The Supreme Court, Conrad Black and Joe Biden's Bad Idea

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The prosecution and imprisonment of Conrad Black is a lot more about trophy hunting by federal prosecutors than enforcing the law. If Conrad Black were not Conrad Black (never a popular figure), there would be outrage in both the U.S. and Canada at the blatant injustice he has suffered. The grotesque concept of honest services fraud should be struck down by the Supreme Court, Mr. Black released immediately and justly compensated for the vindictive destruction of his reputation, his career, and his former company Hollinger.

Mike Williams 9:08AM December 29, 2009

"Imagine, if you will, the concept applied to the nation's highway system—which would then allow the state troopers to pull you over for "going too fast" (rather than exceeding a specific speed limit). The result would not only be chaotic, it would be a direct threat to liberty."

Well the fact is almost every state already has such a law. For example, the California basic speed law that says you shall not drive faster than is reasonable and prudent under the circumstances. Seems to be reasonable and work well. After all, a reasonable speed on a sunny clear day may not be reasonable on a dark and stormy night.

You may or may not have a point regarding this law, but your speed law example was a poor choice.

Steve Marten of CA 10:10PM December 14, 2009

At some point the law itself becomes the undoing of the law. If you eliminate the rule of law, you cannot have the rule of men. Men can only stand for something until they have nothing to stand for. You cannot kill a man twice nor can you have a law that undermines law.

If we have no fundemental basis for being a nation of laws then we have no nation. When that time comes, the law has no meaning to a civil society. It is, in fact, not law of men that rules in the absence of a nation of laws, it is the law of nature. And the law of nature is one which man is subject to, not the subject of.

Tom in San Diego of CA 9:29PM December 12, 2009

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Peter Roff

Peter Roff

Peter Roff is a contributing editor at U.S. News & World Report. Formerly a senior political writer for United Press International, he’s now affiliated with several public policy organizations including Let Freedom Ring, and Frontiers of Freedom. His writing has appeared in National Review, Fox News’ opinion section, The Daily Caller, Politico and elsewhere. Follow him on Twitter @PeterRoff.

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