A series of Congressional Committees was established in 1950 with the alleged goal of eradicating communists from the United States. Senator Joe McCarthy was the symbol of this movement and an inevitable lightning rod. The genesis of the hearings may be traced to McCarthy delivering a speech to a West Virginia woman’s club, and famously holding a piece of paper in his hand, declaring he had the names of 205 communists. It was not a such list. It was theatre.
McCarthy presided over several hearings during that decade, as well as others by House members. Each committee set out to catch communists inside and outside the government. Certainly some communists were found and exposed, but for the most part those nets were undoubtedly un-American and in many cases illegal abuses of Congress’s legislative role. Committees often became star chambers, with many members and chairs who enjoyed a high level of power.
Sixty-six years later, another Congress, still drunk on power but motivated with political animus formed committees to probe a president they disapproved of. Adam Schiff was its face. A detestable man was the poster-boy for an impeachment process in which he repeatedly claimed that he had “evidence” of Trump’s guilt. None. Schiff was free to lie in multiple media outlets, without any consequences.
Then, it will be January 6.Th happened. Nancy Pelosi was the Chief Inquisitor and gave her green light to another committee that would investigate Trump. For Pelosi, impeachment wasn’t enough; she selected her committee members with Trump-hatred as the chief predicate. This is why two republicans were granted membership to the commission. The commission is undoubtedly wholly political, and motivated by hatred of a former president but guised as a “contemplated legislative purpose.” In 1955, at the zenith of Congress’s hunt for Reds, the Supreme Court in Quinn v United States opined that the powers of congress are broad and any commissions/committees could commit to investigate matters that could lead to legislation. Like their predecessors in Congress in 1950s, they have again cast their nets. However, unlike McCarthy and House Un-American, the J6 has been far more reckless in their abuses and shows no regard for law or common sense. It is like a driftnet that catches and kills everything it comes across. Of course, this is often done in secret.
Americans believe that the government will obtain anything from them if they have a warrant for your search. This is after an approved judge reviews it. If the government is looking for your records via a third-party, they will issue a subpoena and give a copy to the citizen. Notification will be given to the individual only in extreme circumstances (imminent threats). A citizen can usually object to the notification via judicial review. It has declared, however, that the J6 committee does not have any authority over it. Therefore it cannot be subject to judicial inspection. The J6 committee has inquisitors and it therefore wields the power of an Inquisition.
Taylor Budowich was an example. He was connected to Trump’s reelection campaign. He had no official position. He submitted to the committee’s questions and produced requested documents. He believed he didn’t have anything to hide. He wasn’t involved in the J6 Riot. He testified before the lawyers of the committee. The committee also subpoenaed the JP Morgan records of his bank accounts without him knowing. He wasn’t informed until it was too late and JP Morgan, with counsel from Loretta Lynch (yes that Loretta Lynch) told Budowich it was producing his documents notwithstanding his objections. The production date was clearly a set-up – December 24th, a date that the court was closed.
JP Morgan provided the documents. Budowich had no chance to stop it, and when he fought it in court it was dismissed as “moot.” It was both “moot” and wrong, but no matter the latter, the committee’s lawyers also argued that Congress has no border or boundary and may do whatever it wants – as long as there is any possibility of “contemplated” legislative intent. The Select Committee’s lawyers have relied on QuinnAs allowing the members of the committee to exercise their full power. The committee, which is independent of the FBI and law enforcement, does not have any limitations on logic, facts, or legal review. Amazingly, Judges at the District Court of Columbia (DC) have rubber stamped their argument. In essence – FBI abuses? We should not drink our beer to abuses.
McCarthy was both wrong and right, as history has shown. While there was no doubt that McCarthy had some communist tendencies, he proved to be utterly mistaken in his strategies and tactics. McCarthy was an aggressive bully who saw no limits in his ability to use power to endanger lives. In 1954, during the Army-McCarthy hearings, McCarthy’s power affectively ended. McCarthy’s behavior was again erratic and he was ranting. McCarthy’s friend Joseph Welsh told him:
“Have you lost all sense of decency at last? “Mr. McCarthy,” I will not discuss this further with you… If there is a God in heaven, it will do neither you nor your cause any good.”
The crowd applauded.
Amazingly, the J6 Committee is far more adept at witch-hunting and abusing power than any McCarthy-era committees. The J6 committee views itself as more than the law. It is also a far cry from any law or judicial oversight. This must stop. I wish it would end soon. America is not in favor of this star chamber, and I hope soon there is someone who cries: “Have you left no sense of decency?”
“If democracy is in peril,” it is imperiled by lawless members of this Congress – members like Bernie Thompson, Adam Schiff and two willing toadies, Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney.