Liberty Minute June 13 2013

Every year, hundreds of U.S. citizens are threatened with prosecution for lying to federal agents. Constitutional attorney Harvey Silverglate points out that this often happens because of minor and materially insignificant discrepancies between the citizen?s testimony and a handwritten report of an earlier interview with an FBI agent.

Former Major League baseball star Roger Clemens was threatened with a prison term over supposedly lying to Congress over his alleged steroid use. Lying to federal investigators or during Congressional testimony is thus treated as a grave criminal offense ? unless, apparently, it is done by the Director of National Intelligence.

During a Senate Intelligence Committee Hearing in March, Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon asked James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence: ?Does the NSA collect any type of data on millions or hundreds of millions of Americans?? Clapper?s reply was: ?No, sir? ? a statement that is now known to be a direct, conscious lie, as he subsequently admitted.

Republican Congressman Justin Amash of Michigan has called for Clapper?s resignation for lying under oath. That would require Clapper to display integrity he obviously doesn?t possess. If this were a society of laws, Clapper would be prosecuted for perjury. Then again, in such a society the NSA wouldn?t exist.

Let us take back the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.