Michael Moore says he's been served

[Why Syzygy]

Source: UPI

Michael Moore says he's been served

BURBANK, Calif., July 26 Michael Thursday said the Bush administration has served him with a subpoena regarding his trip to Cuba during the making of his new film, "Sicko."

The Oscar-winning filmmaker, who appeared Thursday on NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," said he was notified about the subpoena at the network's studios in Burbank, Calif.


Read more: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/87280.html

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What are the charges for traveling to Cuba? Why would the Administration issue papers? They can't be subpoenaed but can issue them? They aren't a COURT! What the hell is going on.

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. No problem - it is obvious that subpoenas don't have to be honored. Meiers strategy!

We have precedent to ignore subpoenas, courtesy of the *Bush misadminstration.

[Cha]

13. That's right and they're giving

him PRICELESS PUBLICITY once again. They really are vindictive, stupid assholes.

[lonestarnot]

2. He should wipe his ass on it and 86 it.

Claim executive privilege as he is an executive.

[LiberalEsto]

4. No -- wipe

and return to sender!

[madokie]

7. I likeee

[mdmc]

17. mickey likeee to

:hi:

[spanone]

3. see, the justice department is not in disarray......

:sarcasm:

[Why Syzygy]

8. Is this even their

jurisdiction? I haven't done any research into the crazy Cuba law.

[kenny blankenship]

19. He's been subpoenaed by the Treasury Dept. --Treasury has first crack

and the power to pursue "civil" penalties for violations of the Cuba sanctions. This is how people pay a quick 7500 dollar fine or so. However, Treasury can decide, or they could be told from higher up, to refer a case of Cuba violations for prosecution in Federal court, where violators will be facing criminal not civil charges. I suppose the Justice Dept then gets ahold of the case then. It appears that whether you are charged with civil violation versus criminal violation depends on what you did to violate the sanctions, how you planned it, and the scale of your violations--and largely on how much the government wants to nail you. Criminal penalties for violations can include 10 years in jail and 1 million dollars in fines for corporations.

Oops, looks like it's not Treasury-yet-it's Commerce, and the subpoena has not yet been delivered:

But the source, who declined to be identified, said Moore had not actually been served with the request. Rather, the office of his attorney, David Boies, was contacted by a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce seeking the name of a person who would accept a subpoena on Moore's behalf.

[LiberalFighter]

5. Maybe Moore can have the subpoena quashed or at least

have it go thru the courts until 2009.

[MindPilot]

6. MM should issue a challenge to the * administration

"I'll honor mine if you'll honor yours"

[Cha]

14. Good advice!

When served Attack!

[MrMickeysMom]

18. Excellent !

... Then, he could pledge allegience to "the real deciders" when eventually testifying.

[Fleshdancer]

9. Is there a website that lists out all the absurd rules regarding Cuba?

It's confusing to me when a daughter of a man I know just returned from Cuba for some sort of church trip but MM gets a subpoena for going. Do religious institutions have a different set of rules when it comes to visiting this country?

[Taverner]

12. The Cuba law is really strange

It's not illegal to go to Cuba, it's just illegal to spend money there.

The funny thing is this law has never gone to the courts - it has always been settled before hiting the courts, and the ACLU thinks one court case would overturn the Cuba law.

[kenny blankenship]

16. Yes, the Treasury Department has a special "office of foreign assets control"

http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/

you can find PDFs of various Treasury regulations enforcing sanctions on Cuba here
http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/programs/cuba/cuba.shtml

Yes there are special rules for religious activities as well as for visits to family members in Cuba. How much you can carry, how much you can spend, and on and on.

Also, it seems that last October, the government of Emperor Chimpo created a special new flying squad at OFAC to crack down on trade with Cuba violators. Not only are the regulations complex and probably full of snares to catch people who are trying to visit Cuba while going up to the edge of the law but not over, it also gets changed frequently. The last time the Cuba sanctions were re-tweaked was just three years ago, probably as MM was in the planning and preproduction phase of this film.

Something else I saw at the OFAC site: receiving services from the Cuban government while in Cuba is considered a violation of the trade ban. Moore didn't receive the healthcare services, but he encouraged and planned for others to do so. When he reports for his interview with Treasury Dept. Michael Moore should bring as many lawyers as will fit in the room. Hopefully he will just get a simple small fine, but it's so easy to imagine the Bush Administration having a hard on for him that reaches from the Potomac to the Bay of Pigs. My fear is that they have finally called him in, long, long after they knew he had gone there, because they have worked out a 132 step plan to screw him.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

10. Who knew big pharma had subpeona power?

Intimidate away you hacks, MM isn't afraid of you.

[warren pease]

11. Well, he could agree to testify...

...as long as he has a twisted, snarling exoskeleton with him, all testimony in private, not under oath, no transcripts, no audio recording, no video taping, all notes confiscated before anyone gets to leave the room.

Bushie and the puppet master set the precedent; now the pricks have to live with the consequences.



wp

[mdmc]

15. Michael Moore and Saddam will have to do

when OBL is too close to the BFEE to be brought in...