companies to which the federal government is not given the keys, America’s landscape is peppered with legal landmines set for people and businesses trying to keep a small part of their world private.
Guilt is now presumed from simply taking steps to avoid government’s prying electronic eyes.
The Hastert indictment is clear evidence of this alarming trend. The former Speaker faces a decade or more in federal prison, but not for allegedly committing any substantive criminal offense. Even if he eventually is acquitted, Hastert’s reputation already is ruined simply because he wanted private transactions to remain private; and because he elected not to incriminate himself when answering questions put to him by FBI agents.
As The Atlantic’s Connor Friedersdorf writes, Hastert is but the latest in a growing list of Americans “being prosecuted for the crime of evading federal government surveillance.”
One does not have to possess the standing of a former Speaker of the House of Representatives to earn such attention from Uncle Sam. Last July, Lyndon McLellan, a convenience store owner in North Carolina, had his life-savings of $107,702.66 confiscated by the IRS for violating one of the same financial reporting laws that ensnared Hastert. For simply trying to reduce the paperwork burden on his bank with regard to certain transactions relating to his savings, McLellan was forced to mount a long and costly legal fight in order to see his money again.
The use of tightly crafted and clearly defined financial laws can in fact provide legitimate tools with which federal prosecutors are able to strike at “real” criminals engaged in activities that seriously harm other people. However, contemporary financial regulatory powers go far beyond what could be considered reasonable weapons with which to prosecute, convict and imprison such individuals.
For example, most individuals do not know that if you engage in a financial transaction considered “suspicious” by an employee at a federally-insured financial institution, the employee is required to report that transaction to federal investigators. These Suspicious Activity Reports or “SARs” are mandated in addition to other federal paperwork, such as “CTRs” or Currency Transaction Reports, which must be filed by anyone depositing or withdrawing more than $10,000 cash at a bank.
Many of these financial reporting laws have been broadened considerably since 9-11; and almost all have criminal penalties attached to them. But they are only the tip of the “gotcha iceberg” with which the federal government can control individuals and businesses. As noted criminal defense lawyer Harvey Silverglate concluded in his 2009 book, Three Felonies a Day – How the Feds Target the Innocent, it has become virtually impossible for even the most intelligent and learned individuals to, “predict with any reasonable assurance whether a wide range of seemingly ordinary activities might be regarded by federal prosecutors as felonies.”
So, before jumping to any conclusions about Denny Hastert, consider for a moment just how easy it would be for any of us to suddenly find ourselves similarly charged, for wanting nothing more than to keep certain personal financial actions private from Big Brother.
I understand the larger point here, that they are abusing law to prosecute Hastert. I am just having difficulty mustering up outrage over this abuse of the law.
Yes, I know we need to oppose abuse of the law for it's own sake, but with Hastert I see the technicalities of the law letting him get away with something for which he should have been punished. This is one of those cases where two wrongs might not make a right, but it makes it even.
I'm thinking that with all the other abuses of the law created by this Idiot/Liar Administration, this is not the most crucial one to worry about.
Is there some kind of secret house rule where a condition of becoming the leader you must be subject to bribery?
“... the question is why did Bush appoint him?” Um, the Bush family are part of the globalist oligarchy. George Bush works for the globalist team.
I have not heard that there was a blackmailer. It may very well be that Hastert approached someone he abused and offered to pay them this much money in order to keep his abuse quiet. It may be the opposite of blackmail, a sort of before the fact "hush money."
Bob Barr is a fruitcake. It is to Georgia’s everlasting shame that they elected this man to Congress.
As I mentioned in my previous message, whomever he is paying may not be a blackmailer at all. (i.e. someone who threatens to expose someone unless they get paid.)
It may very well be that Hastert himself went to them and offered to pay so much if they would keep the whole thing quiet.
What i'm saying here is that there is possibly no "mens rea" on the part of the person receiving the money. That they never threatened Hastert with exposure and that it was *HIS* idea to start paying them restitution, or whatever.
Blame the rat, not the cheese.
“Hastert’s reputation already is ruined simply because he wanted private transactions to remain private; and because he elected not to incriminate himself when answering questions put to him by FBI agents.”
Wrong. You don’t lye to FBI agents.
You hire a lawyer to do that for you!
Then you are denied a concealed carry 30+ years later and you find out the state you were busted in 15 years after your record was expunged, voted to reactivate your felon status along with murderers and rapists. This has been 42 years since the bust. So now you have to hire another lawyer in that state to once again expunge your record as agreed to in the sentencing by the judge 42 years ago. While doing that, you are still a felon and cannot be in possession of any firearms, bullets, paraphernalia or a concealed carry that was issued to you from a previous state, the same State that made you a felon again.
All the fun of being an American citizen with a bunch of total amateur, bozo's in charge.
