The timing of the Hastert charges, the nature of the charges, the absence of any charges against the blackmailer, the subsequent selective leaks to the press by DOJ officials, and the carefully crafted press reports all suggest the Hastert affair is all about intimidating other officials. Whether the message is targeted a Republicans in Congress, the Supreme Court, or both is not clear.
Consider if it is targeted at Roberts. It has been rumored Roberts vulnerabilities could be knowingly breaking the law in adopting his children as well as homosexual relationships at some point in his life. If evidence of homosexuality is revealed, he can likely keep his seat on the court by hanging tough like Clinton. In today’s environment it is hard to see Democrats and the press demanding he resign from the Court when they are actively promoting the gay lifestyle.
With the adoption, he has a different problem. If evidence is revealed he knowingly participated in illegal activity, even shady administrative processes, to adopt his children, there will be a firestorm of demands he resign from Democrats, the press, law school professors, and the American Bar Association. Republicans in Congress will not defend him and he’ll be forced to resign. Obama will then be able to appoint a far left lawyer or judge to the Chief Justice position, permanently altering the balance on the court. The Republican Senate will confirm the leftist appointee, particularly if the selection is a minority, given that there are several Republican Senators who seem willing to approve almost any Obama appointee (McCain, Hatch, Murkowski, Collins, Graham, Corker, Alexander).
The Roberts dilemma is interesting. If he is vulnerable Obama wins either way. If he isn’t exposed, he’ll back Obama to keep from being exposed. If he is exposed, and any illegal actions are indicated, he’ll be forced to resign.
As to Congress, I continue to believe most Congressmen are coopted by a corrupt system within their first two terms. They fall to one of the following temptations:
1) Sex
2) Money
3) Power
Once they fall to one of the first two temptation they are subject to extortion. As to the third, the only way to rise in the power structure is to do the bidding of those in power.
The Hastert affair may have unintended consequences. Should Hastert fight instead of plead guilty and settle, we could have national debate on a law which criminalizes private financial transactions and forces banks to report private transactions to the government without probable cause or a subpoena. Since those in power will not want this law overturned, we’ll most likely see Hastert negotiate a plea in which he pays a fine and doesn’t do jail time.
You are exactly right.
This is Chicago-style politics. Cook County went national. It simply took them a few more years to get the machine moved to DC - but once it’s been switched on, there’s no stopping it.