Here We Go Again, Miranda
So let me get this straight…. Republicans are for taking away the basic rights of an American citizen… and the Teabaggers believe that President Obama is the one that is fascist. That is some damn good PR.
John McCain said this morning on infamously tolerant “Imus in the Morning” program that he thinks it is an obviously “serious mistake until all the information is gathered” to give American citizen yet suspected Times Square attempted carbomber Faisal Shahzad his Miranda warnings that he has a right to a lawyer and the right to remain silent. Rep. Peter King, the top Republican on the Homeland Security committee, agrees:
“I hope that [Attorney General Eric] Holder did discuss this with the intelligence community. If they believe they got enough from him, how much more should they get? Did they Mirandize him? I know he’s an American citizen but still,” King said. “I hope that if they did read him his rights and if they are going for an indictment as opposed to a tribunal that he did discuss it with the Director of National Intelligence, the Central Intelligence Agency, all the component parts of the intelligence community.”
Nevermind, again, our history of giving suspected Terrorists caught on U.S. soil, whether they are U.S. citizens or not, their Miranda warnings. The failed crotch bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was read his Miranda rights before the Director of National Intelligence was consulted about the decision. The failed shoe-bomber, Richard Reid, was read his Miranda rights as he was taken into custody off the plane. After that, the Bush Administration became less vigilant in protecting the U.S. Constitution, to say the least, but even then, many suspects, including those tied to September 11 attacks, did receive Miranda-like warnings.
What we have just witnessed over the weekend and on Monday was the successful efforts of law enforcement in dealing with terrorism. From the NYPD to the FBI, they investigated and caught the terrorist. Their efforts should be applauded, not disrespected, which is what John McCain and his Confederate friends are doing. Republicans do not trust our law enforcement agencies. They do not like our American justice system. In fact, they do not like the liberties given to the guilty and the innocent under our system of government. The threat to Tyranny is from within yourselves, Teabaggers.
I think McCain is on sketchy legal ground here. The suspect is an American citizen on American soil. Whether his act was criminal or an act of war is a matter for the courts. Any time law enforcement takes a citizen into custody they ought to be mirandized. I don’t see the complaint about King. He merely said that if he was mirandized he hopes Holder spoke with the intelligence community. Wow. What a firebrand.
So, John McCain wants the case to be thrown out then? I’m not sure why Republicans have taken the stand that law enforcement officers are incompetent and the only people who can save us are Jack Bauer and Dick Cheney but that’s where we are these days. They are ridiculous.
So far the investigations into the underwear bomber (who was mirandized) have led to a lot of new intelligence and no doubt this guy (who is cooperating) will lead to more.
Remember, Gingrich lied about why Richard Reid was mirandized by Bush, saying Reid was a U.S. citizen. Reid was mirandized withing 5 minutes of being in custody and he is a British citizen. Now McCain says don’t mirandize U.S. citizens because…why?
The most telling line is King’s, “I know he’s an American citizen but still“. These right-wing nutjobs run around screaming about how their rights are always being taken away by some vague “Them”, while the real reason they’re mad about rights being taken away is that they feel they’re the ones who really know who should have rights and who shouldn’t. So King admits that the guy is a citizen, but he’s unsure as to whether or not he should have rights. But conservatives are comfortable deciding whether someone else should have any rights or not — go ask gays, or pregnant women, or minorities, or foreigners (or anyone who looks or sounds like one)….
Three words for you to consider on this one — Ex parte Quirin.
Unless, of course, you want to complain about FDR and his Supreme Court full of New Dealers unanimously stripping American citizens of their rights.
what does 70 years ago have to do with today?
It is called precedent. I thought you folks loved old Supreme Court precedents, especially when they come from the justices appointed by FDR. And remember — one of those executed after trial by military commission with no appeal except to FDR was a naturalized US citizen.
I thought Miranda rights were invented by Jimmy Carter along with inflation and abortion. Shows how much I know.
“Unless, of course, you want to complain about FDR and his Supreme Court full of New Dealers unanimously stripping American citizens of their rights.”
Yes, I do. Always been 100% against internment camps. I’m also against JFK & LBJ’s Vietnam War. I also supported reading Miranda rights to the Huttaree Christian terrorists, but for some reason, Peter King and John McCain didn’t have any issue with that either. Wonder why?
What if I want to complain about tiresome Texas teachers who troll here with cherry-picked complaints about lib’ruls?