On the subject of unprecedented Justice Department raids of congressional offices, we're torn. On the one hand, it's a bit gauche, in a banana republic sort of way. Generalissimos in chamo and all that. On the other, we like the idea of the FBI scaring the shit out of everyone so much that Hastert and Pelosi are signing join statements. So -- constitutionally questionable? Maybe not in letter, but certainly in spirit. But it bodes well for those of us who were worried it might not be an interesting summer.
One lawmaker whose stance will be important to the fate of the immigration legislation, Representative F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., the Wisconsin Republican who is chairman of the Judiciary Committee, on Wednesday set a hearing for next Tuesday on the implications of the search.
Mr. Sensenbrenner called the subject of the hearing "Reckless Justice: Did the Saturday Night Raid of Congress Trample the Constitution?"
Gee, we wonder what his take will be. It's hard to tell, what with him having apparently hired the staff of Dateline NBC to name his hearings. Can we name today's immigration vote something like "Mexican Standoff: Will the Senate Vote to Destroy the American Way of Life?" Or wait, how about "BROWN MENACE: THEY'RE COMING FOR AZTLAN!"
