Rep. Walter B. Jones, Republican of North Carolina, has introduced a bill that makes it a federal crime for a U.S. president or "an officer or employee of the executive branch of the government" to "knowingly and willingly" mislead Congress and the American people to gain authorization for U.S. military action. The five-year statute of limitations, moreover, doesn't begin to run until the president leaves office.

Would be a good bill. Or do we have to learn the same old lessons over and over again?

Originally Posted by junglejim

Rep. Walter B. Jones, Republican of North Carolina, has introduced a bill that makes it a federal crime for a U.S. president or "an officer or employee of the executive branch of the government" to "knowingly and willingly" mislead Congress and the American people to gain authorization for U.S. military action. The five-year statute of limitations, moreover, doesn't begin to run until the president leaves office.

Would be a good bill. Or do we have to learn the same old lessons over and over again?

There's a lot of "good bills" that never get past the committee desk. The odds of a Republican-submitted bill seeing committee daylight are very long indeed. Also, the odds that a Democrat presidential incumbent wanting such a sword over his/her head in later years is quite doubtful.