Hastert tells President Bush FBI raid was unconstitutional

The Hill ^ | 5/24/06 | Patrick O'Connor

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

I have two words for Dennis Hastert. French Revolution.

[NormsRevenge]

He's from Illinois.. home state of George Ryan.. Nyaahhhhh
.. could never happen. ;-)

[SE Mom]

From the piece by Byron York- (which link I will post again- ANYONE interested in this case will be informed by reading it at: http://corner.nationalreview.com/

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Then the warrant describes a set of extraordinary procedures involving not only prosecutors but also the Court, by which Congressional privileges will be respected:


To ensure the prosecution team does not inadvertently review any potentially politically sensitive, non-responsive items in the office, or information that may fall within the purview of the Speech or Debate Clause privilege, or any other pertinent privilege, the physical search of the office will be conducted by special agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation who have had no substantive role in the investigation.

The non-case agents will remove from the office those paper records determined to be responsive [to a detailed list of things to be search for included at the end of the warrant request]…Other than as required to determine responsiveness, the non-case agents will not disclose to anyone any politically sensitive and non-responsive items inadvertently seen by the non-case agents during the course of the search of the office and will attest in writing to their compliance with this procedure.

Before giving any paper records seized from the office to the prosecution team, the non-case agents will deliver the seized paper records to the designated Filter Team….Prior to their appointment, the Filter Team will have had no role or connection to the investigation in this matter and their subsequent roles in the investigation will be confined to their duties and responsibilities in connection with these special procedures.

The Filter Team will review the paper records seized from the office to validate that they are responsive…Any paper records seized from the office that are determined by the Filter Team to be unresponsive…will be promptly returned to the office…

Paper records validated by the Filter Team as responsive…will undergo a second level of review by the Filter Team. The Filter Team will review the responsive records to determine if they may fall within the purview of the Speech or Debate Clause privilege or any other pertinent privilege…

For those paper records determined by the Filter Team as potentially within the purview of the Speech or Debate Clause privilege, or any other pertinent privilege, the Filter Team shall provide a log of those potentially privileged paper records to counsel for Congressman Jefferson. The log shall identify the record by date, recipient, sender and subject matter….The Filter Team shall not provide the log or copies of the potentially privileged paper records to the prosecution team, unless otherwise ordered by the Court…

The Filter Team shall then request the District Court to review the potentially privileged paper records in order for the Court to name a final determination whether they contain privileged information, unless counsel for Congressman Jefferson consents to the production to the prosecution team of certain of the potentially privileged paper records.

[defconw]

Preposterous isn't it! Wonder what else Congress has to hide?

[mojo114]

Tried to get to Hassert 's email and I can't find out how to contact him .They won't let me in if I'm not living in the zip code. Help please.

[NordP]

"No wonder Congress has a lower approval rating than the Prez. "

Yep...they've really EARNed too.

[HangnJudge]

Isn't taking a $100,000 bribe a felony?

[Reactionary]

Hmm. I guess Denny's mighty worried about who Willy was holding the cash for.

We nab the bag man for a bribes to in Congress, and wouldn't you know? Both sides are convinced it was "unconstutional" and just plain mean.

Right.

[Whispering Smith]

�<;�����<@� Federal judge authorized the search? Need a judge to monitor international communications between terrorists and their allies in this country? A judge is then good enough to authorize a search of a Congress critter's office on the Hill.</p>

[monkeyshine]

What we need to do is get rid of these two political parties. Party politics doesn't belong in the House especially. Each representative should be 100% focussed on representing their STATE, not their political party.

Sure they and we have freedom of association, but we should choose NOT to associate with political parties for the house seats. Every state should have their own political party.

[defconw]

Do you know Dennis Hastert's district zip code?

[mvpel]

Actually, it was settled in 1907 or thereabouts: Williamson v. US, 207 US 425

[KoRn]

"xrp to Hastert: Whatever, fatboy."

Geez. Agree with this or not, that's just tasteless. Try posting above the level of 2nd grade next time.

[patj]

get me Jack Bauer

Can't, he's on a slow boat to China.

[baltoga]

Talk about weak Republican leadership. When Hastert comes to the defense of a corrupt Democrat it's time to clean house.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Thank you for your post #45. It was the first sensible comment on the thread. You kept me from having to say it.

[NormsRevenge]

Does Congress have the power to order searches of the White House?


Congressman Billybob, looking for any insight you could share re: the question asked by doe eyes.

Thanks.

[Boundless]

> It's not like he hasn't had more thn enough time
> to clean out his files in his office.

Well, based on the history being reported today, he
probably thought his HOB offices were immune.

Why do I have a feeling that a LOT of HOB desks and
file cabinets are being cleaned out this week?

Perhaps the FBI move was in part to provoke such a
panic on the part of some other congresscritter.

By the way, to draw on some private sector observations,
it's amazing how many employees fail to clean out their
desks when they know they are about to be fired, or
quit under hostile circumstances. They get marched to
the door and have to wait weeks for company lawyers to
decide what desk contents get returned.

[Hildy]

It's absolutely UNBELIEVABLE. This Republican leadership has to be the most pathetic, spineless, nincompoops I've ever seen. It makes me literally want to scream. Everyday I want to scream.

[Hebrews 11:6]

re: your post #50: Well said!