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Congressman Massa (D-NY) and Treason

Democrats, as usual, flunk Constitution 101 and practice projection

By: E Pluribus Unum (Diary)  |  August 19th, 2009 at 03:30 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

The United States Constitution gives a good working definition, and the starting point of a good legal definition, of treason :

Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort.

In practice, treason is committed when a United States citizen either actively engages in war against the United States, or materially supports enemies of the United States. It is a very serious offense – not only is it punishable by death, it is one of the most vile insults that can be made against a citizen.

The topic attaining such gravity, it should go without saying that if a Congressman charges publicly that a Senator has committed treason, then he (a) better be right, and (b) better have the evidence in hand to back it up.

Congressman Eric Massa (D-NY) has accused Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) of treason.

.
Why did he make such a charge? Did Grassley…..

  • stand on the soil of an enemy nation and on international TV accuse the sitting president of lying in order to precipitously lead us into war? Oops, no, that would be Congressman “Baghdad Jim” McDermott (D-WA) in 2002. And that was treason.
  • reveal classified information on TV that caused the death of pro-American operatives who helped us capture the perpetrators of the Achille Lauro terrorist incident? No, that was Senator Patrick “Leaky” Leahy (D-VT), who was eventually kicked off the Intelligence Committee for serial leaking events. That was at least arguably treason.
  • accuse, on the Senate floor, the current president of telling “lie after lie after lie” to talk us into a war that he did not support? Nope. That’s Little Teddy Kennedy, or Senator Edward Kennedy(D-MA) to you. Probably a stretch for treason, but it sure gave comfort to our enemies.
  • falsely, scurrilously, and publicly accuse US Marines of a massacre at Haditha? Oh wait, my bad. That’s Congressman John Murtha (D-PA), aka Okinawa Jack, unindicted co-conspirator in a bribery case, and widely viewed as the man most likely to take the next perp-walk out of the congressional office buildings. By the way, the Marines have been exonerated, in case you missed that item splashed across the front page of the New York Times…… Treason? Ah, probably not, but once again, provided massive cover for America-haters. It was a nice, handy recruitment tool for Al Queda.
  • secretly meet with leaders of a nation we were at war with, while still a member of our own Navy? Noooooooooooo, that award goes to Senator John Kerry (D-MA). Treason? Almost definitely, but the proof is too difficult to actually make a court case.

These are all at least flirtations with treason. That was a whole bunch of giving aid and comfort to America’s enemies, in one form or another. But Massa has a somewhat different opinion on what treason is:


(h/t Moe Lane)

We’ve already gotten the memo. If you disagree with the radical agenda of the Democrats and Obama to turn the United States into Cuba, we already knew that makes you a racist. Now Massa informs us that you are also committing treason as well.

Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort.

So, according to Massa, it is treason to debate, to object to policy, to stand in the way of what the Democrats want. Is that what you are saying, Congressman? Well, according to Rasmussen, 54% of Americans are committing treason. Gallup says only 49% of Americans are committing treason.

You better get your brownshirts busy. That’s a whole ton of people you need to start rounding up, pal.

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COMMENTS

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  • Aaron Gardner
  • George Claghorn

  • Marcus_Traianus

    Doubt it, but judge for yourself.

    http://www.opencongress.org/person/show/412299_eric_massa

    • IJB

      In ‘wave’ elections, like 2006 & 2008, the ‘winning’ party always carries in a few ‘duds’ who are inevitably in way over their head, and who never would have won otherwise. (It happened with the GOP in 1994, as well.)

      Based on his recent actions, Massa is clearly in that category.

      Even in NY, this guy’s very likely burnt toast in 18 months…

  • ptort

    He did secretly communicate with the KGB to undermine Reagan and our position in cold war. Liberal Lion, no, Liberal Jackal, yes.

    • Next93

      Not that I don’t beleive you, I’d just like more info. That would mean that BOTH of the senators from MA are traitors; I had thought only one was a traitor, the other was guilty of manslaughter.

      Apparently the folks in MA have figured out that it’s too expensive to prosecute ultra-rich criminals, so they get rid of them by making them Senators-for-life.

      • ptort

        http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1240644/posts
        http://www.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=30980
        http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2006/oct/27/20061027-084248-4386r/

  • JadedByPolitics

    This is a definite LOSER in the next round of Congress-idiots. It is with pleasure that I view 2010. It is obvious to those who want to see it that 2010 will be historic in nature. This is beyond Jimmy Carter and Clinton because the people who “felt” that Obama would govern from the middle (idiots) recognize their MISTAKE and will reward any CONSERVATIVE who is talking SMALL GOVERNMENT, less taxes and who listens to their constituents. The leftists are such a small group (loud) that they can throw their money around and their voices but they like everyone else has ONE vote! Massa will be crying when he finds that those he spoke with at the IDIOT-roots can no more help him win then to throw money at him.

    2010 will not be about the money it will be about preserving America!

  • LRC96

    Who accuses a citizen of such a serious charge with such ease? And then, after waving the arms about, he says he’s sorry, as if to lighten this serious condemnation.

    No beer summit for Mr. Massa.

  • peg_c

    Democrats. Who else could make the Republicans look brilliant by comparison?

  • Next93

    One of the biggest mistakes the Bush administration made, IMHO, was letting people get away with this sort of crap.

