For those who think that Congress respects the Constitution

[lawrocket 3]

Take a look at the video of the kangaroo court that some Congresspersons - from both sides of the aisle - decided to make it when the White House gate crashers (the Salahis) decided to assert their 5th Amendment right.

Take a look at Lungren - taking a chance not to ask questions but to proselytize. Not about fact finding. Oh, they've got the right to assert it. Mitchell asked a questions, "Are you here?"

I'm having a hard time getting links to the videos, but they are on yahoo news.

IT's a disgrace to mock people for exercising their Constitutional rights. Thanks, Congress! We know you are all abotu protecting peoples' rights.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Belgian_Draft 0]

Not that i agree with what they are doing, but it is nothing new.
Couldn't happen to a more respectful couple.

HAMMER:
Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a
kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent the
object we are trying to hit.

[wayneflorida 0]

http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Media/2010/01/20/HP/A/28597/House+Homeland+Security+Cmte+Hearing+on+White+House+State+Dinner+Security.aspx

C-span link 1hr 7 min

I quick scanned through the video. Most of the members defended the couple's right to the 5th, but highly criticized them for intentionally plotting and succeeding to crash the dinner. Protecting the President and such, blah,blah.

I saw the secret service fall on his knife went he
went before the committee. I'm sure the secret service will not let the white house determine
the protocal again. ie: Without someone from the white house to ok guests with the secret service guys providing security.

As for congressional hearings. The critters always
grand stand. I would like some of the witnesses to
tell them to STFU sometime.

Personally I don't think it was all that big a deal.
They went thru security but maybe not the backgroud check. The President is most likely in more of a dangerous situation when he goes down
the street and gets a burger.

[Rookie120 0]

What a fucking joke! They told these assholes at the beginning they would plead the 5th. So why does the dickhead chainman Jackson keep asking questions when he know what the answer will be? If I was in that seat and plead the 5th can I leave or would I have to sit there until the let me go even though I was pleading the 5th? Would I have to sit through there dog and pony show and listen to the bullshit?

If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck!

[pbwing 0]

Quote

...Mitchell asked a questions, "Are you here?"

Not that it's a big deal, but it was Pascrell, not Mitchell...

[Andy9o8 3]

I saw the video on the morning news today.

On the one, hand, I agree that it was a kangaroo court, and the questioners' conduct was appalling and inexcusable. I was pretty disgusted (though not surprised).

On the other hand, suppose, for the sake of discussion, that the couple did gate-crash the event without a proper invitation. If that's the case, then had they got away with it clean, it would have been a hell of a thrill. But in exchange for that, they knowingly assumed the risk that if they were caught, they'd have to pay the price. So, if they're now paying that price by being publicly pilloried like that (and possibly prosecuted), they should just suck it up. You poke the bear in the nose, you might get bit.

[Andrewwhyte 1]

I am confused as to why the legislative branch is tending to what is clearly administrative business.

[Niki1 2]

The quote that comes to mind, "(Mr. Reprasentative, have you no shame? At long last, have you no sense of decency?" That may not be exactly accurate but the idea still appliies.

These assholes get paid a LOT of money. To do this sort of shit? At least to unemployed me it's a shitpot full of money. It's probably a good thing they're not paid by the word. The polititions would bankrupt the country faster than the Wall St. guys have. Oh, wait. They have just about bankrupted us already.

Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done.
Louis D Brandeis

Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

[Andy9o8 3]

Quote

I am confused as to why the legislative branch is tending to what is clearly administrative business.

Technically, because Congress has an oversight capacity with respect to the other branches of government.* And in order to oversee, it has the authority to investigate; and in order to investigate, it has the power to subpoena witnesses and evidence.


*(It's limited in its ability to enforce, however - doing so through control of finances, as well as the passage of legislation, the latter of which is subject to potential Presidential veto and/or constitutional review by the Federal courts.)

[jdthomas 0]

I saw some footage of the 'hearings" and i thought. WTF? why are we wasting more money on this? these people broke the law of what tresspassing? why is this not at a lower court? why is this worth tax payers dollars? we know what happend in thebig pictuer. some very clever balloon boy wannabes's crashed the party because security sucked ass.
live and learn from that, give these people a fine, jail time or what have you for the actuall crime commited and move along.
I think if the president was really a man of change and was really concerned about America and it's well being he would say, stop wasting money on this, fix the problems at hand with security and move along as there is nothing to see here.
just my thoughts anyway, it's a fucking waste of a ton of money talking to people who are not going to talk!
Joe

www.greenboxphotography.com

[Andrewwhyte 1]

Quote

Quote

I am confused as to why the legislative branch is tending to what is clearly administrative business.

Technically, because Congress has an oversight capacity with respect to the other branches of government. And in order to oversee, it has the authority to investigate; and in order to investigate, it has the power to subpoena witnesses and evidence.

Pretty thin gruel. It looks like congress's version of discussing your football picks around the water cooler.
They need to get the fuck to work and, oh I don't know, draft a better health care bill.

[kelpdiver 2]

Quote

I saw some footage of the 'hearings" and i thought. WTF? why are we wasting more money on this? these people broke the law of what tresspassing? why is this not at a lower court? why is this worth tax payers dollars? we know what happend in thebig pictuer. some very clever balloon boy wannabes's crashed the party because security sucked ass.
live and learn from that,

I certainly could see motivation by the Exec Branch (esp SS) to go after them. It was an embarrassing incident. But what's the motivation of Congressmen to spend any time on this?

It feels like they wanted to schedule an easy class where they could wank off and not think for a few hours a week.