Mike,
The laws have changed since Andrew Johnson's administration. He was tried by the Senate. Now we have some strange hybrid beast called the independent counsel. I wasn't around then, obviously, but I don't think the media or the Senate spent a whole heap of time and dollars investigating President Andrew Johnson's sexual practices. Such would have been unthinkable then, as it was up until about the time of the Ford Administration. Another piece of Watergate fallout foolishness was that the media believed it to be their inalienable right to demand answers to questions, no matter how personal, impertinent, and irrelevant.
Starr is, in my opinion, riding roughshod over the letter and intent of the US Constitution with his shotgun subpoenas and all that follows therefrom. Starr has a seemingly unlimited budget and unlimited powers which I see him using primarily to perpetuate the illusion of a mission of necessity and importance.
As was discussed earlier today on this thread, I would like to see the office of the IC abolished, never to return in any incantation. I think it is an abomination that should have been soundly trounced and refused at the outset. No matter who or what the target, my opinion of the IC as a fourth branch of government would be the same.
Holly |
