Court rules FBI search of Jefferson’s office was constitutional
posted at 7:22 pm on July 10, 2006 by Allahpundit
Part checks and balances, part good ol’ fashioned egalitarianism. From page 11 of the opinion:
It is clear … that the “constitutional freedom from arrest does not exempt Members of Congress from the operation of the ordinary criminal laws … Indeed, implicit in the narrow scope of the privilege of freedom from arrest is, as [Thomas] Jefferson noted, the judgment that legislators ought not to stand above the law they create but ought generally to be bound by it as are ordinary persons.”
Between the warrantless wiretaps and the keeping secrets from Congress, I don’t know how much gloating we want to do over this one.
The opinion’s here. Page 16 is pretty much all you need.









Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Gloat, please. Please, gloat.
This is as it should be.
doingwhatican on July 10, 2006 at 7:36 PM
maybe there’s justice after all…
pullingmyhairout on July 10, 2006 at 7:48 PM
I suspect that Hastert is cursing while drinking a martini in some DC bar while Pelosi sings the blues while sobbing, perched atop the piano.
Bellicose Muse on July 10, 2006 at 8:01 PM
Gloat gloat gloat gloat and gloat some more. The morons deserve it.
IF Bush actually did anything wrong, then gloat when he gets his comeuppance too. Not that I agree for one microsecond that he did, but I’m trying to be fair.
Unless this is (or at least can be returned peacefully to) a government of the people, by the people, and for the people then the lunatic left is right (shock gasp) and it is time for another 1776. Of course, they would be right for entirely WRONG reasons… but then did you expect anything else?
RH
RobertHuntingdon on July 10, 2006 at 8:02 PM
Er… at least in the cases mentioned. It’s always possible something else Bush did that we don’t know about actually was illegal, unlike everything that we do so far… though as much of a milquetoast as that guy is I’d be highly surprised to find such an incident. He doesn’t have the balls for it.
RH
RobertHuntingdon on July 10, 2006 at 8:03 PM
I shall gloat away due to the fact that this should scare the stuff out of the lousy double dipping politicians in Washington, and because this will continue to put a damper on Pelousy’s half right rhetoric.
gloat gloat gloat gloat gloat gloat
Bush had better remain out of the frey this time.
DannoJyd on July 10, 2006 at 9:35 PM
It’s very refreshing to see a Federal Judge stand up for what’s right for a change (assuming Hogan has no ulterior motive). I hope Jefferson is shittin’ cold gold bricks right about now.
speed647 on July 10, 2006 at 10:59 PM
Gloat gloat gloat gloat and gloat
Gloat gloat gloat gloat and gloat
Gloat gloat gloat gloat and gloat
Gloat gloat gloat gloat and gloat
Gloat gloat gloat gloat and gloat
Gloat gloat gloat gloat and gloat
Gloat gloat gloat gloat and gloat
Gloat gloat gloat gloat and gloat
Gloat gloat gloat gloat and gloat
Gloat gloat gloat gloat and gloat
Gloat gloat gloat gloat and gloat
Gloat gloat gloat gloat and gloat
Gloat gloat gloat gloat and gloat
Gloat gloat gloat gloat and gloat
Gloat gloat gloat gloat and gloat
Gloat gloat gloat gloat and gloat
And one more GLOAT for good measure.
auspatriotman on July 11, 2006 at 12:21 AM
You people just don’t get it.
The executive branch cannot get a warrant from the judicial branch and invade a congressmans office and gather any material it wishes. They should have instructed the Capital police to do this and worked with Hastert. However, the Bush attack on the ‘peoples house’ continues to augment his strive for imperial power.
Here is what Hastert can do: Impeach this stupid judge. Impeach Alberto Gonzales. Impeach the entire supreme court and teach the power hungry anti-constitutional leaders.
Then of course go to the white house with the Captial Hill police and knock down the executive branch doors and confiscate materials. And of course, Hastert can start impeachment hearings on this imposter of a conservative we have in the white house…………which is being run by Laura Bush.
LZVandy on July 11, 2006 at 7:02 AM
Somebody got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.
IrishEi on July 11, 2006 at 7:20 AM
Uh, or the rest of the Judiciary and Congress can take note that people actually know how to read the Constitution.
Kid from Brooklyn on July 11, 2006 at 8:23 AM
Gee, Al Capone slipped up; he should have been a legislative aide as his front job. According to LZVandy, he could have kept the books there in the office and never been touched!
Mike O on July 11, 2006 at 9:08 AM
Money in the freezer. Come on.
Shmo on July 11, 2006 at 10:32 AM