3/27/07

What about the Fifth?

Denis Horgan gives you a peek at the latest bush league maneuver:
DenisHorgan.com:

"It is a vital piece of our freedoms. It protects Americans from the goverment:

'No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.'

Neither is it a Get Out of Jail Free card for Bush administration types who rather simply do not choose to have be asked thunderously important questions by the trifling, insignificant legislative branch of the American people's government."


I read the Fifth Amendment and the only thing I can see by Monica Goodling taking the Fifth is precisely what everyone else can see:

Effectively conceding that there is criminal activity involved which could trigger a "criminal case" Monica Goodling turns to the Fifth.


The key here is that you can't take the Fifth (by my layman's reading of it) unless there is criminal activity involved. This not some political ploy to be trifled with.

Either she is admitting there is criminal activity that she knows about and/or is involved in OR she is attempting to abuse a law that doesn't apply to her for political purposes. Either way, it is a telling sign of how the corrupt bush administration and GOP operates.

2 comments:

CT Bob said...

So let them give her immunity in exchange for compelling her to testify. If she doesn't talk, she goes to jail for contempt.

Trust me, she's a very minor player in this drama, but I wouldn't be surprised if she knows where the bodies are buried. And Bush/Cheney can't protect her anymore.

Connecticut Man1 said...

Likely, she is the red shirted Star Trek expendable. At least, from the corrupt bush admin.'s POV.

IMHO, this whole GONEzogate is a little side-show compared to the Iraq timetable showdown.