Posted on 03/18/2005 4:32:07 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
House Majority Leader Tom DeLay pledged Friday to hold Florida state judge George Greer in contempt of Congress for ignoring a congressional subpoena for Terri Schiavo's testimony, saying, "No little judge sitting in a state district court in Florida is going to usurp the authority of Congress."
"The Congress will pursue this, if we have to hold him in contempt of Congress," DeLay told radio host Sean Hannity.
Pressed on whether he intended to hold Judge Greer in contempt, the top Republican told Hannity: "Absolutely, absolutely."
"We will do everything to enforce the power and authority of the Congress and no little judge sitting in a state district court in Florida is going to usurp the authority of Congress," he added.
Earlier in the day Judge Greer rebuffed the Schiavo subpoena, telling attorneys in the case, "I have had no cogent reason why the [congressional] committee should intervene." He claimed that the last-minute action on the part of Congress does not nullify years of legal proceedings.
But DeLay told Hannity, "This judge and the Supreme Court of Florida are well known to be liberal judges that have a different worldview and they're imposing their worldview on the law."
The top House leader said that "no sane person" could look at Schiavo and say she's in a persistent vegetative state.
DeLay called a lawyer for Michael Schiavo, who has pressed for years to have his wife starved to death, "the personification of evil."
"With all that has happened today, I wonder if God will ever Bless America again....sometimes it seems we don't deserve it."
Doubtful. We still have that little "legalised abortion" thingy hanging over our Country.
I rather Imagine that "Ah-nold" is thinking that the Governor of Florida is the person to handle this, not the governor of California. In fact, since Greer is a state judge, the FL state legislature would be the authority to call him on the carpet. They have the authority to remove him from office, not congress.
You're probably right. So, where does that leave us? The courts have done their thing, the "delicate balance" of state vs. federal jurisdiction has been maintained, and an innocent woman has been starved to death. What the hell is wrong with this picture!?
Sensenbrenner was on Hannity this afternoon and said that the congressional subpoenas covered not just Terri, etc., but Terri's records. He said they have been informed some of the records were DESTROYED by Greer. Now what does that tell you?
so what. this is the same body that found a new civil right protecting Lee Malvo from facing the death penalty just a few weeks ago.
If Turley is backing up my take on the situation, I feel a lot less lonely.
Your statement implies a trial for a crime to be followed by a death sentence upon finding of guilt.
If this judge can order a death sentence to a person who has committed no crime, then this judge does not deserve a trial but is entitled to go directly to the execution stage as he has ordered his victim to do.
This guy is an arrogant b@stard.
He is also right. This is a State matter and not within the constitutional scope of the Federal Government.
State's Rights, right?
This is all red meat blather for the Religeous Right. Like the Flag Burning Ammendment, it will all come to nothing.
SO9
I agree, the RINOs will cave.
I do think, that Greer may have just painted a figurative bulls eye on his black robe. Congress could never have reached out and touched a state court judge. Now Greer by his own egomania has signed his own warrent.
Here is the interesting part, if he is found in contempt he could be forced off the bench and even loose his law license.
ALL because he felt personally offended by a subpoena from congress "usurping" his authority.
This is beyond wrong. The judge mandated, slow-death (murder) of this helpless victim, has set extremely dangerous precedent, very similar to that of Germany, in the early days of the Nazi era.
Well, after today, good luck with that anti-abortion thing. If it's OK to kill an adult who is not terminally ill, then why not a malformed "fetus"? After all, it's about "quality of life", isn't it? /sarcasm
Here's what I know:
Terri "collapses" at age 26, 15 years ago, under mysterious circumstances. According to her brother, husband did not call for help until brother arrived and made him call.
Husband denies medical tests for Terri.
Husband begins openly living with another woman. Woman has 2 children with him.
Husband doesn't let family visit Terri with any regularity.
Somewhere in time husband gets insurance $ (is this correct?)
7 years on, and coincidently after insurance $ is grabbed, husband remembers Terri saying something about not wanting to be kept alive with low quality of life.
Terri's parents and siblings want to care for her, giving her all and any medical care necessary. Husband does not.
Husband finds shyster lawyer with judge in pocket.
Husband wants Terri dead asap. Also wants her cremated with no autopsy.
I know I'm missing points here. But IMO the only response to these statements is WHY
In all honesty, this subpoena effort was a futile, last-ditch, and rather embarrassing means for the congress to save some face. If they were going to pass a law to prevent this thing from happening, they should have done it weeks ago. I'm beginning to think that the Republicans in Congress...all of them -- even our so-called "heroes"...are feckless and useless.
He would be on the right side of this thing regardless. Unlike many, he is a man of conviction and principal
God helps them who help themselves.
Why didn't team Delay just accept the Senate Bill which addressed the Schiavo matter, but did not have a broader reach (which it should not, given the whole thing was done on a dime)? Delay has no cards on this one, and will fold on Monday. In the meantime, I am quite unimpressed with his over the top perfervid rhetoric about Congressional inaction, over a "crisis" which he created. But then I am often not a big fan of Delay. I just don't like his act.
Maybe someone needs a short-form FAQ.
Husband, Michael, has been criminally neglecting Terri, claiming she's PVS. Parents claim she's not and that he's lying. Other evidence suggests husband is a habitual liar. Incidentally, husband has already moved in with another woman, fathered who children by her, and pledged to marry her. Nonetheless, he refuses to divorce his wife.
Husband has been doing everything possible to keep his wife incommunicado from anyone who could credibly report what she says. All findings of fact related to this case get funneled through one judge (George Greer) who has made quite plain that he wants Terri dead.
Incidentally, Michael's lawyer, George Felos, is the author of a very scary book. Google "Litigation as spiritual practice" and decide if you think he sounds like an honest and sane person.
Florida law. You could write a law requiring, in the absence of a directive from the patient, that nutrition be supplied.
Current law allows that decision to be made by the spouse.
Tom Delay and his wife Christine have been regular foster parents to abused children and he has been the leading advocated for the neglected. There is no other elected official I trust more with issues like this one.
Is he a sole practicioner. Ican't believe he would be in a big law firm,but if he is maybe we can find out about their major clients and put pressur on that way. Picketing his office or his residence maybe in order,but I feel bad suggesting that since I don't live in Florida and can't help out.
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