Is it OK to lie when testifying before Congress as long as you're

[hedgehog]

not under oath? I can't figure out why the Bush people don't want to take the oath.

[bluerum]

1. Apparently, it is ok to lie anytime anywhere if you are a member of BushCo. eom

[Sydnie]

2. No, it's not but

the arguement could be that it was "not what they said, you misheard me" with no transcript to fall back on. He said she said and no one wins.

[hedgehog]

6. Yeah, I liked the part about no transcript and private testimony.

I knew it rang a bell! Isn't this the way Bush and Cheney testified before the 9/11 Commission?

[Sydnie]

10. they "had a good meeting" not testified

It's all about semantics for them.

[yardwork]

12. Yes! That is exactly what they did.

They walked down to the Capitol building hand-in-hand and had a nice little off-the-record private chat with no transcript, no oaths, and no evidence of anything they said.

And we see where that got us.

[Xipe Totec]

3. Problem not the oath, but the transcript

They don't want anything written down.

Try to prove somebody lied with out a written transcript.

Good luck.

[emulatorloo]

4. They don't want to take the oath because they plan on lying

What other possible explanation is there.

[ComerPerro]

17. that is a talking point I would love to see spread around

[BuyingThyme]

5. Patriots don't take oaths under our system of Constitutional law.

[MiniMe]

7. Conyers made it clear today that lying to congress is punishable

[liberal N proud]

8. They don't think they can be prosecuted if they don't testify under oath

[Kagemusha]

11. Well they definitely can't be prosecuted without a transcript.

No prosecutor's gonna bring the trusted word of a bunch of politicians of senior age as the sole prosecution evidence in front of a jury.

[yardwork]

13. Expecially when approximately half the senators would lie

Including LIEberman.

[johnnydrama]

14. and

They certainly couldn't be prosecuted for lying when there's no transcript.

Just different people remembering things differently :sarcasm:

[JetCityLiberal]

9. The big energy oil and gas liars seem to be doing fine

They lied to Congress. Depends if you are a "D" or an "R"...."D" you lie you are over. "R" you lie you get promoted.

[jody]

15. It's a crime under 18 USC 1001 to lie to Senate and House committees. n/t

[ComerPerro]

16. well, technically, its ok to lie as long as you aren't under oath.

Its funny that RWers get so caught up in the "Clinton lied! Clinton lied under oath" rhetoric.

The only reason Bush's entire administration hasn't been convicted of perjury is becasue they refuse to be put under oath.

[originalpckelly]

18. No, it's actually just as illegal as lying under oath.

Here's 18 U.S.C. 1001(a,c) and it's even when they aren't under oath.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00001001----000-.html

Here's the actual perjury statute (it is my belief it applies to Congress, though there may be another specific statute for them)

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00001621----000-.html

I you notice, the punishment for lying under oath and not lying under oath is the same.