Who will arrest Harriet? Surely no DoJ people will? Capitol Police?

[Stinky The Clown]

I don't think they have jurisdiction. So who would arrest Harriet in the event she's cited for contempt?

[Totally Committed]

1. If they charge her with Inherent Contempt, baldguy, over in another thread had a really good answer:

"The Sergeants-At-Arms of Congress have the authority to enforce a ruling of Inherent contempt.

They have the authority to call on all law enforcement agencies to enforce such a ruling & bring the offender to Congress to answer the charges. And if the person refuses to testify, they can go to jail until they do."

I have no idea who would do the arresting if they charge her with outright Contempt, though. I can't imagine Gonzo's goons over at DOJ arresting her.

TC

[Rene]

15. Gonzo's goons.....what an apt phrase for these times.......so very sad for our Nation.

What is the latest legal action to take place about Gonzo's twisted decisions/actions.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. There's a group of veterans who said they'd like to make

a citizen's arrest of Bush--I bet they'd be delighted to help the Sergeant At Arms out in this matter as well.


And if Gonzo won't comply, can't the SAA bonk him with the Mace? It's rather large and heavy.

[cureautismnow]

3. Yes, the Sergeants-At-Arms for Congress.

John Dean spells out several scenarios ----> http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20070713.html

DU discussion of John Dean's analysis -->

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1324110

I like the Citizens' Arrest angle, too! :popcorn:

[laststeamtrain]

4. Gomer Pyle: "Citizen's arrest!, citizen's arrest!"

[Bitwit1234]

5. Since it is a federal offense wouldn't the U.S. Marshall's?

[drm604]

12. They work for the Justice Department.

The Justice Department will refuse to send them.

[cureautismnow]

6. Too bad it's not in the Senate.

Here's the Senate Sergeant-at-arms, Terrance Gainer:
http://www.senate.gov/reference/office/sergeant_at_arms.htm

"The Sergeant at Arms is authorized to arrest and detain any person violating Senate rules, including the President of the United States."

[eppur_se_muova]

7. I've been trying to find this info -- The duties of the Seargent-at-Arms ...

...of the House in such situations are not spelled out as clearly as those of the SAA of the Senate (these are two different posts; there is no "SAA of Congress"). The SAAS has considerable authority:

The Sergeant at Arms is authorized to arrest and detain any person violating Senate rules, including the President of the United States.

http://www.senate.gov/reference/office/sergeant_at_arms.htm

The SAAS has enforced arrest warrants against Senators:

In the Senate, the Sergeant-at-Arms had a moment in the media spotlight in 1988, when then Senate Majority Leader Robert Byrd (D-WV) made a motion on the Senate floor that Senators absent from the floor be arrested and brought to the chamber. The absentees were deliberately stalling the consideration of campaign finance legislation by preventing a quorum from being achieved. By vote of the Senate, the Sgt.-at-Arms was handed arrest warrants and instructed to find and escort the absentees to the chamber. Senator Robert Packwood (R-OR) was the first "captured," and forcibly brought to the floor by the Sgt.-at-Arms and several of his plainclothes men. Packwood's presence registered a quorum; no other Senators had to be sought.

http://www.c-span.org/questions/weekly12.asp

Info on the SAAH seems to be less available, and less current. According to the fact sheet at http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/98-835.pdf , the SAAH can compel absent Representatives to attend House votes if a quorum is lacking. It would seem reasonable that the SAAH would also have powers to compel witnesses to attend, but nowhere do I see this explicitly spelled out.

There are wiki entries for both SSA posts; I used the references cited therein:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergeant_at_Arms_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergeant_at_Arms_of_the_United_States_Senate

[saltpoint]

8. I'm envisioning a sort of Bonnie-and-Clyde finish, with Harriet and

Alberto Gonzales holed up beyond a makeshift barricade in the Jersey Pine Barrens, the FBI and various other cop types blasting away at them, bullets whizzing everywhere, loud, hysterical noise...

And of course you know how these things end.

Two Texans, their golden opportunities down the tubes, riddled with lead in a remote Jersey field.

Politics is a rough game.

[Stinky The Clown]

10. I like your scenario best, Old!

:thumbsup:

Poetic, too. Nice touch.

[MichaelHarris]

9. I'll do it

I'll go all Walker Texas Ranger on her ass.

[drm604]

11. I believe it would be the Capitol Police.

Since the Sergeant at Arms can apparently call on any law enforcement agencies I assume he would call on the Capitol Police.

What happens if they simply can't find her? Even worse, what happens if armed police arrive at her house only to be met by armed Secret Service, or maybe even military personnel, who have been ordered to protect her?

[grasswire]

13. do you have some family in the old country? (eom)

[ProudDad]

14. I covered that here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3391001

I would think that the Capital Police would have jurisdiction to arrest her...