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.

[Sharkfish]

My email to Speaker Hastert:

Speaker Hastert: It is with great dismay that I read your comments regarding the FBI search of Rep. William Jefferson's Congressional office. As a former attorney, I can comfortably say that your citation of the Separartion of Powers principle is misplaced, as the clauses in the Constitution regarding that principle have to do with governance, legislation and official powers and limits of each branch. No Constitutional clause or line of interpretive cases insulates a man from criminal investigation and all the law enforcement powers that are duly granted to the executive branch. In short, no man is above the law.
On a more practical level, it is this sense of entitlement and privilege exercised by members of both houses of Congress that have turned off voters of all political persuasions. Although I am a registered Republican, my disguest with the Republican Congress and its deaf ear towards the party rank and file grows every day. It is almost enough to make a voter want to stay home in November.
Doug Freret
Santa Rosa Beach, FL

[Enterprise]

How 'bout calling it "The hole in the wall."

[areafiftyone]

I Wonder what Fat Hasert is hiding?

[mewzilla]

Thanks for that info!

[RDTF]

Demands? Cracks me up. Now they have jurisdiction over the FBI? Hastert better keep his freezer clean.

[oceanview]

good.

we want this to go to the SCOTUS - Congress will lose this one 9-0 there.

[D-Chivas]

What does Denny Hastert have in his freezer and when did he get it?

[Mr. K]

now you know how I felt when I voted for Perot.

A lot of people here put you down for saying that- but "give 'em what they want' Gearge Bush (the elder) was NOT going to get my vote after saying "read my lips- no new taxes" and then signing the biggest tax hike in HISTORY, and not voting for democraps goes without saying...

So... the large number voting for Perot scared the GOP (for a time) and although we got Clintoon - we also got a Republican Congress the next time around.

[tfecw]

Not enough fear mongering in your post. You're supposed to mention that we could have Hitlery as president if the rank and file don't do as they are supposed to do. Then you need to remind all the people who are tired of voting for the same people and expecting different results that the last time this was done we got clintoon.

[Miss_Reagan]

Thank you for your post but FYI
I see no benefit from supporting RINOS who have taken over the Republican party. I was like you until today but, when Dennis Hasert, Bill Frist & Trent Lott run to the pulpit to "defend" Jefferson, I lose any faith I ever had in the so called Republican party!
Whats the point of staying loyal to the damn RINOS when they act EXACTLY LIKE DEMOCRATS!
and BTW not one of those RINO pricks defended Tom Delay!

[pikachu]

1. Jefferson REFUSED to cooperate with other search warrants.
2. The Congress was given a one hour warning before they went into his office.
3. If Chandra Levy's severed head was in Gary Condit's office, would Denny be asking for that to be returned?
4. What the hell else are they hiding????

[OldFriend]

Jefferson refused to turn over the material that had been subpoenaed.

Once he refused did Hastert expect the feds to say....Oh, okay! Forget it, never mind!

[savedbygrace]

Yeah boy. Sanctuary.

[for-q-clinton]

This crap finally broke me as well. It's too bad the democrats are trying just as hard as Hastert to lose votes.

I probably just won't vote this cycle. And then when the RATS go through impeachment of Bush, I'll just remind the RINOs that they caused this by not doing what they were voted to do.

[mewzilla]

LI Wonder what Fat Hasert is hiding?

And/or who he's hiding it for...

[oceanview]

the problem is - we need him to stop the senate immigration bill. so demonizing Hastert over this, even though he is wrong, is short sighted.

let it go to the SCOTUS, let them slap Congress down.

[California Patriot]

"Privileged from arrest" is the key concept. The idea is that a duly elected member cannot be prevented from voting and speaking unless he's charged with one of these crimes.

There is no protection from legitimate warrants for a congressman's office. If there were, we'd have created a law-free zone right on Capitol Hill. If that's what Hastert thinks the Constitution requires, he's too dumb, constitutionally and politically, to serve in any major public office, let alone be our leader in the House.

[mewzilla]

Then you need to remind all the people who are tired of voting for the same people and expecting different results that the last time this was done we got clintoon.

Vote for RINOs, you just get more RINOs....

[snowrip]

Just sent a heated email to Ken Mehlman... and a SCATHING email to Hastert.

http://www.house.gov/hastert/contact.shtml

Ken.Mehlman@rncchairman.org

Make sure you put the zip code for Batavia, IL on the zipcode form for Hastert's email... It's right on his website, and it's the only way he'll respond to (or maybe even read) your message.

[RDTF]

Gawd every time I see William Jefferson's name in the press I think of Clinton. More reasons to barf.