Big Lizards:Blog:Entry “Ex-Squeeze Me, Mr. Hastert?”

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May 27, 2006

Ex-Squeeze Me, Mr. Hastert?

Hatched by Dafydd

Okay, somebody's going to have to explain this one to me:

House leaders acknowledged Friday that FBI agents with a court-issued warrant can legally search a congressman's office, but they said they want procedures established after agents with a court warrant took over a lawmaker's office last week....

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., concurred: "I am confident that in the next 45 days, the lawyers will figure out how to do it right."

Wait -- am I hallucinating again? I was sure I remembered Hastert saying... oh, here we go:

Earlier in the week, Hastert lodged a protest directly with Bush during a meeting at the White House and demanded that the FBI return the materials. Bush struck a compromise Thursday, ordering that the documents be sealed and turned over to the custody of Solicitor General Paul Clement until congressional leaders and the Justice Department agree on what to do with them.

Didn't Denny Hastert say this was a clear and unambiguous violation of the Constitution? That it was a "separation of powers" question, and that offices in the House of Representatives (and presumably the Senate) were absolutely inviolate?

But now, all they really need are the proper "protocols," and everything is just fine?

In an editorial page article in USA Today on Friday, Hastert said he and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., have directed House lawyers "to develop reasonable protocols and procedures that will make it possible for the FBI to go into congressional offices to constitutionally execute a search warrant."

Blink.

Blink blink.

Pardon my deer-in-the-footlights impersonation. So why exactly did Hastert have to make such an assl out of himself, dragging the GOP through the muck along with him? Why did he have to hurl himself across the room to take the bullet for Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA, 80%), thereby permanently preventing the Republicans from using the massive corruption of the aptly named representative (recalling former President William Jefferson Clinton) as a bludgeon against the Democrats' "Kulture of Korruption" kampaign?

"What's all this I hear about shaving the whales? Can't we just leave those poor creatures with what little hair they have, without shaving them?"

Any day now, Speaker Emily Hastert will smile and say... "Oh! That's very different... nevermind!"

Hatched by Dafydd on this day, May 27, 2006, at the time of 3:39 AM

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Comments

The following hissed in response by: Jim,MtnViewCA,USA

Unbelieveable.
When can we get a Repub Congressional leadership that can walk AND chew gum at the same time? The Dems push these guys around, apparently at will.
AT LEAST he is backing off now.

The above hissed in response by: Jim,MtnViewCA,USA at May 27, 2006 6:25 AM

The following hissed in response by: marcus

It's simple, you made the mistake of listening to table-talk.

You know table-talk, the conversation about the game that is going on while playing the game as in, "You better watch out. I'm holding all thirteen trump cards."? Anyone who actually believes what is being said will be in for a big surprise.

Our system of government was set up with three branches, all extremely jealous and suspicious of the others. When one branch sees anything that can be construed as encroaching on their turf, it is their responsibility to squeal like a stuck pig about it. The leaders of Congress have been doing their jobs.

If Hastert and Pelosi HADN'T made a big fuss, I would have been very disappointed in them. But now, they've done their jobs. The other two branches have been warned that Congress is watching them.

The Legislative Branch has done its job. The Executive has done its job. The Judicary has done its job. All parts have been played -- with great gusto, I might add. So now we can get back to the card game.

The above hissed in response by: marcus at May 27, 2006 9:48 AM

The following hissed in response by: Smitty

Denny's putting his finger up to see which way the wind's blowing.

This is right up there with Frist's dumbass plan for a gas rebate check!

They are wussing out over what may happen in November.

Do me a favor and quit acting like The Democrats!

-cs™

The above hissed in response by: Smitty at May 27, 2006 8:27 PM