Should Republicans go ahead and add Supreme Court Justices to head off Democrats

Prosecute the forger

Human Events:

The day after CBS aired its story using forged documents to attack President Bush's service in the Air National Guard, Democratic partisans were demanding an investigation.

A gloating Dan Rather rushed to publicize their demand on that night's "CBS Evening News."

"Democratic senators sent a letter to Defense Secretary Rumsfeld today asking for an investigation into the status of President Bush's National Guard service records," said Rather. "The Democrats called the belated revelation of new records, quote, 'inexcusable.'"

Rather then cut to reporter John Roberts, who introduced a sound bite from left-wing Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa. "And the records, as I say, show, I think very clearly, he did not do his duty," said Harkin.

Well, it turns out what the records really showed was that someone forged U.S. military documents, in a time of war, in an effort to take down the Commander in Chief.

The Democrats were right about one thing: An investigation is needed. But it should be conducted by the Department of Justice, not Defense. It is Justice's duty to find the forger and prosecute.

Besides the federal wire fraud statutes, there may be Texas laws that are applicable. The Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act is generally for commercial transaction, but there is also a law that prohibits "fraudulant business practices." There are probably other statutes that may be more approriate. In Texas generally a local District Attorney would have to bring the case. That is one reason Democrat Ronnie Earle has so much power in Travis County which includes the state capital, Austin. It is unlikely Earle would have any interest in the case. A more likely candidate would be a District Attorney in Abilene, however, Burkett's statement that he was handed the forged documents at the Houston Rodeo would also give some jurisdiction to the Harris County District Attorney's office. That office has a very large staff with some experienced prosecuters. Republicans have been elected to the Harris Counties DA office in recent years.