Lawmakers Trying To Pass Bill Exempting Politicians From Arrest And Prosecution For Corruption

While I'm not familiar with the primary source, or their credibility, there appears to be a bit of hyperbole in the title. However, a bit of research did in fact confirm their reportage.

Lawmakers Trying To Pass Bill Exempting Politicians From Arrest And Prosecution For Corruption

Taking payoffs, breaking the law and pushing through unconstitutional legislation as special favors to corporate interests has long been par for the course in politics. But now Representative Kevin Calvey (R – Oklahoma City) wants to make it official and make it illegal to arrest any state officials accused of a public offense.

Representative Calvey has introduced House Bill 2206, which would prohibit Oklahoma’s district attorneys from prosecuting state officials, granting that power exclusively to the state’s Attorney General. This would exempt lawmakers from prosecution of nearly any crimes that are normally handled at the local level.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.... Let's continue.

The bill proposes the following:

“The jurisdiction of a prosecution against a principal in the commission of a public offense, when such principal is a state elected official, state legislator, district court judicial officer, appellate judicial officer or an appointee of a state board or state commission at the time of the commission of the offense, is within the sole and exclusive prosecutorial authority of the Attorney General of Oklahoma. Such an action must be filed in the county of residence of the state officer.”

“It’s a big deal to me. I’m upset and concerned,” Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater explained. “This bill creates a different class of citizens that would be protected from the normal prosecution process.”

Rep. Calvey, said that he filed the bill because there is “malicious prosecution” of politicians. He cited the prosecution in Texas of former Gov. Rick Perry. But Calvey is in Oklahoma, and Perry is no longer in office, though he is fighting an abuse-of-power indictment that he says is politically motivated.

[...]

The bill never goes into specifics on what would be considered a public offense, thus providing immunity to lawmakers for nearly any criminal activity at the local level. Since Calvey himself acknowledges that the point would be to avoid legislators or politicians from being prosecuted for abuse-of-power, this bill proposes to set forth a very dangerous precedence that could lead to even less accountability for politicians.

Dug a little deeper, found the actual text of the proposed bill: Legiscan.com - OK HB2206 | 2015 | Regular Session Link contains .PDF of bill proposed in the OK House on 02/02/15

AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to criminal procedure; granting
exclusive jurisdiction to Attorney General for
certain prosecutions; providing for codification; and
providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:

SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 137 of Title 22, unless there is
created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:

The jurisdiction of a prosecution against a principal in the
commission of a public offense, when such principal is a state
elected official, state legislator, district court judicial officer,
appellate judicial officer or an appointee of a state board or state
commission at the time of the commission of the offense, is within
the sole and exclusive prosecutorial authority of the Attorney
General of Oklahoma. Such an action must be filed in the county of
residence of the state officer.

Wow. Speechless. What say you, ATS?

a reply to: CloudsTasteMetallic

They should be arrested and charged for trying to pass such a law . "RICO law refers to the prosecution and defense of individuals who engage in organized crime. In 1970, Congress passed the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act in an effort to combat Mafia groups. Since that time, the law has been expanded and used to go after a variety of organizations, from corrupt police departments to motorcycle gangs. RICO law should not be thought of as a way to punish the commission of an isolated criminal act. Rather, the law establishes severe consequences for those who engage in a pattern of wrongdoing as a member of a criminal enterprise.

Title 18, Section 1961 of the United States Code sets forth a long list of racketeering activities, the repeated commission of which can form the basis of a RICO Act claim. These underlying federal and state offenses exist independently of the act, and include the crimes of homicide, kidnapping, extortion, and witness tampering. Racketeering activities also include property crimes such as robbery and arson. A number of financial crimes are also listed, such as money laundering, counterfeiting, securities violations, as well as mail and wire fraud. " www.hg.org...

a reply to: CloudsTasteMetallic

I don't think they need a law for this. They do what they want, when they want, and if they can't they pass a law allowing them too, such as this proposal.

It's ludicrous.

