independently assisting oversight of highly classified programs

[Cari Machet]

interesting how little the constitution is functioning

they do not leak information - not that i am aware of anyway - do you know
of an instance? this is shocking that they are protected basically with
immunity BUT it does say "treason, felony and breech of peace" so anything
could be thrown in those bags - they are effectively gagged


On Sun, Jan 19, 2014 at 8:53 AM, grarpamp <grarpamp at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Sat, Jan 18, 2014 at 6:49 PM, Cari Machet <carimachet at gmail.com> wrote:
> > On Sun, Jan 19, 2014 at 12:43 AM, coderman <coderman at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> On Sat, Jan 18, 2014 at 2:59 PM, grarpamp <grarpamp at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> > ...
> >> > Though lacking a reference, I believe members of congress may
> >> > speak/leak at will on the floor in open public session and shall not
> >> > be held to any crime for doing so. Of course in return the government
> >> > or the public may not support their ongoing candidacy.
> >>
> >> citation?  my understanding is that statements in congress are public,
> >> and subject to same unauthorized disclosure laws.  only the POTUS can
> >> unilaterally decide to "leak" something in public without legal
> >> repercussions (impeachment aside).
> >
> > they cannot speak/leak neither can the executive branch > see dick cheney
>
>
> """
> US Constitution - Art 1, Sec 6:
> The Senators and Representatives ... shall in all Cases, except
> Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest
> during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses,
> and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or
> Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other
> Place.
> """
>
> The bit after the semicolon is interesting. It appears to grant
> immunity outside Place of Congress for speech in Congress, and since
> Congress has no real internal law/police/judge/jail of its own,
> speak all you want. This has been subsequently developed...
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speech_or_Debate_Clause
>
> Then there's Art 1 Sec 5 PP2 and PP3 and so on that might be applied
> after the fact. Though right now there is CSPAN and observation
> balconies for the public/press, so any speech bombs that someone
> drops would make it out to the world.
>
> Congress (Sen/Rep) is not the Executive (VP), so different rules can
> and do apply there.
>



-- 
Cari Machet
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carimachet at gmail.com
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Twitter: @carimachet <https://twitter.com/carimachet>

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