You shall not take money out of your own bank account ~ U.S. Constitution, article 1, section 8 clause 18

Note on today’s post:

Yes, I realize Hastert was trying to pay off a boy he sexually abused who was blackmailing him. But sex with a minor is not what the Government charged him with. It is not what the government convicted him of and it is not what the government sentenced him to jail for. He was charged, convicted and sentenced to jail for, in effect, taking money out of his own bank account.  And we still think we are a free people who have nothing to fear from our Government. Enjoy your chains America. They seem to weigh lightly upon us.

Former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert has been found guilty of taking money out of his bank account and was sentenced to fifteen months in prison.

“This is a great day for law and order, the State and the Party” said reigning Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

If this Republic is to survive we cannot allow our citizens to flagrantly break the law like Hastert did. How stupid does he think the Government, the State and the Party are?  When he started taking money out of his bank account in amounts less than 10,000 our system sprang into action and arrested him. Now he is behind jail where he belongs. Let him be an example to all Republicans, I mean all citizens, who try to avoid the long arm of the law by taking money out of their own bank account. I mean, I’m no expert on the law but this sort of thing should be illegal! And hopefully soon it will be. Again, I’m no expert on the law but I do know that when a citizen of our great free land takes amounts over 10,000 out of his bank account it is the government’s duty to investigate. I know what the teabaggers are saying.  “What business is it of the government how much money I take out of my bank account?” What business is it of the government? The government exists to regulate the people. It’s in the Constitution.  I think. Again, like the law, I’m no expert on the Constitution.

When the verdict was read, Judge Thomas M. Durkin of the Northern District of Illinois could not hold back his anger.

“You sir are beneath contempt” the visibly emotional Durkin told Hastert.

Do you think you can just do what you want with your money? This is America, sir. Your money belongs to the government. We need it to redistribute it to others less fortunate than you. Did you think you were being smart taking out your money under the 10,000 dollar reporting threshold? No sir, you weren’t. If only you had been a Democrat we could have shown mercy. But you aren’t. I hope you spend every day of your 15 months in jail pondering your crime. Ponder it and remember the government expect loyalty from its citizens. Loyalty to its financial needs. Loyalty to the laws of the state. Admittedly I’m no expert on the law, and even though what you did technically is not a crime, it should be illegal.

A clearly broken Hastert then begged forgiveness.

I now realize I was disobedient to the will of the Government. I beg forgiveness for everyone I have harmed by my financial transactions.

With that Hastert was led away to begin serving his prison term.

(46)