At the beginning of the 2020 SOTU address, President Trump handed to Vice President Pence as the President of the Senate and to Speaker of the House Pelosi his “State of the Union” address. He was required to do so by Article II, Section 3, Clause 1 of the Constitution which states: The President “shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.” 
When Nancy Pelosi ripped up that document, she committed a federal felony. Eighteen USC §2071(a) – “Whoever willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates, or destroys, or attempts to do so, or, with intent to do so takes and carries away any record, proceeding, map, book, paper, document, or other thing, filed or deposited with any clerk or officer of any court of the United States, or in any public office, or with any judicial or public officer of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.
Likewise, 18 USC §2071(b) – “Whoever, having the custody of any such record, proceeding, map, book, document, paper, or other thing, willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates, falsifies, or destroys the same, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both; and shall forfeit his office and be disqualified from holding any office under the United States.
Justice requires accountability for actions by public officers without color of law. If she is not prosecuted by the Department of Justice, then a hue and cry should rise up for she has laid: “Too rude a hand on English ways” thus requiring a “warning down from Runnymede!”
However, I suggest the best outcome is a pardon from President Trump as a gesture of good will towards her which she will be bound to reciprocate thus producing a more cordial atmosphere in our Nation’s Capital. Or not. But at least President Trump will be the better “person” for the gesture.
Oh, and here is my favorite picture from last the SOTU address:
1 comments:
The notion that Pelosi violated this law by ripping up one of probably hundreds of copies of the speech that were in the chamber that night is absurd.
On the other hand Trump ordering a translator to destroy all copies of notes taken during his talks with Putin would probably fail under this code.
Post a Comment
Play nice!