Hatch for Hastings, or not
Rep. Alcee Hastings of Florida may be the Democrat in line to take over the House Intelligence Committee when the Dems get to call the shots come January. The hiccup: Hastings is a former federal judge who was impeached and removed from his job by Congress -- something opponents and Repubs are reminding the public about.
But Hastings is firing back at critics, arguing that he was found innocent in a criminal trial and his impeachment was political. One of the biggest guns in his defense arsenal: Utah's Orrin Hatch.
Sen. Hatch, a former Judiciary Committee chairman, voted against Hastings' impeachment in 1989.
"Just as the jury was not convinced that Judge Hastings was guilty of committing any crime, I am not convinced that Judge Hastings is guilty of committing an impeachable offense,"' Hatch said then, according to the Miami Herald.
Hatch's office cautions a statement from 15 years ago does not imply any endorsement of Hastings now. "He isn't getting involved," says an aide.
-- Thomas Burr
But Hastings is firing back at critics, arguing that he was found innocent in a criminal trial and his impeachment was political. One of the biggest guns in his defense arsenal: Utah's Orrin Hatch.
Sen. Hatch, a former Judiciary Committee chairman, voted against Hastings' impeachment in 1989.
"Just as the jury was not convinced that Judge Hastings was guilty of committing any crime, I am not convinced that Judge Hastings is guilty of committing an impeachable offense,"' Hatch said then, according to the Miami Herald.
Hatch's office cautions a statement from 15 years ago does not imply any endorsement of Hastings now. "He isn't getting involved," says an aide.
-- Thomas Burr
3:49 PM
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1 Comments:
So, is Hatch saying that he didn't know what he was talking about 15 years ago? Because that's hard to argue against...
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