This weekend there has been a flurry of news stories about the truly weird timing and ‘substance’ of soon-to-be ex-Governor Sarah Palin’s press conference where she announced her failure at being able to finish her term in office. Since the press conference raised far more questions than it answered, there has been a series of news organizations and bloggers trying to answer the most obvious question. WHY? Many bloggers are speculating that there is a federal investigation underway of the head of the Palin clan, and that her resignation was the most prudent step to take at this juncture.
Then something strange happened.
The legal team that is assisting Sarah Palin started making statements that were not factual concerning some of the bloggers, and others over the nature of what they could, and could not say or write about this story. Were bloggers being threatened by following up on the rumors of a federal indictment? This should rightly smack all as most un-American.
Some of my readers will know that on July 4th I posted a high recommendation for Joesph Ellis’ book “Founding Brothers”. As I read more about Palin, and her attorneys I thought back to a move undertaken by President Adams, that was discussed in the much loved book.
The Sedition Act was designed to make it a crime against those who publish “false, scandalous, and malicious writing” against the government or its officials. How convenient then; how ironic now that the ghost of such an attempt would surface by the Sarah Palin team on this Fourth of July weekend.
The irony is that the original Sedition Act was passed by the Federalist Congress on ………July 4, 1798! Now 211 years later to the day…..and Sarah Palin with the aid of her legal team is trying to achieve the same thing.
It should be noted that at the time of the original attempt a Republican editor of a newspaper had made reference to President Adam’s wide ass, and as such was hauled into court. The jury returned a not guilty verdict “on the grounds that truth was a legitimate defense”.
Today we know and appreciate the fullness of the First Amendment, and value the benefits it provides to the foundation of this nation. So to have yet another conservative try to undermine the Constitution with the aid of lawyers speaks volumes about the state of the Republican Party, and the high degree of anxiety that exists within Sarah Palin.
P.S. Let me conclude that I do not think for a moment that Sarah Palin is privy to any of this history, or if she is, could connect the ironic dots.
CAFFEINATED POLITICS 