Bronco_Beerslug
05-26-2006, 06:31 AM
So it's unconstitutional to search congressman's offices in DC but if you or I commit a crime it's OK for the FBI to search our homes and office? And just how do these lawmakers equate searching a DC office of a congressman to "in violation of the constitutional principle of separation of powers ... designed to protect Congress and the American people from abuses of power."? (http://tinyurl.com/g7npf)
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Bush orders FBI-Congress documents sealed
By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer Fri May 26, 3:42 AM ET
WASHINGTON -
President Bush is calling a timeout in the constitutional tussle between Congress and the Justice Department, ordering that documents seized in the
FBI's raid of a representative's office be sealed for 45 days.
Bush's spokesman, meantime, branded as "false, false, false" any charges that the department led by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales had tried to intimidate House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.
http://us.news3.yimg.com/us.i2.yimg.com/p/ap/20060524/capt.095058154f8f4f9381d8e036c97d4441.raid_on_cong ress_ny112.jpg?x=315&y=345&sig=SQq0tpUUT.o7c0tmnR94IA--
President Bush, right, shakes hands with Speaker of the House Rep. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., before delivering his speechat the Arie Crown Theatre in McCormick Place, in a Monday, May 22, 2006 photo in Chicago. House Speaker Dennis Hastert demanded Wednesday, May 24, 2006, that the FBI surrender documents it seized and remove agents involved in the weekend raid of Rep. William Jefferson's office, under what lawmakers of both parties said were unconstitutional circumstances. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Lawmakers from both parties complained that the weekend search, said to be the first in congressional history, was an abuse of executive powers. So Bush tried on Thursday to calm the tone.
"Our government has not faced such a dilemma in more than two centuries," he said in a statement. "Yet after days of discussions, it is clear these differences will require more time to be worked out."
Bush granted one of Hastert's demands, directing the FBI to surrender documents and computerized records taken the office of Rep. William Jefferson (news, bio, voting record), D-La.
The president told Solicitor General Paul Clement, who has a separate office in the Justice Department, to take custody of the material.
Bush said no one is above the law and that he continued to support the investigation of Jefferson. The eight-term congressman is accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars to facilitate a telephone investment deal in Africa.
"Those who violate the law — including a member of Congress — should and will be held to account," Bush said. "This investigation will go forward and justice will be served."
Hastert said the order would "give us some time to step back and try to negotiate with the
Department of Justice."
"I appreciate that," he said later.
(CONTINUED)
http://tinyurl.com/gxeyn
-----------------------------------------------------------
Bush orders FBI-Congress documents sealed
By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer Fri May 26, 3:42 AM ET
WASHINGTON -
President Bush is calling a timeout in the constitutional tussle between Congress and the Justice Department, ordering that documents seized in the
FBI's raid of a representative's office be sealed for 45 days.
Bush's spokesman, meantime, branded as "false, false, false" any charges that the department led by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales had tried to intimidate House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.
http://us.news3.yimg.com/us.i2.yimg.com/p/ap/20060524/capt.095058154f8f4f9381d8e036c97d4441.raid_on_cong ress_ny112.jpg?x=315&y=345&sig=SQq0tpUUT.o7c0tmnR94IA--
President Bush, right, shakes hands with Speaker of the House Rep. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., before delivering his speechat the Arie Crown Theatre in McCormick Place, in a Monday, May 22, 2006 photo in Chicago. House Speaker Dennis Hastert demanded Wednesday, May 24, 2006, that the FBI surrender documents it seized and remove agents involved in the weekend raid of Rep. William Jefferson's office, under what lawmakers of both parties said were unconstitutional circumstances. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Lawmakers from both parties complained that the weekend search, said to be the first in congressional history, was an abuse of executive powers. So Bush tried on Thursday to calm the tone.
"Our government has not faced such a dilemma in more than two centuries," he said in a statement. "Yet after days of discussions, it is clear these differences will require more time to be worked out."
Bush granted one of Hastert's demands, directing the FBI to surrender documents and computerized records taken the office of Rep. William Jefferson (news, bio, voting record), D-La.
The president told Solicitor General Paul Clement, who has a separate office in the Justice Department, to take custody of the material.
Bush said no one is above the law and that he continued to support the investigation of Jefferson. The eight-term congressman is accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars to facilitate a telephone investment deal in Africa.
"Those who violate the law — including a member of Congress — should and will be held to account," Bush said. "This investigation will go forward and justice will be served."
Hastert said the order would "give us some time to step back and try to negotiate with the
Department of Justice."
"I appreciate that," he said later.
(CONTINUED)
http://tinyurl.com/gxeyn