Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

niyad

(113,413 posts)
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:48 PM Mar 2015

Tom Cotton 'Corruption Of Blood' Bill Would Convict Family Members Of Iran Sanctions Violators

(ah, bless those with long memories--here's a goodie from tehran tom traitortot from 2013)

Tom Cotton 'Corruption Of Blood' Bill Would Convict Family Members Of Iran Sanctions Violators

(you can view the video by going to the link at bottom)


WASHINGTON -- Rep. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on Wednesday offered legislative language that would "automatically" punish family members of people who violate U.S. sanctions against Iran, levying sentences of up to 20 years in prison.

The provision was introduced as an amendment to the Nuclear Iran Prevention Act of 2013, which lays out strong penalties for people who violate human rights, engage in censorship, or commit other abuses associated with the Iranian government.

Cotton also seeks to punish any family member of those people, "to include a spouse and any relative to the third degree," including, "parents, children, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, grandparents, great grandparents, grandkids, great grandkids," Cotton said.
"There would be no investigation," Cotton said during Wednesday's markup hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "If the prime malefactor of the family is identified as on the list for sanctions, then everyone within their family would automatically come within the sanctions regime as well. It'd be very hard to demonstrate and investigate to conclusive proof."

The amendment immediately sparked objections from several members of the Foreign Affairs Committee, who noted that the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees due process rights to anyone charged with a crime under American law.
"An amendment is being offered literally to allow the sins of the uncles to descend on the nephews," Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) said. "The amendment that's being offered doesn't even indicate a requirement of knowing violation. … I really question the constitutionality of a provision that punishes nephews for the sins of the uncles."

. . . . .

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/22/tom-cotton-corruption-of-blood_n_3322251.html

36 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Tom Cotton 'Corruption Of Blood' Bill Would Convict Family Members Of Iran Sanctions Violators (Original Post) niyad Mar 2015 OP
This idea is barbaric. raging moderate Mar 2015 #1
not to mention, specifically prohibited by the constitution, you know--that antiquated niyad Mar 2015 #2
Way to go Old Testament, Tehran Tom . . . Journeyman Mar 2015 #3
When I read this, at first I thought it must be from The Onion. The Velveteen Ocelot Mar 2015 #4
Same here. skypilot Mar 2015 #8
Me too. I had to go look to see who was reporting it because I thought it was a joke. OregonBlue Mar 2015 #10
he maybe insane samsingh Mar 2015 #5
Maybe? hvn_nbr_2 Mar 2015 #17
The repugs opened Pandora's box by letting these teabaggers in . . . brush Mar 2015 #6
this particular piece of insanity was proposed while he was in the house. apparently he has niyad Mar 2015 #22
Good God! And they voted him into the Senate. brush Mar 2015 #24
I keep thinking there has to be something in the water. niyad Mar 2015 #25
hmmm... Cheney's former company, through subsidiaries - broke sanctions salin Mar 2015 #7
He sounds like a fascist. alarimer Mar 2015 #9
New definition of the "family values" party central scrutinizer Mar 2015 #11
Can we throw W, Jeb, Neil, etc. in jail then? n2doc Mar 2015 #12
SO because "It'd be very hard to demonstrate and investigate to conclusive proof." Rex Mar 2015 #13
this disgusting piece of fecal matter is a graduate of harvard law. niyad Mar 2015 #21
That 47 Senators recently let this lunatic lead them is beyond the pale. Faryn Balyncd Mar 2015 #14
another hateful, malevolent piece of shit repuke legislator. ho hum. cali Mar 2015 #15
Congress shall not issue a bill of attainder. One of the few individual rights referenced Eleanors38 Mar 2015 #16
Way to go all Kim Jong Un gollygee Mar 2015 #18
That pesky Constitution! bluesbassman Mar 2015 #19
Paging Kim Jong Il, paging Kim Jung Un hifiguy Mar 2015 #20
. . . niyad Mar 2015 #23
How about a "Corruption of Funds" bill... JHB Mar 2015 #26
ahhh, wouldn't that be sweet?? niyad Mar 2015 #27
Does he plan to dig Reagan's bones up and put them behind bars? bullwinkle428 Mar 2015 #28
but, isn't ronnie one of their saints? niyad Mar 2015 #29
So that would make you a "Mudblood" AwakeAtLast Mar 2015 #30
he probably won't get the reference. niyad Mar 2015 #31
That would be one way to put some banksters behind bars. I'd feeel sorry for their kids though. Scuba Mar 2015 #32
Dick Cheney and his family should be first on the list. Bandit Mar 2015 #33
. . . niyad Mar 2015 #34
Geez... Spazito Mar 2015 #35
. . . niyad Mar 2015 #36

