Last week, the federal prosecutors got a search warrant to search the Congressional office of Rep. Jefferson [D-La.]. The search warrant was executed by the FBI. The warrant had been issued because the federal officers had Rep. Jefferson on tape accepting a $100,000 bribe. Sounds like a cut & dried criminal case, doesn't it?
Well, not to the republicans in Congress! They are incensed with the search and are demanding that the items seized be returned. Yes, these are the same republicans that have no problem with warrantless wiretaps on Americans. They are the same republicans who passed the Patriot Act giving the President enormous powers to snoop on other Americans. What has changed?
These republicans now say that because of the division of powers between the three branches of government, the Executive branch does not have the power to search the offices of members of the Congressional branch. This is a ridiculous argument. This is not a fight between branches of government. It is a criminal case. The federal officers followed the rules on this one and obtained a legal search warrant. No one is above the law in this country, not even members of Congress.
Since no one is above the law, and a legal warrant was obtained, why are the republicans sticking up for a democrat who has evidently broken the law? The answer is self-preservation. They don't care about Rep. Jefferson. They care about themselves. While this happens to be a democrat in trouble, the vast majority of people being investigated in Washington are republicans. If Jefferson's office can be searched, then their own offices can be searched. This is what worries them.
It is time that ALL government officials realize that no one is above the law in the United States. Being elected to office does not exempt anyone from having to obey the law. Check to see if your Congressman thinks he/she is immune to a legal search warrant. If he/she does, then punish them in November by voting for their opponent. You have the power. Use it.
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