Constitutional rule is being ignored


This was in a "Letter to the Editor" in Clinton's hometown today. If I'm not mistaken, the writer is an attorney. January 8, 2009 Why is the United States Constitution being ignored? We are supposed to be a nation of laws and the Constitution is the law of the land. If we deviate from the Constitution, this great country of ours, which has been guided for more than 200 years by this great document, will be in serious trouble. I am speaking of the appointment of a current U.S. senator to the civil post of secretary of state. The Constitution is very clear according to Article II, Section Six, in which it states, "No Senator or Representative shall, during the time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil office under the authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have been increased during such time." Emoluments meaning salary. It is my understanding that the emolument for this office had been increased this past year. Even if Congress repeals the increase in salary, the emoluments had been increased, therefore, the rule specified in the text still controls. Do we use the Constitution only when it is convenient for us, or do we take it seriously and do as our forefathers intended? The last I remember, the secretary of state designate is a senator from New York, thus, according to the Constitution, making her or any other senator or representative ineligible for this civil office. Once sworn in, this will cause a constitutional problem that should be left to the federal courts to resolve. - Joseph Cerrone Somers



Last Updated January 8, 2009 12:16 PM

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