It is my understanding that the President of the USA can refuse to have his office searched no matter what the expected crime may be…He does not have to answer questions and in the case of Bush he has extended the “refuse-to-answer” priviledge to a number of his staff.
My personal feeling is that no person should be above the law including the congress, executive office and the judicial department.
And I keep thinking that Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling will be pardoned by Bush both men will walk away free.
I don’t know the law on that, Oliver. Since Nixon had to surrender the tapes from the Oval Office during the Watergate crisis, I’ve thought that the President’s office could be searched. But maybe he could just be forced to turn over documents known to exist.
About those pardons, I wondered the same thing about “Kenny Boy” and Skilling. Surely not! (I’m thinking Scooter.)
It’s almost inconceivable that a prosecutor would seek, or a judge would issue, a search warrant for the Oval Office. If a prosecutor suspects that the President isn’t complying with a subpoena duces tecum, the preferred procedure is to refer the matter to the House Judiciary Committee for possible impeachment proceedings. One of the draft articles of impeachment against Richard Nixon charged him with refusing to comply with subpoenas.
Presidents since George Washington have asserted various forms of executive privilege, but none of them translate into a blanket power to “not have to answer questions”. You’ll recall that President Clinton testified before Special Prosecutor ken Starr respecting possible perjury with respect to Monica Lewinsky, and of course Nixon had to turn over his tapes. Claims of executive privilege must be adjudicated by the courts.
About as likely as me sprouting a full head of hair.
You may consider sprouting a full hair of hair on Bush’s last date in office your best opportunity. Bush does not have to have any particular reason in pardoning these men other than doing a payback to Ken Lay and Jeffrey Skilling.
But what possible reason does Bush have to “pay back” these two guys? How does Bush benefit from pardoning them? Even if they used to do him favors back when he was the Governor of Texas, so what? What can they do for him today?
In the past presidents have been forced to give up evidence. It requires a trip the the court system and gets to the Supreme Courts quickly. We now have a court that would very likely be reluctant to go against Bush. He operates with impunity.
As for the pardons ,it depends if all the money that lay and Skilling kicked his way ,will make him feel grateful. I am not sure.