And last week the city posted a "notice to abate nuisance" sign on my rental property. Bamboo is what they called "noxious vegetation", because trespassers were hiding in it and taking drugs. So the city cannot control their bums so I have to cut down my bamboo? Oh and if I want to protest this and fight for my bamboo to stay, $109 to get an appointment to express my displeasure. The bamboo is gone and now everyone is complaining about the trash and heroin needles left behind.
It’s worse than that.
Many, many people have done things in their past that are immoral, unsavory, illegal, or disgusting. We are sinners. Christianity is filled with stories about people who were deserving of punishment and banishment, yet they were changed by when they accepted the saving grace of Jesus in their lives, including people such as Saul of Tarsus and St. Augustine.
Those of us raised in that kind of culture internalized forgiveness and redemption as virtues.
I don’t know much about Mr. Hastert’s private life, but what I’ve read indicates that whatever happened took place 40 years ago. Now I know that there’s a number of freepers here who seem to have lived flawless lives of impeccable morality and perfect decisions, but that’s not how it is for some of us. Forty years ago, when I was nineteen years old, I was happily participating in the debris of the cultural chaos of the times, and absolutely breaking a number of laws, as well as social mores, mostly concerning sex and drugs. I regret those moments looking backwards, and I’ve accepted my imperfections and Christ as my savior.
What the statists are telling us is that nothing is forgotten, nothing is forgiven, and if there is something there to use to smear and ruin someone’s life, they will use it, no matter how long ago it took place or whatever has happened since that moment. This was the same reason for the destruction of Sarah Palin - it was a message to anyone else that any small imperfection (or large but hidden transgression) will be revealed, and your reputation and life will be ruined. People like myself are therefore warned not to speak up or stand up.
It’s kind of an Americanization of typical totalitarian show trial. No need to kill anyone. If you want to influence public policy, and you have done something in your past that can be used against you, it will be done. Few of us want to experience that, so the opposition chooses not to speak up. It’s a brilliant strategy, in an evil way.
Hastert is a warning, and well chosen, as most people will immediately focus on the criminal nature of the sexual interaction rather than the government overreach. The guy’s story is, metaphorically, a head on a stick at the outskirts of town to warn opposition.
God help us.
He wasn't always a fruitcake. Only after spending time in cogress. Besides, compared to Cynthia McKinney, who is also from Georgia, and was there at the same time, Barr really shines.
I was going to get that quote, thanks.
Exactly what is happening today.
I think the charges are ridiculous. Not condoning his behavior in any way.
However I’m real curious how he made 3.5 mil to pay the guy/guys off, plus his own living expenses. Selling influence no doubt.
Also would like to hear whether the IRS/FBI was pursuing the blackmailer for tax evasion and blackmail.
I don’t care about Hastert’s alleged skirting of IRS reporting requirements or whatever but I’ll shed no tears for the fag if they throw the book at him.
I’m glad this twat Bob Barr is no longer in Congress.
GWB may have wanted his own Souter and “found” Roberts.
Hastert was yet another beltway politico. Being prosecuted under unjust laws that he himseLf helped to pass or preserve.
Cry me a river.
That’s a little extreme, isn’t it? This is not like getting littering or maybe getting involved in a drunken brawl in your misspent youth will disqualify you from winning office. Heck,W Bush was busted for driving drunk, Zer0 wrote that he smoked dope, and they both made it to the Presidency.
Hastert didn’t kill anyone but he did something that even the scum in jail will target a man for: he was a filthy pedophile. Preying on boys entrusted to his care.
Frankly, I don’t want murderers, pedophiles, cannibals and other extreme scum holding any kind of office. It’s gonna take a lot more than “Forgive me! I was saved by Jesus!” to get me to forget what they did, or turn over the keys of power (even dogcatcher) to them. At best, I want them thrown UNDER the jail where they belong. You know that murderous sicko Ted Bundy claimed to have found Jesus? Would you have forgiven him and let him out of death row?
Hastert could have refused to say anything at all to the Feds.
If he had done that, the charge of lying to Federal investigators would disappear.
Hastert could also have written checks to his blackmailer and paid gift taxes on those checks.
If Hastert had done that, the Feds would have no case against him at all.
Re: “Just wait until they get rid of physical cash and go all electronic.”
I’ve already done that on my own.
I carry five one dollar bills, one blank check, and a credit card. I leave the debit card at home so no one can force me to make an ATM withdrawal.
I spend maybe ten bucks cash each year on Lottery tickets. Maybe ten more bucks on parking valets each year. A few more bucks on out of town toll roads. I’ve written two checks in the last five years - one to renew my passport, one to renew my drivers license.
Everything else? All my monthly bills are charged to my credit card. And, when I shop, I just swipe the card.
I can’t imagine ever going back to cash.
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