Did Ashcroft go too far in Greenpeace indictment?

Bergen Record ^ | Tuesday, November 4, 2003 | JONATHAN TURLEY

[dead]

IT HAS lain dormant in the darkest recesses of American law for 125 years, but last month Attorney General John Ashcroft introduced critics of the administration to his latest weapon in law enforcement.

In a Miami federal court, the attorney general charged the environmental group Greenpeace under an obscure 1872 law originally intended to end the practice of "sailor-mongering," or the luring of sailors with liquor and prostitutes from their ships. Ashcroft plucked the law from obscurity to punish Greenpeace for boarding a vessel near port in Miami.

[AdamSelene235]

This isn't the first time he's pulled something like this. Back when he was as Missouri's AG he argued a NOW boycott of his state was an anti-trust violation !!!!

[MosesKnows]

an obscure 1872 law

What?

Does that mean that the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 wasn't enough.

[LittleJoe]

Ashcroft is the trash man

Ashcroft is trashing the Constitution. Greenpeace could be prosecuted under modern maritime law with no problem.

That he chose to use an obscure and outdated anti Shanghai law leads me to believe that the man is mentally unbalanced, or is deliberately helping the socialist cause.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Thank you for this info.

[Servant of the 9]

Every time Ashcroft unveils the results of one of his innovative long term crime busting schemes, terrorists everywhere laugh and give each other high fives.

SO9

[tet68]

Ashcroft is annoying, but Greenpeace is dangerous.

And these protestors, did they board that vessel against the wishes of her master?

Pirates, that's what they were.
Hang them.

[hgro]

Greenpeace is annoying, but Ashcroft is dangerous.

Did it ever occur to you that terrorists could put on a greenpeace jacket and put the llves of many people in jepordy?

[dead]

Pirates, that's what they were.

Then why didn’t he charge them with piracy, genius?

[SunStar]

Did Ashcroft go too far in Greenpeace indictment?

No. Strike that... Hell no.

[Prime Choice]

Exactly. And I remember the dingbats on the left who cheered the abuse of power because it favored their political agenda.

I don't really see this as an abuse of power. Greenpeace does not have a right to board vessels at will. They may buzz them in their boats and hold up signs to their heart's content, but they crossed the line when they boarded that ship.

Remember that one's right to swing one's fists ends where the other guy's nose begins.

[pfflier]

It is about time that it was recognized that Greenpeace is breaking laws in the name of "environmental consience". They are not above the law because they like warm fuzzy seals.

Boarding a ship on the high seas could be piracy if the ship's master does not condone the boarding.

Greenpeace also obstructs the waterways and poses a threat to free passage of shipping, when they approach or blocade transit in a harbor, like in Australia recently. Another law broken.

[dead]

Did it ever occur to you that terrorists could put on a greenpeace jacket and put the llves of many people in jepordy?

Gee, that’s deep.

He charged the organization of Greenpeace with sailor mongering 15 months after the event.

How exactly that helps prevent your scenario is beyond me.

[Servant of the 9]

Did it ever occur to you that terrorists could put on a greenpeace jacket and put the llves of many people in jepordy?

When Ashcroft has Islamo-Fascist Terrorism so well controlled that he has people sitting around with nothing to do, then going after porn dealers or greenpeace is a fine thing, but his priorities stink.

SO9

[wjcsux]

Liberals don't mind when anti-abortion protesters are persecuted and arrested. But they sure don't like it when their groups are threatened.
Bingo!

[dead]

I don't really see this as an abuse of power. Greenpeace does not have a right to board vessels at will.

Is there anybody on earth who doesn’t know this? The Greenpeace activists surrendured peacefully, were charged with trespass, and plead guilty. They knew they would be arrested when they boarded the boat. They wanted to be arrested. It's called civil disobedience, and getting arrested is the whole point.

Again, I do not understand what this has to do with Ashcroft charging the organization, 15 months after the fact, with “sailor mongering.”

It has nothing to do with it. It is a political charge, being selectively enforced.

[Leatherneck_MT]

That bastard organization should be investigated for Terrorism and treated AS Terrorists IMHO.

Them, PETA, ELF, ALF and the rest are nothing more than Eco-Terrorists and they should be hunted down and treated as such.

[pfflier]

Perhaps you like more vigorous action like when Berrigan bashed airplanes?

Where do you propose your standard start and end?

[Legerdemain]

Screw Greenpeace. I'll take Ashcroft. DITTO!!

as much as I dislike Greenpeace, I don't think they were mongering, they were charged and convicted....Ashcroft is on a power trip......sheesh

[wjcsux]

If it was my ship, I would have shot the bastards!

[RightWhale]

Greenpeace uses free speech to hide behind while they subvert the free world? Now that's obscure.