    If I were Grassley, I’d make as big a stink as possible over this. The country is already in a foul mood over the Dem’s “let them eat cake” attitude, and blowing this up is only going to help.

    Since Massa made a public accusation, Grassley should demand a public appology, preferrably on the floor of the Senate. If he doesn’t get it, he should take Massa to court; the “public figure” defense doesn’t apply to specific accusations, and members of congress are only protected for what they say on the floor; recess nutroors seminar are NOT a protected venue. And, while I’m no lawyer, I think the “absence of malice” defense would fall flat in most courts.

    • Rod_Patrick
  • DontBanMeBro

    Nazism and all relations thereof. For example:

    You better get your brownshirts busy. That?s a whole ton of people you need to start rounding up, pal.

    I think the ADL often gets a bit upset when people start throwing those references around without really respecting the implications, and I think their reasoning is sound. The evil of genocide is at the far end of that scale, and if you start applying the Nazi label to more benign things, the evils of Nazism become more mundane.

    Maybe RS posters can make more of an effort in this area. Just a suggestion.

    • bs
    • http://moelane.com/ Moe Lane

      It’s not our fault that Massa went on the record calling a sitting Senator a traitor.

      • DontBanMeBro

        Thx.

    • E Pluribus Unum

      The SA (aka “brownshirts”) were not associated with genocide. You can go study the particulars for yourself, but it can be said with authority that they were the organized body of thugs that played an instrumental role in solidifying power and stifling dissent against the National Socialist Party at a time when Germany was still technically a democracy.

      I used the term ‘brownshirts’ exactly correctly, and you can go suck it if you don’t like it.

      Your guys routinely called Bush Hitler for 8 years, with no basis. Your idiot referenced in this thread accused a sitting senator of TREASON merely for dissenting from the Obama party line. Your Boss Tweed has 44 (and counting) czars – unelected, unapproved according to the Constitution – with broad, undesignated powers. He summarily, on no Constitutional authority, took effective control of the finance and automobile industries, and is seeking the same of the health care industry.

      So don’t lecture me about terms. You got a whole bunch of “look in the mirror” you need to be doing.

      • DontBanMeBro

        Overuse of Nazi imagery has a long history on the internet (see Godwn’s Law). I recognize that. It’s not just regression to cliche I’m bothered by but the real dilution of the historical record. If you want to know the dangers of this kind of thing, I’m sure there’s someone at the ADL that will be happy to talk to you. Why not just say “thugs?” Because it lack the punch of a Nazi reference? Do you really think you need that? You took a perfectly good diary and then tacked on this all too common exaggeration and it’s just unnecessary.

        I’m not here to defend Massa, Boss Tweed, or anyone referenced above. You’re free to write whatever you want. If you think there aren’t enough references to Nazis, Hitler, Brownshirts, the Luftwaffe, etc. in the political discourse, by all means continue to add them to your writing and inject them into the debate wherever possible. I will stand by my opinion that we have too much of this thing already and we do a disservice to the historical record by resorting to such hyperbole.

        It’s ironic in a way that you would spend a whole diary (rightly) admonishing someone for misapplication of the word “treason” and yet you see fit to come down so hard on me for requesting that we avoid casual Nazi references.

        Anyhow, I’ve said too much on this already. Either you’ll take it into consideration or you won’t. In the end, I mean no harm. Just wish we could do a better job separating ourselves from the people who genuinely have no idea what they’re talking about when they scream “Nazi!”

        • Aaron Gardner

          If EPU had misused the historical term “Brownshirts” but since he didn’t misuse it you have no valid point.

          Quit while you are ahead.

        • E Pluribus Unum

          But when I use a term perfectly correctly, perfectly in context, then you ascribe genocide to it (which would be the Gestapo, IIRC) and beat on me for misusing and/or “casually” using these Nazi terms, just expect a response.

          I hope you can see by now that I used the term specifically and accurately, and that I can defend if challenged. So we disagree on the use of Nazi imagery. So be it, I can appreciate your point of view. But I would counter with this. The Left has used it for years, in TOTAL hyperbole, TOTAL misuse, TOTAL appeal to emotions.

          We on the right see what Obama and the Democrats are actually doing. It actually, in real life, has disturbing overtones for which Hitler’s rise to power are a close and not coincidental parallel. And just because the Left has overused and misused the terms does not mean I should not use them.

          The Democrats immediately and instinctively moved to brutality the moment they faced resistance. Now last thing: Google this and find out who said it, and when and where:

          We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we’ve set. We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.

          And tell me what that is not pronounced “brown” “shirt”.

      • Achance

        rather than brown. We have to keep our colors straight you know.

        • Aaron Gardner

          Odd coincidence huh?

  • psquared

    Congresswoman Pelosi (D-CA) meeting with the head of State of a country that sponsors terrorists during the Global War on Terror (Not Treason in the strictest sense, but definitely a violation of the Logan Act). Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401351.html

    Senator Reid (D-NV) stating ?The war is lost, and this surge is not accomplishing anything, as is shown by extreme violence in Iraq this week?. (Not Treason, but definitely Aid & Comfort). Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN1943792720070419

  • izoneguy

    HAMAS–A HISTORY OF HATE

    http://www.govtrack.us/congress/record.xpd?id=111-h20090107-42&person=400652

    Carter: Hamas Critical To Mideast Peace

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/11/carter-hamas-critical-to-_n_214342.html

    If I were president I would revolk Carters Passport……