Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

I wonder if Clapper established that you could lie before US Congress without consequence, or if there are earlier instances?


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_North

"In July 1987, North was summoned to testify before televised hearings of a joint congressional committee that was formed to investigate the Iran–Contra scandal. During the hearings, North admitted that he had misled Congress..."

One of the sources explains that when congress investigated the Iran-Contra scandal, it granted Oliver North immunity for what he would say. From one of the Wikipedia sources:

"The most serious obstacle to North's prosecution was the immunity grant extended him by the Select Committees that in 1987 investigated the Iran/contra matter. North's nationally televised testimony under that grant of use immunity, which guaranteed that nothing he told Congress could be used against him in a criminal proceeding, greatly complicated Independent Counsel's investigation and raised serious questions as to whether North could ever be tried."

https://fas.org/irp/offdocs/walsh/chap_02.htm


Pardon my ignorance. How can Congress grant immunity from the Judiciary? I thought that was only a power that resided in the Executive?


A federal court issues the actual order to appear, after 2/3 of a committee or a majority of the house or senate votes to compel a witness to attend.

The witness cannot plead the fifth but they also cannot be prosecuted for anything they say.

And yes 2/3 of a committee is a small number of people.


Usually the deal is supposed to be void if they turn out to have lied or concealed relevant information.


Ahh yes, then North proceeded to head up the NRA.

It’s grifts all the way down!


Don't forget North then was forced out of the NRA after being appalled at the widespread corruption around the executive vice president of the NRA, Wayne LaPierre. It's pretty sad when Oliver North is the ethical voice of reason in the room.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9oV17dIza4


A number of people have been convicted of perjury for lying to Congress.[1] Outside of Congress, Bill Clinton was known to have lied under oath (at a deposition) while in office, and was not thrown out of office.

[1] https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/5-people-who-lied-...


If you're a baseball player [1], you'd better come clean when hauled before Congress, or the consequences will be severe.

If what you do actually matters, then meh, whatever, it's all good.

1: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-baseball-clemens/clemens-...


The baseball player doesn’t have enough leverage in terms of being culpable and thus knowing enough about their crimes for which at least others could be prosecuted.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: