Posted on 08/03/2007 3:34:45 PM PDT by Revel
WASHINGTON — The FBI violated the Constitution when agents raided U.S. Rep. William Jefferson's office last year and viewed legislative documents in a corruption investigation, a federal appeals court ruled Friday.
The court ordered the Justice Department to return any legislative documents it seized from the Louisiana Democrat's office on Capitol Hill. The court did not order the return of all the documents seized in the raid and did not say whether prosecutors could use any of the records against Jefferson in their bribery case.
Jefferson argued that the first-of-its-kind raid trampled congressional independence. The Constitution prohibits the executive branch from using its law enforcement powers to interfere with the lawmaking process. The Justice Department said that declaring the search unconstitutional would essentially prohibit the FBI from ever looking at a lawmaker's documents.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
The only help I can offer, is she/he never answered the question that was asked several times.
Again, thanks for paying attention, and asking the right questions. Some people just post like it's an uncontrolled reaction, not being able to help themselves, like a sudden burp.
As I seem to recall, you and I were about the only ones to see it this way, but the fact remains that this is an important constitutional issue, and the executive branch should have gone through the normal channels instead of trying to grab more power.
This announcement is not worth talking about. Its the same as if some doctor was under investigation for tax fraud and the IRS and cops show up and seize every scrap of paper in his house...only to have the judge say that medical papers on patients within his house are not to be held by the cops because they are of a personal nature. Thats all that this announcement basically said. I’m pretty sure that the FBI and cops in Jefferson’s case...are more than happy to comb through and let the good gentleman have those important papers back. They wouldn’t matter in court anyway.
I think you are mistaking the individuals for the Congress as a whole. It's needs are paramount, and the desire of some county sheriff, town marshal or wayward FBI agent must be set aside for the duration of the legislative session, and in the case of institutional matters, e.g. papers relating to legislation, such desires must be set aside during the existence of Congress.
That's the way it was done in England as well ~ ever since the time Charles I was executed for overreaching his constitutional powers.
Our Founders knew their English Constitutional History even if we don't.
Royalist Alert!!!!!!.
It's a modern vanity to believe they can do without them.
He's been indicted for this crime, and will be tried and imprisoned shortly.
Which has nothing to do with the unConstitutional and totally unnecessary raid on his office, which even poor Denny Hastert could see was wrong.
And, he's not a Federal employee.
The bribery he's been indicted for. The bribery he will shortly be going to prison for.
THAT bribery.
What 3 years later? This guy could have contracted cancer, and died before he'd ever see the inside of a prison. Him walking around free 3 years later is contemptible and offensive to any clear thinking American.
Which has nothing to do with the unConstitutional and totally unnecessary raid on his office, which even poor Denny Hastert could see was wrong.
Poor Hastert? LOL! The crook stuffing tens of thousands in cash into his freezer might very well of had the goods on him too.
These people make me ill. They should all be subject to the same exact laws that we are subject to.
We need to control Congress and stop the corruption:
1. Members of Congress should be paid at or near minimum wage for the privilege of serving. The tax payers will provide room, board, and their transportation.
2. Only serve one or two terms at the maximum. No more career politicians. Period.
3. No more closed door meetings, except in regards to national defense matters. That includes meetings with lobbyist etc.
4. Random drug testing for every single member of Congress and the occupant of the White House, and often. If it's demanded upon the lowly Home Depot employees and American working class, the same should apply to those that hold power too.
5. Have cameras installed inside their government offices to monitor their activities, in addition, all business telephone calls made on government telephones should be recorded, if they are not already.
6. Periodically conduct investigations into their finances, assets, spending patterns, and this should be a matter of routine. Even if they stuff $100,000 into their freezers, they're spending patterns will be detected.
We need to end the corruption. Many politicians have been evolving into a elite, celebrity like status, that is being driven by power and arrogance. We see this all the time now. They are public servants and should be treated as such. The American people have become justifiable cynical of those in D.C. not to mention the local and state politicians. All need to be reminded who they are working for and a good house cleaning is in order.
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