niyad

(113,413 posts)
2. not to mention, specifically prohibited by the constitution, you know--that antiquated
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:54 PM
Mar 2015

piece of paper.

Journeyman

(15,036 posts)
3. Way to go Old Testament, Tehran Tom . . .
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:55 PM
Mar 2015

sins of the father et al visited to the seventh generation and all . . .

The Velveteen Ocelot

(115,754 posts)
4. When I read this, at first I thought it must be from The Onion.
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:57 PM
Mar 2015

But it isn't. This guy went to Harvard Law School, but he must have slept through most of his constitutional law courses.



hvn_nbr_2

(6,486 posts)
17. Maybe?
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 04:30 PM
Mar 2015

Until now, I had not imagined that even Koch-snorting Teapublican lunatic fringers could be this crazy.

brush

(53,794 posts)
6. The repugs opened Pandora's box by letting these teabaggers in . . .
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 01:34 PM
Mar 2015

and look what they've wrought.

Seems this Cotton idiot was just getting started with the open letter.

He's trying to take our country back not just to the 50's but to Medieval-sins-of-the-father-visited-upon-the-son times.

God help us!

niyad

(113,413 posts)
22. this particular piece of insanity was proposed while he was in the house. apparently he has
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 09:18 PM
Mar 2015

only gotten crazier.

salin

(48,955 posts)
7. hmmm... Cheney's former company, through subsidiaries - broke sanctions
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 01:44 PM
Mar 2015

so who would get arrested - the CEO and all of his family? The underlings and all of their families?

While the mental game (oh oh Lynne, Liz and Dick Cheney) is amusing - this is over the top. No hearing.

So what about the legislator who takes big money from defense contractors, who through their subsidiaries have economic ties to Iran?

central scrutinizer

(11,652 posts)
11. New definition of the "family values" party
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 02:39 PM
Mar 2015

We're opposed to abortion but as soon as that baby is born its into the slammer for 20 years.

 

Rex

(65,616 posts)
13. SO because "It'd be very hard to demonstrate and investigate to conclusive proof."
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 03:32 PM
Mar 2015

"There would be no investigation,"? What the ever loving FUCK is this raving lunatic going on about? He wants to punish people without one iota of proof that they did something? AND their families!?!

What a disgusting piece of shit! Is it fascism yet?

Faryn Balyncd

(5,125 posts)
14. That 47 Senators recently let this lunatic lead them is beyond the pale.
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 03:33 PM
Mar 2015



Cotton, and perhaps the entire new crop of GOP freshman are crazier than Cruz.


He eventually backed down on this and withdrew the amendment, but the fact that he ever thought something of this nature was appropriate, combined with the fact that his letter signed recently by 47 of 54 Republican Senators showed a gross misunderstanding and disregard for facts and the legal realities, yet was still signed by most of the Republican leadership (though not by Sen. Corker who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee) shows that the Republican leadership is so intimidated by the crazies they have cultivated that they have let their fear of the crazies weigh more than their responsibilities to the nation.


Shame on Cotton, but more than that, shame on the Republican "leadership" who has defaulted on their responsibilities.















