Posted on 06/29/2012 8:29:49 AM PDT by Bigtigermike
Despite voting to hold Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. in contempt of Congress, theres little House Republicans can do in the short term to compel him to turn over documents unless it wanted to revisit a long-dormant power and arrest him.
The thought is shocking, and conjures up a Hollywood-ready standoff scene between House police and the FBI agents who protect the attorney general. Its a dramatic and unlikely possibility not least because Congress doesnt even have a jail any longer. But in theory it could happen.
Republicans say its not even under consideration, with House Speaker John A. Boehners spokesman flatly ruling it out.
But the process, known as inherent contempt, is well-established by precedent, has been confirmed by multiple Supreme Court rulings, and is available to any Congress willing to force such a confrontation.
The House is scared to death to use the inherent contempt power, said Mort Rosenberg, a fellow at the Constitution Project and author of When Congress Comes Calling. Theyre scared to death because the courts have said
the way the contempt power is used is unseemly. Its not that its unconstitutional, because its been upheld by four Supreme Court decisions, but unseemly to have somebody go arrest the attorney general.
(Excerpt) Read more at m.washingtontimes.com ...
Good question, I think the Congress has their own security team which enforces their actions and provides security.
Everything else is under the DOJ and Holder.
Here's the way it works: The Times prints this story and some leftist blogger picks it up and posts a story on how the Times has a story about the possible use of 'inherent contempt' by the Repubs to put Holder in jail. Big Media pick it up and report it as a real story. Now the Repubs, who never even thought of this, look bad (as Big Media will make them look).
Voila! More pressure on the Repubs to be 'lenient'.
So if Issa’s committee called Holder before a committee hearing, the Sargeant at arms could take his skinny fascist ass into custody? I like it!
I sure hope not.
I think ths guy’s contempt consists in no turning over some documents.
My contempt is deeper and more fundamental. I think most of them are crooks.
It's an immutable law of the universe that there will always be enough Republicans to act like they are voting on country club bylaws governing the use of olives vs. onions as acceptable Martini garnishes while outside the garden gates Democrats are pulling apart the Republic.
Nancy Pelosi wanted to arrest Karl Rove WITHOUT a contempt charge.
Or anything more! Was his wower wip qwiverwing when he said it?
I think you’re right!
Has Boehner stopped sobbing yet?
Maybe Sebelius would like to testify before a House committee ~ the same thing could happen. But remember, she's tetched in the head so she'd be going in there while they were carrying the bodies of other traitors out past her. I can see her looking down her long nose at them and snorting.
Those who got in the way could be dealt with harshly ~ Pelosi would, of course, be running around screeching and screaming, so she'd have to be tied up at the least, and put in a closet so her sounds wouldn't disturb the others.
The whole Robespierre trickbag is all there.
Remember, a Congress or Parliament, no matter how well behaved, arose in a tumultuous time, or in a revolution, where the personal safety of the members was not secure so they had to band together in a common agreement ~ a COMPACT ~ to protect themselves. There is no higher authority than the House. Says so right in the Constitution.
Holder’s people in congress will go ape shiite if he’s arrested. They’ll make theatre out of it, big time.
Will the civil case have teeth?
To hold Holder in Contempt and then let him continue ignoring congress, will make the Executive branch feel like Congress is inconsequential. That's not good.
Breaking News:
In response to the contempt vote, Holder was heard to say, “I believe I will blow my nose in your general direction.”
It'd have ONE CHAIR ~
This morning they said that the Stg. of Arms could put Holder into custody.
i’ve been saying that for years. The Constitution says the House makes its own rules. Presumably that includes those regarding crime ~
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