Law needed to limit FBI raids, lawmaker says (Sensenbrenner)

[sabra]

http://today.reuters.com/News/newsArticle.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyID=2006-05-30T181519Z_01_N28266034_RTRUKOC_0_US-CONGRESS-RAID.xml

Law needed to limit FBI raids, lawmaker says


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - House Judiciary Chairman James Sensenbrenner said on Tuesday he plans to draft legislation that would protect congressional material during searches by government investigators.

Sensenbrenner also said he wanted to call Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and FBI Director Robert Mueller to testify about their justification for the unprecedented raid on the office of Rep. William Jefferson, the target of a bribery investigation.

Sensenbrenner, a Wisconsin Republican, said at a hearing on the raid that his bill could avoid a repeat of last week's standoff between congressional leaders and the Bush administration after the search of Jefferson's Capitol Hill office.

"We want to make sure that when the next congressman is investigated for illegal activity that the procedure done by the Justice Department is right," Sensenbrenner said.

[fooj]

1. Sounds like the treasonous, rat bastard is covering some ass...

"We want to make sure that when the next congressman is investigated for illegal activity that the procedure done by the Justice Department is right," Sensenbrenner said.

"...the next congressman investigated for illegal activity..." Crooked, lying SOB's!!!!

[movonne]

13. Who is running the FBI and CIA...so this could blackmail all of congress..

[longship]

2. "Done right"

The Congressional Republicans would be happy if there were no investigations.
That's what Senselessbrenner means by "done right"

[ShockediSay]

21. so ordinary citizens get privacy invaded w/out warrants while congress

so ordinary citizens get privacy invaded w/out warrants while congressional crooks are immune from searches warranted by a judge?

Who do these guys represent? Stalin? Hitler? Capone?

[ixion]

3. the only time pols want to limit an agency's power, is when it's affects

one of their own.

When it's just us peasants, they have no problem with domestic spying or warrantless searches. :grr:

[seasat]

4. The Repugs are really up in arms over this.

I like it. It's distracting from the fact that Jefferson is probably as crooked as the day is long. It makes them sound like they have something to hide (which I'm sure they do). Hey, Sensenbrenner, whatcha worried about? Have you been hiring illegal immigrants to do your housework?

[JulieWisc]

5. this AHOLE is out for himself

and could careless about Jefferson and he is up for election. I hope Milwaukeans wake up and vote his ASS OUT OF OFFICE!!! Wake UP MILWAUKEE your better than this SCUM..kick his ass to the curb!!!!!

[Zynx]

16. He's not elected by Milwaukee. He's elected by the suburbs.

Milwaukee is very, very pro-Democrat.

Sensenbrenner's district consists of all the suburbs outside of Milwaukee, mainly Waukesha County, and it is one of the most Republican in the country. Combination of rich people, blue collar areas, and out and out rednecks.

[TankLV]

17. Umm - I thought he was from New Orleans?

And, in fact, is a LOUSIANA congresscritter?

[dragonlady]

32. We're working on it!

As Zynx points out, Sensenbrenner's district is some of the suburbs surrounding Milwaukee. We are going to take him down this time. We have a great candidate in Bryan Kennedy, who got more votes in 2004 than any other Sensenbrenner opponent, and this year he is back stronger than ever with support from all over the country and we're going to win. See below for Bryan's website.

[radfringe]

25. they move pretty fast on protecting "rights"

when it's their butts in a sling...

how about protecting OUR rights to privacy? Oh..pooh...we're at war - we don't have any rights

[Rose Siding]

6. That would be futile given bush's penchant for signing statements

[LeftHander]

7. If you have done nothing wrong Jim.....why worry?

Frankly NO ONE is above the law. If congress people are taking bribes (Certainly Jim Bob would be one of the first ones I would investigate....) then they need to be treated equally under the law.

Congress has no rights above the the ordinary citizen.

DO they Jim...#1 travelling congressman on PAC $....

127 days $200,000 worth of trips....

