IMPEACHMENT: How do cops & prosecutors treat a crime caught in progress vs. one found after fact?

[yurbud]

Those who are trying to quash talk of impeachment go as far as calling those of us calling for impeachment a "lynch mob."

How is calling for the constitutionally provided process being a "lynch mob"?


Also, "investigate first (and only)" would be valid if the offenses were ambiguous, you didn't know who did it, or only suspected. In Bush's case, we have a couple of instances when he has admitted breaking the law and done so by public actions and written statements, like his signing statement reserving the right to authorize torture and violate the Geneva Convention or admitting the warrantless wiretapping of American citizens. Although he hasn't admitted other offenses, evidence in the public record already establishes them. The two teams he sent to look for WMD in Iraq found they weren't there, and Joe Wilson most prominently said what less visible state department, defense department, and intel personnel had been saying since before the war: that the administration was not mistaken on intel but knowingly used false information, which was also confirmed by the DSM.

If you find a dead body after the murder, it is reasonable to call for an investigation, and see what turns up. However, if someone calls the cops because there's an intruder in their house and when they arrive they find the intruder stabbing the screaming caller over and over and over, there should still be an investigation but the police would say what they saw.

A better example might be a drug dealer who was selling at your kids park. Everybody in the neighborhood sees him and sees what he is doing everyday, but for some reason, the cops do nothing. You complain until your precinct gets a new captain. Do you just say, "please investigate whether any crimes may be going on in the park," or "I've seen a guy selling drugs to kids in the park everyday for six months"? I would say the second because it would motivate the cops to do the first.

Congress' job is like the cops, to carefully gather the evidence and make sure everything is as it seems, but we are the same public that wants to make sure those who committed crimes in plain view are punished.

[pat_k]

1. What part of "drunk with power" don't our "leaders" understand?

If an on-duty patrol sees a driver who is all over the road, they do not have the option of not pursuing and attempting to apprehend. Their duty demands that they do their best to get that driver off the road.

If the police followed Pelosi's example, they wouldn't get many drunk drivers off the road. (Shhhh! Don't turn on the siren. He might hear us! Oh, darn. He mowed down another pedestrian. Let's call off the pursuit and see if we can get a new light installed at that intersection.)

Since Members of Congress have taken an oath, if the do not accuse -- publicly and formally by introducing articles of impeachment -- they are handing the WH an unassailable argument (Tony Snow: "If the President or Vice President's actions violated the Constitution in any way, Members of Congress, who are sworn to defend the Constitution, would be pursing impeachment. Not only are they NOT pursuing impeachment (not one member has introduced articles) they have taken it off the table. Those charges coming from the nuts on the left are nuts.")

If Members of the House believe Bush and Cheney are abusing their power and violating the Constitution, they have just one duty: accuse.

Bush and Cheney are drunk with power; a menace to the Constitution. It's time to "take the keys."

[porphyrian]

2. Of course I'll kick that. - n/t

[blm]

3. Republicans told me Dems are soft on crime - so Dems are just proving them right

.

[yurbud]

4. the one bit of free advice from the GOP Dems AREN'T taking.

[unblock]

5. it's like republicans run up to the cops and say "is a murder charge off the table?"

who would just run up to a cop and ask, plead, demand, that murder charges be off the table?

other than, of course, someone who knew first hand that a murder had been committed?

[yurbud]

6. excellent point--and they aren't even offering anything in return (at least not publicly)