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Congress Gunning for Alberto Gonzales E. Ralph Hostetter One of the principal activities of many members of an otherwise useless U.S. Congress today is the act of provoking crime where no crime exists. Perjury is a very serious crime and one of the most despised by the American public. Jail time is expected and pursued by those who press the charges. The classic example of a provoked crime is the case of Lewis "Scooter" Libby Jr., former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney. The case began with an alleged "outing" of Valerie Plame, a supposed undercover agent for the CIA. Months of investigation proved no crime was committed. However, the scent of blood was still in the political atmosphere surrounding the case and a special prosecutor had been appointed. Historically, special prosecutors are given almost unlimited investigatory and subpoena power and rarely are quickly placed on the unemployed list. As the congressional "wolf pack" circled the White House, the names of real targeted "criminals" began to emerge. There were two perennial targets, the usual suspects: Vice President Dick Cheney and presidential advisor Karl Rove. Unable to involve one of the "suspects in chief," Vice President Cheney, they selected his chief of staff Scooter Libby. Months of intense questioning of Libby and all those associated with him followed. Discrepancies in testimony were found, as expected. Libby was convicted of perjury and an excessive prison term was pronounced, later to be suspended by President George W. Bush. Story Continues Below
A provoked crime, since no other crime existed, was established. Today, Senate inquisitors and provocateurs are attempting to provoke a crime involving U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Months of interrogation of Gonzales has followed in the no-crime-has-yet-been-committed atmosphere of the Senate. One of the early witnesses, Monica Goodling, a senior advisor to Gonzales, on advice from her attorney, John Dowd, in March 2007 invoked the Fifth Amendment. Dowd advised, "the potential for legal jeopardy for Ms. Goodling from even her most truthful and accurate testimony under these circumstances is very real." Dowd continued, "One need look no further than the recent circumstances and proceedings involving Lewis Libby." As could be expected, the questioning of some of the principals surrounding the attorney general have developed differencies in testimony, particularly with FBI Director Robert S. Mueller. The stage is now set. USA Today, one of the dominant media's stalwarts, carried this lead headline on July 27-29 Weekend Edition: "Conflict Builds as Gonzales Targeted. Senate Dems Subpoena Rove." The story begins: "Washington — Congressional Democrats are taking direct aim at two of President Bush's closest aides, raising the stakes in a political showdown that threatens to swamp both parties' political agendas . . . On the same day, four of the committee Democrats requested the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate whether Attorney General Alberto Gonzales lied to Congress . . . FBI Director Robert Mueller cast doubt on the attorney general's testimony." The die is cast. If the charade continues, Gonzales will be provoked in some manner or form to give testimony that will represent perjury in the minds of the Senate provocateurs and inquisitors. He will be prosecuted in the same manner as was Scooter Libby. Playing it safe, in a manner to get Gonzales one way or another, a backup plan was devised at the end of July in the form of a planned resolution calling for impeachment of Gonzales "for high crimes and misdemeanors" to be introduced by Congressman Jay Inslee, D-Wash. "A perjury case against Gonzales would not be enough to remove him from office," Inslee said. "The President cannot ignore an impeachment. This is the only option available to the American people." Provoking crime where no crime exists can be considered a crime itself and worse yet, it is evil. The trust and power of the state was entrusted to congressional leaders elected by the American people to be used for U.S. citizens' protection, not their prosecution. U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the Senate Judiciary committee, has appointed himself chief inquistor and leading provocateur. In keeping with his newly self-appointed position, Leahy has called for one of the usual suspects, President Bush's top political advisor, Karl Rove, to be subpoenaed. Karl Rove, as may be recalled, is the conservative political strategist identified by some as the genius who has been given the credit for the election of George W. Bush to two terms as president of the United States. He is a competent conservative and to some of the far left, especially Sen. Leahy, this implies an aura of criminality, and the far left intends to find it. This is reminiscent of a quote attributed to Cardinal Richelieu (1585-1642) during the Thirty Years War: "If you give me six lines written by the most honest man, I will find something in them to hang him." The concept of provoked criminality, literally, shreds the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. There is no protection for an American citizen once he is targeted by the far left of the U.S. Congress and an inquisition is convened such as now exists with respect to Gonzales. Idleness of the mind breeds a devil's workshop. Idleness of an incompetent Congress proves the rule. Ralph Hostetter, a prominent businessman and agricultural publisher, also is a national and local award-winning columnist. He welcomes email comments at eralphhostetter@yahoo.com.
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