Barney Frank on special protection

[cal04]

House should not criticize FBI for warranted search of member's office
(Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)

Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, I disagree with the bipartisan House leadership criticism of the FBI's search of a Member's office. I know nothing specifically about the case, except that the uncontroverted public evidence did seem to justify the issuance of a warrant.

What we now have is a Congressional leadership, the Republican part of which has said it is okay for law enforcement to engage in warrantless searches of the average citizen, now objecting when a search, pursuant to a validly issued warrant, is conducted of a Member of Congress.

I understand that the speech and debate clause is in the Constitution. It is there because Queen Elizabeth I and King James I were disrespectful of Parliament. It ought to be, in my judgment, construed narrowly. It should not be in any way interpreted as meaning that we as Members of Congress have legal protections superior to those of the average citizen.

So I think it was a grave error to have criticized the FBI. I think what they did, they ought to be able to do in every case where they can get a warrant from a judge. I think, in particular, for the leadership of this House, which has stood idly by while this administration has ignored the rights of citizens, to then say we have special rights as Members of Congress is wholly inappropriate

http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?itemid=20878

[pinto]

1. Mr. Frank has a point.

[Warpy]

2. Take the high road, Barney, but glare at

Conningham, Ney, Delay, Frist, and all the other GOP thugs who are getting away with naked theft and not facing warrants.

Or are warrants to be issued only for misbehaving Democrats?

[marmar]

3. "stood idly by while this administration has ignored the rights..."

Don't let them forget it....Good for you, Barney Frank! :patriot:

[987654321]

4. He is right on!

The republican leadership in Congress loves their fascist leaders in the Executive Branch, that is, until that fascism negatively effects them.

[depakid]

6. "...until that fascism negatively effects them."

You will find this to be true of all Republicans on just about every issue.

What's worse- you will find that when bad things do happen to them personally- Republicans invariably whine and cry the loudest. It really is pathetic.

[987654321]

7. It is always the victimizers...

Who cry the loudest that they are victims.

[JackBeck]

11. Which makes many of us wonder when does the Republican leadership

in Congress recognize the negative effects of fascism?

[WCGreen]

5. Barney is the man.....

He speaks the truth....

[Mnemosyne]

8. K and R n/t

[me b zola]

9. Rep Franks has summed up my feelings on the matter

Rep Franks has summed up my feelings on the matter. Of course, though, he has done it much more elequently then I ever could.

"I think, in particular, for the leadership of this House, which has stood idly by while this administration has ignored the rights of citizens, to then say we have special rights as Members of Congress is wholly inappropriate" :applause:

[Stinky The Clown]

10. We have to make a choice about Barney Frank

Is he a great Democrat and a speaker of truth?

Or .....

Is he a great Democrat and a speaker of truth?

[Mr_Spock]

12. I choose the former!

(or was it the latter?)

[OneBlueSky]

13. the last thing corporate whores want is the FBI rummaging through . . .

their little black books . . .

or their hard drives . . .

or their bank accounts . . .

Barney has a point, imo . . .

[yowzayowzayowza]

14. Don't have a problem with the warrant, just itz execution.

The Capitol Police should have performed the search, not the FBI.

http://www.uscapitolpolice.gov/home.html

Allowing the Executive Branch to rummage thru private information of the Legislative Branch on the say-so of a single judge is inherently dangerous. ...next thing ya no they'll be pouring over strategic opposition documents under a warrant about an immaterial fellatio fib.

[vssmith]

15. I love to see Barney Frank on talk shows.

He doesn't get invited too much because he is way too smart for most(all) of the hosts.