 

Eleanors38

(18,318 posts)
16. Congress shall not issue a bill of attainder. One of the few individual rights referenced
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 04:26 PM
Mar 2015

in the Articles of the Constitution.

Tommy boy knows there is no longer any credible opposition to the Far Right in this country, save from the GOP corporate right. It's wide-open sport bullying. He knows what he is doing: Establishing far right legitimacy to counter the corporate right. Very clear.

bluesbassman

(19,376 posts)
19. That pesky Constitution!
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 04:43 PM
Mar 2015
The Fifth Amendment reads "no person ... shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law," and makes no distinctions regarding citizenship. In Wong Wing v. United States, the Supreme Court found that noncitizens charged with crimes are protected by the Fifth Amendment, along with the Sixth and 14th Amendments. The case was decided in 1896.


Cotton isn't just crazy, he's dangerous as well. I'd suggest the GOP muzzle him, but it's clear they have no leadership capable or even desirous of reigning in Cotton and his ilk.
 

hifiguy

(33,688 posts)
20. Paging Kim Jong Il, paging Kim Jung Un
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 04:49 PM
Mar 2015

Jebus on a unicycle juggling fish, this guy is gibbering insane.

JHB

(37,161 posts)
26. How about a "Corruption of Funds" bill...
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:01 PM
Mar 2015

...that would imprison politicians who receive donations from people who violate the sanctions?

At Koch Retreat, Top GOP Senate Candidates Credited Koch Network For Their Rise
Posted: 08/27/2014 12:24 am EDT Updated: 08/28/2014 10:59 am EDT

WASHINGTON -- Three top Republican Senate candidates heaped praise on the political network built by the conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch during a secretive conference held by the brothers this past summer, according to audio of the event.

Iowa state Sen. Joni Ernst and Arkansas Rep. Tom Cotton directly credited donors present at the June 16 retreat in Dana Point, California, for propelling them forward. Colorado Rep. Cory Gardner told attendees that his race would likely be decided by the presence of "third party" money -- an obvious pitch for generosity from the well-heeled crowd.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/26/koch-brothers-ernst-cotton-gardner_n_5718773.html

Koch Brothers Flout Law Getting Richer With Iran Sales

Internal company records show that Koch Industries used its foreign subsidiary to sidestep a U.S. trade ban barring American companies from selling materials to Iran. Koch-Glitsch offices in Germany and Italy continued selling to Iran until as recently as 2007, the records show.

The company’s products helped build a methanol plant for Zagros Petrochemical Co., a unit of Iran’s state-owned National Iranian Petrochemical Co., the documents show. The facility, in the coastal city of Bandar Assaluyeh, is now the largest methanol plant in the world, according to IHS Inc., an Englewood, Colorado-based provider of chemicals, energy and economic data.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2011-10-02/koch-brothers-flout-law-getting-richer-with-secret-iran-sales

bullwinkle428

(20,629 posts)
28. Does he plan to dig Reagan's bones up and put them behind bars?
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:16 PM
Mar 2015

Because if he really wants to go "all in" on this plan...

 

Scuba

(53,475 posts)
32. That would be one way to put some banksters behind bars. I'd feeel sorry for their kids though.
Fri Mar 13, 2015, 06:32 AM
Mar 2015
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/12/us-ing-sanctions-idUSBRE85B19Y20120612

ING to pay $619 million over Cuba, Iran sanctions

(Reuters) - ING Bank NV (ING.AS) agreed to pay $619 million to settle U.S. government allegations that it violated U.S. sanctions against Cuba, Iran and other countries. It was the biggest ever fine against a bank for sanctions violations, officials said.

Bandit

(21,475 posts)
33. Dick Cheney and his family should be first on the list.
Fri Mar 13, 2015, 09:28 AM
Mar 2015

He was head of Haliburton during the nineties and was doing business with Iran against US sanctions at the time.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Tom Cotton 'Corruption Of...