Senate Whip Mitch McConnell on Perjury and Obstruction

[Roland99]

"I am completely and utterly perplexed by those who argue that perjury and obstruction of justice are not high crimes and misdemeanors. Perjury and obstruction hammer away at the twin pillars of our legal system: truth and justice."

Oh, btw, he spoke that in 1999 re: Clinton's legal woes.

Wonder if Sonofabitch McConnell feels the same now?


:rofl:



Is there a compendium of quotes by Republican politicians on Clinton that would be appropros now? I remember one was put together re: DeLay and it seemed to shut some of them up. ;)

[longship]

1. Use their own words against them.

nt

[Roland99]

2. Let's!! >>>>>>>>>

http://www.conjur.com/blog/2005/10/30/republican-hypocrisy-shining-through-yet-again/

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX)
1999
“Willful, corrupt, and false sworn testimony before a Federal grand jury is a separate and distinct crime under applicable law and is material and perjurious if it is `capable’ of influencing the grand jury in any matter before it, including any collateral matters that it may consider. See, Title 18, Section 1623, U.S. Code, and Federal court cases interpreting that Section.

The President’s testimony before the Federal grand jury was fully capable of influencing the grand jury’s investigation and was clearly perjurious.”

2005
“I certainly hope that if there is going to be an indictment that says something happened, that it is an indictment on a crime and not some perjury technicality where they couldn’t indict on the crime so they go to something just to show that their two years of investigation were not a waste of time and dollars.”

Then-Gov. Bush
1999
In response to a reporter’s question, Bush said he supported impeachment for a simple reason: “The man lied.”

2005
“In our system,” he said, “each individual is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial.”

Too bad he doesn’t feel that way about Jose Padilla (held in Guantanamo Bay for four years without a trial).

And let’s see how the rest of these GOP members act in the coming days:

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
1999
“I am completely and utterly perplexed by those who argue that perjury and obstruction of justice are not high crimes and misdemeanors. Perjury and obstruction hammer away at the twin pillars of our legal system: truth and justice.”

Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH)
1999
“Perjury is also a very serious crime. The Constitution gives every defendant a choice: Testify truthfully, or remain silent. No one can be forced to testify in a manner that involves self-incrimination. But a decision to place one’s hand on the Bible and invoke God’s witness–and then lie–threatens the judiciary. The judiciary is designed to be a mechanism for finding the truth–so that justice can be done. Perjury perverts the judiciary, turning it into a mechanism that accepts lies–so that injustice may prevail.”

Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA)
1999
“You can certainly argue … that someone who breaks the law in not upholding and not telling the truth under oath and someone who obstructs justice does, in fact, threaten the republic”

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
1999
“Don’t lie under oath when you’re a defendant in a lawsuit against an average citizen.

…

Don’t sent public officials and friends to tell your lies before a federal grand jury to avoid your legal responsibilities. Don’t put your legal and political interests ahead of the rule of law and common decency.

…

I don’t want my country to be the country of great equivocators and compartmentalizers for the next century.”

Bill Bennett (Former Sec’y of Education and current AM Radio Talking Head
2004
(Clinton) lied under oath. Lying under oath is letting the American people down. Committing a felony, committing perjury when you’re president, is letting the American people down. And there isn’t any question about it.

I don’t think you can say you can’t let a felony, an act of perjury, consistent lying, something like that shouldn’t overshadow your presidency.

People give a lot of leeway to people in public life. They understand that people, you know, come as sinners and they will sin continually, whether they’re in public life or private life.

But they do have certain lines that you can’t cross. One of them is, I think, lying under oath, perjury, high crimes. That is a serious business.”

And, actually, Bennett LIED himself! Clinton did not commit perjury:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200411220006?is_gsa=1&final=1

I can’t wait to see what the coming days bring in terms of more GOP hypocrisy!

[Roland99]

3. Anyone have more cases of flip-flopping Republicans?