Taking payoffs, breaking the law and pushing through unconstitutional legislation as special favors to corporate interests has long been par for the course in politics. But now Representative Kevin Calvey (Republican – Oklahoma City) wants to make it official and make it illegal to arrest any state officials accused of a public offense.

Most one-party dominated legislatures, like those you have in the southwest, tend to write very favorable laws for themselves, as they face very little scrutiny (or expulsion from office) from their gerrymandered districts. It's easy for them to get away with this too, as all they have to demonize scapegoats or pander to their base and are rewarded with more votes, while the clueless continue to vote party lines, in spite of how those they vote into office create self-serving laws like this.

This is already law in places like Honduras....
Where the government officials are demonstrably involved in everything from coc aine traffic to theft ....
The idea is in itself treason.....the attempt to pass such legislation is indication of the totally corrupt government that tries.....
These representatives need to be eliminated from the system as fast as possible....

a reply to: CloudsTasteMetallic

Wow, even I am surprised by the gall.

Rise of the Super Citizen - Homo Superius - Lawmakers Pass Law Against Tickets (for Themselves)

Thanks for the heads up,I'll pass this along to friends in oklahoma.

Bad bill is way Fricking bad.

a reply to: CloudsTasteMetallic

Sponsored by a Republican. The party of "take personal responsibility" huh?

Something must be in the water in Oklahoma. That state has more than its fair share of Bat Schnit crazy politicians and legislation as of late.

originally posted by: olaru12
a reply to: CloudsTasteMetallic

Sponsored by a Republican. The party of "take personal responsibility" huh?

Yup, they are about as committed to personal responsibility as the Democrats are to helping the downtrodden.

a reply to: Grimpachi

It's a fairly recent development, last 12+ years they are usually a non factor in most folks lives... But lately wow.

Sounds like they are guarding against a future Democrat led inquisition/witchhunt !!!



Probably not a bad idea.

Sounds like the final pieces being put into place to complete the divide between the lawmakers and the subjects.

His opponent in the next election is going to beat the hell out of him with this. Idiot.

originally posted by: xuenchen
Sounds like they are guarding against a future Democrat led inquisition/witchhunt !!!

Probably not a bad idea.

Bs..if they didn't do illegal crap there wouldn't be things to guard against.

It is a bad idea.

Look past your obvious partisan politics.

This doesn't say repubs can't...it says politicians can't be prosecuted.

Libs or repubs.

Just like you you always going on about the libs breaking laws but being OK with repubs trying to make it legal?

Be on the side of the people.....or just admit your blinded by repubs like the obamazombies are for the dems.

This law is absolute bs...it doesn't matter which side it is proposed by, this is messed the eff up.

If this was the dems doing it you would be all torches and pitch forks.

Have you no credibility at all?

a reply to: infinityorder

DahHaHaHa

See what I mean.

Assumptive witch hunting can be dangerous.

Wow. If there were any single and verifiable shred of evidence to convince me of the growing corruption of American politics and politicians, it would be this.

If a Canadian politician were to ever suggest something like this, I'm not quite sure how I would honestly react. It wouldn't be good.

a reply to: CloudsTasteMetallic

Incredible!

Sounds like a state-level "sniffer" bill, to gauge reaction before such a bill can be introduced in federal Congress. The current and last couple White House Administrations are chin-deep in corruption. They desperately want such a "magic wand" bill, to make everything just go away ...

The Bush/Cheney Administration is battling the "Torture Docs" and "Saudi Funding for 9/11" reports. And with Jeb Bush now the front-runner for the 2016 GOP ticket, George W. doesn't want multiple corruption scandals to sink Jeb's chances. (And the Bushes DO have significant ties to Oklahoma.)

originally posted by: xuenchen
a reply to: infinityorder

DahHaHaHa

See what I mean.

Assumptive witch hunting can be dangerous.

Assumptive???

Every thread you start is a libs are the devil repubs are saints... It is sorry.

If the libs tried to pass this you would be all " Obama is the devil here is proof".

This bs is wrong no matter who passes it.

They aren't above us, the law must apply to all equally.
Stop being partisan, neither side cares about you or me or him or her.

Oklahomans voted for them.