Tag Archives: investigation

Independent Investigation of the IRS

BY JOHN FEEHERY
Reprinted from TheFeeheryTheory.com

At midnight on June 30, 1999, the statute that authorized the Independent Counsel Act expired.

That act had allowed Ken Star to investigate President Clinton. It had also allowed several independent counsels to investigate Reagan appointees like Ed Meese, Ray Donavan and Samuel Pierce.

Lawrence Walsh investigated George H.W. Bush’s role in Iran-Contra and found the most advantageous time to release his report to maximize the advantage for the Democrats.

In other words, both Republicans and Democrats grew to hate the Office of Independent Counsel, and they both let it die a natural death.

The fact that it died in 1999 didn’t necessarily mean that the investigations ended. In fact, Robert Ray continued his investigation of the Clinton Administration until 2001. Continue reading →

Contempt is Holder’s Reputation

BY JOHN FEEHERY
Reprinted from TheFeeheryTheory.com

In 1821, the Supreme Court found in Anderson v. Dunn, that Congress’ power to hold someone in contempt was essential to ensure that Congress was “… not exposed to every indignity and interruption that rudeness, caprice, or even conspiracy, may mediate against it.”

Outside the power of purse, this is one of the most potent weapons the Congress has to assert its power over the Executive Branch.

Bribery of a Senator or a Representative used to be viewed as holding Congress in contempt. I could say something funny here, but I am going to let you draw your own conclusions.

The beauty and the weakness of our constitutional system is that the legislative and executive branches don’t always get along. Sometimes, the Congress wants to find out exactly what the President’s people have been up to, and sometimes the President doesn’t feel like sharing. Continue reading →