Hastert Demands FBI Return Documents

CNSnews ~ LA Times ^ | May 24, 2006 | Laurie Kellman

[Miss_Reagan]

House Speaker Dennis Hastert demanded Wednesday that the FBI surrender documents it seized and remove agents involved in the weekend raid of Rep. William Jefferson's office, under what lawmakers of both parties said were unconstitutional circumstances.

"We think those materials ought to be returned," Hastert said, adding that the FBI agents involved "ought to be frozen out of that (case) just for the sake of the constitutional aspects of it."

The Saturday night search of Jefferson's office on Capitol Hill brought Democrats and Republicans together in rare election-year accord, with both parties protesting agency conduct they said violated the Constitution's separation of powers doctrine.

[Common Tator]

Boehnor = Boehner

It is a comon problem for broadcast people ... few if any of us ever learned to spell.

Thanks for the correction.

[RedStateRocker]

Sometimes I think the problem is the two party system. Maybe it needs to go.
I am nauseous of gasbags telling me I must support dimwits like Hastart and Frist and equally disgusted with the idea of President Clinton and/or Speaker Pelosi. If we had a parliamentarian system it couldn't be much worse. I'd be prepared to give voice to the 'extremes' at both ends rather than have a barely discernible group of permanently entrenched rrpublicrats and demicans as we have for, say, the last 60 or 70 years.

[skr]

The judge who issued the warrant didn't seem to think the FBI was violating the separation of powers.

[JeffersonRepublic.com]

[Screw that corporate sellout Pelosi]

At least Pelosi sent Jefferson a letter asking him to resign and then made that letter public after Jefferson refused.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/05/24/207-05242006.html

Hastert is out front defending political corruption. He is a dirt bag. I'm going to find it very hard to support Republicans who don't have a rock solid conservative record.

I'll be giving the Constitutional Party some attention this election cycle.

[CyberAnt]

Well .. this is an investigation into FELONY allegations - and Hastert IS VERY WRONG ON THIS ISSUE.

He's trying to protect the repubs - and I say if you did the crime then you need to do the time.

I know how the repubs think - if they allow this to happen then it'll be their turn next - and the dems will not be outraged about it at all.

[ClancyJ]

Good message.

[ClancyJ]

I'll bet they are splitting their guts hauling all their "confidential" stuff out in their briefcases as fast as they can.

I am all for getting all of them replaced. They have been too long in Washington and they feel they are all emperors.

[ClancyJ]

We cannot afford to lose to a democrat since they are now absolutely socialistic and will do anything - constitutional or not to hold on to their power.

But, we can remove the current residents of Washington and bring in new people. Time for a change IMHO.

[calex59]

'm sorry you don't know the history and meaning of, or reason for, the speech and Debate Clause. I'm sorry so few here do. That un-privileged papers were hidden among privileged ones does not override the Constitution's specific protection of Member's debates from Executive or Judicial act.

They were not searching for documents so much as they were money. Do you think privileged docs were hidden in the freezer with 90 grand of marked money that was also caught on tape being excepted as a bribe? What, we should just let that ride and say, oh, hell we can't search a congressmans office, he's above the law? BS. The constitution does not exempt senators and representatives from search when it pertains to a felony.

[Common Tator]

Oh.. You must think the government of France is a lot better than ours. Perhaps you would prefer Italy's government.

You don't get it my friend. The way you change things in the USA is the way the Liberals and the RINOS do it. They get in volved in the party of their choice and do what it takes to get control of the party. They start out doing the dirty work of getting out votes recruiting lots of people to work for candidates and finally in recruiting candidates for office.

At least here in Ohio the people who elect people are RINOs. It should not be surprising that candidates tend to follow the RINO line.

I don't know why but here in Ohio Conservatives in the Republican party are scarce. For some reason the Conservatives keep waiting for the RINOs to invite them to join the party... They are disappointed when the RINOs don' do that.

The conservatives to be effective have to invite themselves then they can invite more conservatives to join in the hard work of being a party offical...from precinct worker on up.

But don't hold your breath. Conservatives think all they have to do is vote on a couple of Tuesdays. RINOs know what it takes to win and tend to do it.

Reagan was always reaching out to those who could elect him. When he said his 11th commandment was speak no evil of a fellow Republican do you think he meant Conservatives or RINOs?

[Guenevere]

Hastert is so wrong in this!!!!!

I'm livid!

[California Patriot]

Papers aren't debate. And I presume they had a warrant.

You're the one who's confusing the issue. Some constitutional questions are complicated and call for deep historical knowledge. This isn't one of them.

[markman46]

Just Dam*, this needs to be repeated over and over again

[pointsal]

I must be missing the Cunningham exception.... which rules/laws can Congressmen (especially Demorats) break and ignor with impunity???

[WestVirginiaRebel]

For the "What the hell is he thinking?!?" file.

Pelosi and Hastert agreeing with each other. I'm going to be ill.

[California Patriot]

Yeah, Pelosi is actually doing more than Hastert!

[mrsmith]

"Papers aren't debate."

The Supreme Court disagrees with you.

They are protected if they are "integral part[s] of the deliberative and communicative processes by which Members participate in committee and House proceedings with respect to the consideration and passage or rejection of proposed legislation or with respect to other matters which the Constitution places within the jurisdiction of either House."

Such papers were taken and examined.

[Map Kernow]

And you come perilously close to saying it's alright for the Executive and Judiciary to rummage through whatever congressional papers they want to look for evidence of a crime.

I'm sorry you don't know the history and meaning of, or reason for, the speech and Debate Clause. I'm sorry so few here do.

I don't really think there're many around here who care about Constitutional separation of powers now that Bush is President. I don't think this FBI raid has as much to do with crime and corruption, as it does the Bush Administration's displeasure with the House over issues such as "immigration reform." The White House cashiering of Goss as CIA chief was another deliberate slap in the face to the House leadership.

And judging by how many here now profess not to care about Republican control of the House, it looks like the Bush Administration and its acolytes here are sub rosa anticipating a Democrat takeover this fall and are "sending a message" that investigations of the White House will be met by counter-investigations of Congress. Like I said, we're watching the wheels come off US constitutional government. And you're right: no one really cares about that.

[Johnny Crab]

Why is anyone surprised at all by this? All these guys, Republicans (with the exception of a stalwart few) and Democrats have long been on the same team. Their constant bickering and sniping back and forth is nothing but a show put on for all the little people out there to make them think there's a real idealogical difference. Problem is, there's not.

10-4. More of a show than NASCAR and wrestling combined. They're ALL afraid, VERY afraid of what their personal "freezers" have hidden in them.

[AmeriBrit]

JMHO: I don't think there's anything wrong basically with the two party system. What is wrong is many voters don't understand is if your not satisfied with a certain DC party member in DC then the way to deal with them is to replace them with a stronger party member, not to act like playground bully's. It's every party members responsibility to see their own district has the strongest person elected possible.

All the chanting "I'm going to vote 3rd party" trying to get others to follow their lead doesn't make sense. The third party leaders are all new on the block and no-one knows what they would or wouldn't do if they were elected.

FR has been invaded by sleepers, some long time, from DU etc., and they're adding the poison daily to those who are too weak to stand up to them and expose them.

Try reading if you can stand it a few Dem forums. You'll see none of the dissent or threat of party split on any of them. You will read though many there bragging about how they're being successful with their plans to break up the Republican party. They don't know how to fight fair. All they know, and are expert at, is how to lie, use the most disgusting language, and cause trouble where-ever they can get away with it.