I've said before and I will say it again...Sensenbrenner is an embarrasment.

If it wasn't for his gerry-mandered district he'd of been long gone. His district weaves it's way, picking out the wealthy western Milwaukee suburban (white) neighboorhoods. It makes me sick to look at that district map.

[rocktivity]

8. That's easy for a Republican to say

especially one who has received assurances from the Bush oval office that only Democrats' offices will be raided.

:headbang:
rocknation

[rodeodance]

9. adherance to the separation principle is enough--no new law is needed.

[Ravy]

22. What about the checks and balances???

I don't think the separation principle means that the executive and judicial branch cannot enforce laws against Congress, just the same as I don't think the separation principle means that the executive branch is exempt from the laws of Congress.

[suffragette]

10. Backhanded way of him saying it was ok this time?

Since he's saying they would need to create new legislation that would prohibit it in future.
So, that's how he'll addresses the issue without really addressing this instance, in typical underhanded Sensenbrenner fashion.

And the real question is still:
What was it that they wanted so badly that they resorted to this raid?

[leesa]

11. THIS is what they were after. This is why they made a stink about the Dem

so they could save their sorry little asses.

[Lars39]

12. Yes, consolidating their power seems to have been the goal.

[TankLV]

14. But they are NOT going to return the DEMOCRAT's papers.

All the other 2000 investigations involve ONLY REPUKES.

Guess why they are all so concerned all of a sudden?

[pnwmom]

15. Suppose Sensenbrenner is sincere. (I know that's hard, but try.)

Then Bush will just approve the bill with one of his "signing statements." Poof! It's all gone.

[Ravy]

23. It is the other side of the same coin.

If Congress is not under any jurisdiction of the executive and judicial branches, why should the executive branch be subject to congressional laws?

[jody]

18. * would veto it and the veto may be sustained. n/t

[HuffleClaw]

19. suuuuuuuuuure, just as i thought

their show of taking offence is just that, a show. how very predictable. now will come nice legislative shield put in place just in time for when BushCo. will be inevitably investigated.

[stepnw1f]

20. Law Needed to Screen Congrees People

and make sure they aren't like you, James. You caused this shit to happen, you sychophantic GOP thug.

[TexasLawyer]

24. And here's Bush's "signing statement" for that law

And I quote:

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, as if."

[bklyncowgirl]

28. Demn you beat me to it. nt

[Sgent]

26. This law wouldn't change anything

It would just require that any warrents against congresscritters for writings must be executed by the legislative branch -- not the executive (meaning the Capital Hill Police or the Seargant At Arms).

What if Bush, reading about Reid accepting boxing tickets, decides to search Reid's office -- and sends in Rove selected FBI agents to gather poltical fundrasing documents, democratic caucus letters, and other privlidges information. If the FBI is allowed to execute warrents in congresscritter's offices, it could lead to a major abuse of power and suppression of dissent. Obviously in this situation, that's not the case, but the next one might not be.

Just as the executive branch has legally privlidged internal documents -- so do both the legislative & judicial. Its important because Bush could also use the power to raid a supreme court justices office when they are deciding a case.

[Acadia Blue]

27. They have the power to impeach Gonzales and should do it.

[indypaul]

30. The quicker the better.

"The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self appointed or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny." James Madison, Federalist No. 47, Feb. 1, 1788.

The only weapon remaining in the hands of the legislative
branch, at this time, is impeachment. If the leadership
of Congress continues the erosion of its powers for the sake of partisan power they are participating in fostering that tyranny and ultimate destruction of this republic.

"These are the times that try mens souls."

[maxrandb]

29. No Senseless-Brenner

what's needed is for you Repukes to grow a set of balls and impeach the bastard, the AG, the FBI director, and the VP.

You built this fucking house of cards, and you damn well could help tear it down.

[Rex]

31. Just going apeshit all over the Constitution.

What do these moran GOPers expect? You FUCKED US ALL OVER IN 2000! STFU and swallow your victory soup!!! Assholes.