Mainstream News Missing in Action, Again

The Post's own editorial takes an extremely narrow view: Jefferson broke the law, he wasn't cooperating with investigators, so he should be subject to searches like everyone else. Technically, the editorial board is right, but only technically. Daily Kos also takes this wanker line. In the larger scheme of things, however, one doesn't need to know much about the Jefferson case to realize that such a usurpation of power has no justification at all. Some moron is caught on tape taking bribes of which he keeps $90,000 in cash in his freezer at home. Then a search finds it. Obviously, he's guilty. Law enforcement needs to close the book on him, and no one doubts further searches of his effects are necessary. But—seriously—is this the worst instance of a lawmaker's malfeasance in over two hundred years? Let's just stipulate that there isn't anything in the law, or perhaps even in the Constitution itself, that prohibits federal law enforcement from operating on the Hill. So? It hasn't been an issue for over two hundred years because up until now presidents have known, probably without even having had to think about it, that if they used threats of law enforcement against sitting members of Congress they bring the legitimacy of the American system of government itself into question. It's a non-trivial confrontation.

Maybe such a practice starts with Jefferson, and nobody likes him anyway, but it doesn't end there. It's a slippery thing that, once activated, can't easily be switched off. Members are not, I think, going to back down in the face of such a fundamental challenge. It's been so long since Pelosi and Hastert agreed on anything you'd think the mainstream media would take a hint and cover the story more aggressively...

I suppose also it's worth speculating about why now, but I won't, at least not as extensively as warranted. One way I'd try to go about deconstructing it, though, is to consider whether this move by the Tyrant is a sign of weakness or strength. (Nobody should waste more than a moment on the supposed merits of the actual case.) It seems to me to be the former: the White House gang knows its grip on power is weakening so it's trying to intimidate Congress back into submission before things start to spin out of control. Call it diplomatic intuition...