Perhaps it should have come faster, but I’m proud of our congressional Democrats for voting last night to strip Rep. William Jefferson of his seat on the Ways and Means Committee. It’s interesting to note that, fearful of charges of corruption, it’s Republicans who were most defending Jefferson, a Democrat, by vociferously complaining about constitutional separation-of-power issues.
If there are constitutional concerns, they should be looked at, but by the judicial branch, and the lawyers representing Jefferson and the FBI. As Rothenberg says (previous link), “Given that until recently the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct couldn’t even get its act together enough to meet, it isn’t likely that many Americans will have much confidence in Congress’ ability to police itself.”
And georgia10 at DailyKos has a beautiful rant (yes, from two weeks ago, so sue me) whose ending I simply must steal:
This uproar over the raid smacks more of self-preservation than preservation of the Constitution. When all this hype dies down, all of these political ostriches will go back to sticking their heads in the sand. And what will remain? An imperial Presidency, a tattered Constitution, and the painful, continued silence of a Congress that doesn’t give a damn about democracy as we know it.
If Democrats are willing to show some backbone and some moral fiber, particularly on issues like these, we just might avoid that outcome. Hopefully actions like last night’s vote will not prove to be isolated incidents.
(…at least until a few generations go by and the American people allow another wave of corruption and political degeneracy.)
