Thursday, June 01, 2006

Poll: Americans Support Searches

This should be a surprise to absolutely NO ONE. Yet high profile Republicans most seeking re-election or higher office have vehemently opposed the FBI exceuting a legal search warrant in an effort to discern the truth concerning the William Jefferson affair. Political tone deafness combined with an elitist arrogance is an extremely dangerous combination.

June 1, 2006 -- In the rift between Congress and the Justice Department, Americans side overwhelmingly with law enforcement: Regardless of precedent and the separation of powers, 86 percent say the FBI should be allowed to search a Congress member's office if it has a warrant.

That view is broadly bipartisan, this ABC News poll finds, ranging from 78 percent among Democrats to 94 percent of Republicans.

The issue erupted last week, after the FBI searched the offices of Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., in a corruption investigation. Congress leaders objected, and George W. Bush put a 45-day hold on the seized documents to allow for negotiations.

Republicans had a golden opportunity to be on the right (and popular) side of this issue and make the Democrats look foolish at the same time, they blew it.

From an earlier posting, this bears repeating: If a congressman's office is a potential crime scene, and you have a warrant supported by probable cause, there is NO privilege that applies to a congressional office......PERIOD!

The American people know it, Frist and Bush know it, why the rest of the Republican leadership don't understand it is inexplicable.

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