What were they waiting for!?!?
Calling the decision to authorize the raid "profoundly disturbing," Sensenbrenner signaled that he would not be among the lawmakers backing off their criticism of the Bush administration. - CNN.com
Firstly, the warrant to search Rep. WIlliam Jefferson's (D-LA) was, by all accounts legitimate...and had been ignored by the Louisiana representative and his office for some 9 months. Secondly, a search of Rep. Jefferson's home turned up some $90,000 in bribe money he had been videotaped from an FBI informant was found in his freezer. Now, I do believe in presumed innocence, but he's got an awful lot of 'splainin' to do to a jury.
But, that's not what I'm talking about here. What I'm talking about here is Rep. James Sensenbrenner's title for the hearing on the raid on Jefferson's office, that being...
Reckless Justice: Did the Saturday Night Raid of Congress Trample the Constitution?
Why the kerfuffle over this matter, given the Bush Administration's utter disdain for the Constitution since the day after 9/11?
Why didn't Rep. Sensenbrenner voice his outrage over the illegal domsestic spying operations conducted by the Bush White House? Where was the indignation over Bush's use of signing statements to essentialy declare that he is a law unto himself? WHy was he not up in arms when Bush suspended habeas corpus and the right to a speedy trial and so confront one's accusers, all in the name of th "war on terror"? Oddly, he supported these actions. So, what is so special about this incident that has House members, on both sides of the aisle, up in arms over the usupation of the Constitutional separation of powers, about which they have so long remained silent in the face of far greater insults?
Why should Congress, which has turned a blind eye towards the usurpation of the average citizens right by the White House, feel that it is above the law? Does their power and status bring them such priviledge? America is, supposedly, a nation of laws, and no man or woman is above those laws. Perhaps they are merely folowing the lead of President Bush and his Cabinet, who seem to think the law of the land is not for such as they and they may act as they will...when they will, with none to gainsay them.
Such rank hypocrisy cannot go unanswered, and our elected officials should bear in mind that elections are coming up in November. They should not underestimate the power of an angry electorate.
