Posted by
Gary Gross on Saturday, November 25, 2006 11:22:03 AM
A Miami jury acquitted Hastings (while convicting the friend), but three different federal judicial panels later referred him to Congress for impeachment. "Judge Hastings attempted to corruptly use his office for personal gain. Such conduct cannot be excused or condoned even after Judge Hastings has been acquitted of the criminal charge," concluded one panel, composed of five circuit court judges. It added:
There is clear and convincing evidence that Judge Hastings sought to conceal his participation in the bribery scheme and to explain away evidence connecting him with the sale of justice and that he pursued these objectives through concocting and presenting fabricated documents and false testimony in a United States District Court.
That sounds to me like Hastings' acquittal wasn't based on his being innocent but rather that the jury wouldn't convict. Frankly, the fact that a panel composed of five circuit court judges said that there's "clear and convincing evidence that Judge Hastings sought to conceal his participation in the bribery scheme and to explain away evidence connecting him with the sale of justice" is far more compelling to me than a jury verdict.
The next sentence gives us a possible explanation on why Hastings was acquitted:
"He pursued these objectives through concocting and presenting fabricated documents and false testimony in a United States District Court."
Rest assured that this will be the first big fight Pelosi faces. The Murtha Embarassment will pale in comparison. This fight will be an all out firestorm within the House Democratic Caucus, in the Left Blogosphere and in the Agenda Media. It's a fight that will get split House Democrats, too, though for what duration is still anybody's guess.
It'll be interesting to see how Ms. Pelosi will be characterized in the Agenda Media through this fight. She'll genuinely be embattled during her first days in the Speakership and it'll all be of her own making. When this fight starts, I think it best that Republicans just get out of the way and let Democratic corruption be the story. I'd also hope that responsible journalists would take Democrats to task on this with the same fervor as they did Duke Cunningham and Mark Foley.
Another item on my wish list is that the Right Blogosphere and conservative talk radio hosts would point out Democrats' willingness to compromise our homeland and national security by 'coupling'
John Conyers' resolution giving "Muslims special civil-rights protections" in airports with Hastings' chairing one of the most sensitive committees despite serious ethical shortcomings. I hope that happens because we can't take our nation's security that lightly.
The LA Times editorial also included this telling line:
Rep. Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, the House's incoming speaker, has indicated that when the Democrats take control in January, she plans to take Harman off the committee in favor of someone more critical of the Bush administration's Iraq war policies.
In other words, Ms. Pelosi is removing a far more qualified individual from the chairmanship because she isn't partisan enough. That's just another part of the politicization of the Intelligence Committees, a thought that should disgust and horrify every voter in America.