I’ve written before about our leaders and their culture of corruption – and now that culture is embracing a lack of fairness. This month, one of our leaders is singled out by his club, the United States Congress, as being above fairness. He apparently will be permitted corruption and criminal activity that would land you or me in prison, and Congress, a very partisan group when discussing economy, health, and terrorism, has laid aside partisanship to unfairly protect Democratic Representative William Jefferson.
Fairness must be required of leaders, but Congress is not requiring it. Suppose for a moment that you, an unknown, ordinary citizen, are caught on videotape accepting $100,000 in marked $100 bills from an undercover FBI informant who is seeking your illegal help for a “business” deal. The videotape shows you carefully coding notes to the informant, and we hear you joke that the two of you are acting as though the FBI is watching. Obviously, you’re doing something you know is wrong. Obviously, it’s such a criminal offense that you think the FBI might be interested in your “business” deal.
Not realizing the money is marked, you accept the $100,000, and head for home. On the way, you purchase aluminum foil. At home, you lock the doors, and carry your foil and cash to the kitchen. There, you pocket $10,000 for your personal “bonus” and divide the remaining $90,000 into small piles. Meticulously, intent on protecting the bills, you wrap each pile in aluminum foil, sealing the edges as well as you can. Next, you place each packet in a plastic freezer container. Working quickly, you push the containers to the back of the freezer, arranging frozen food in front of your “cold cash” and stacking things to thoroughly conceal your wealth. Satisfied, you place the remaining foil in the drawer, wipe the counter, and take a deep breath. No one caught you – or so you think.
A few weeks later, there’s a knock on your door. The FBI appears with a search warrant, and soon they’re turning pillows, removing books from shelves, and otherwise ransacking your home. You ask why. What do they want? You haven’t done anything wrong. Your protests go unheeded as they move to the kitchen. One drawer after another is opened and closed. Cereal boxes are moved aside as they search cupboards. Finally, they turn to the refrigerator. One black-masked agent opens the freezer and begins removing every container. Your heart sinks. You pray they won’t see it – won’t unwrap the foil. Too late, you realize how thorough the FBI can be. In a minute, your secret is out.
What happens next? Since you’re a common citizen, you immediately find yourself in custody. You will be tried in a court of justice, and you will pay for your crime.
But will Democratic Representative William Jefferson pay for the very same crime? It is, after all, his story on which the above is based. In September of last year, the Justice Department the Congressman for certain documents, but he did not produce the subpoenaed documents. Could you get away with that? If, in the meantime, two of your former associates plead guilty to the scheme, would you be able to protest when a federal judge signed a warrant supported by an 83-page affidavit, and a team of FBI agents entered your office to execute that search warrant? Of course not! You must comply.
Fairness must be required of leaders, but so far, it looks as though Congress and the Administration will fight to give Democratic Representative William Jefferson a privilege that you would never receive. When it’s a member of Congress whose ox is being gored, it’s much different than when your ox is being gored.
Congress needs to read the book, Character!
That’s the view from my chair. What’s your view?