A Good Decision

According to CNN, a US District Court has ruled that the search of Congressman Jefferson's argument was appropriate. According to the ruling, the notion that member's of Congress are immune from a court approved warrant "would have the effect of converting every congressional office into a taxpayer-subsidized sanctuary for crime."

I found the bipartisan congressional upset over the search puzzling.

This is, in my view, directly related to the NSA warrantless wiretapping case. Our Constitution is designed to prevent any one branch of government from gaining too much power. Checks and balances are to prevent this. In the case of the search of Congressman Jefferson's office, these checks and balances were utilized. The executive branch sought a search, and the judicial branch agreed that probable cause existed for a search and issued a warrant. To allow the Congress to disregard the appropriate powers of the other branches is just as bad as when the executive branch does so.

The real question- Why if members of Congress are so upset about a legal search- under a duly issued warrant- in an office of one of their own aren't they more upset about warrantless seizure of information using the NSA when it comes to ordinary Americans?

I guess the question answers itself, really.

Back from vacation,

GP