First transcripts from Jan. 6 committee reveal key witnesses refusing to testify

Saying I don't recall when the details are bad is a lie, which is worse than the straight answer of legally I'm not obligated to answer that question.

Don't bring it up if you don't want it talked about. Certainly don't clutch that string so hard.

 

Just responding to your deflective post(s)..... my bad...

I much prefer to talk about 2020 criminality vs 2013-2016 investigations convened for the primary purpose of damaging a political candidate...

 

Twitter is proving the non-elected deep state conspiracy theory is more than just a theory. That is the real threat to our democracy.

 

And your key word is "might."

 

Right. Pelosi and Liz Cheney, for examples, are threats to our democracy.

 

Absolutely.... Taking the 5th to the question "Who is Rudy Giuliani"? certainly MIGHT incriminate you..... these days...

 

Or right should not be limited to Criminal Trials as I have posted before the courts have consistently ruled that you have the same rights before Congress as you do it court.

 

You have the right to plead the 5th in a civil trial. But it can be used against you.

 

I'm unaware of the Constitutional right being limited to venue. What you got to back this up?

 

In a civil case, you are not "held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime" because the civil courts can't levy any criminal penalties, and in a civil case you are not "being compelled in any criminal case to be a witness" against yourself. Regardless, you can still plead the fifth in a civil case. You still have that right. But, because there is no possibility of facing criminal penalties in a civil court, the jury is allowed to make adverse inferences.

 

The Founding Fathers knew how corrupt government officials can twist words and use them against someone. That is the reason for the 5th and the Miranda rights.

 

They are elected officials yes, but it is the deep state unelected officials that are the biggest threat because they give money to our elected officials in order to by votes that benefit them.

 

A civil jury can make any inferences it likes. The bar is lower for them. But the defendant retains the right to the 5th and you seemed to initially suggest they didn't.

 

Yes it is a violation of your rights for the government to declare you guilty of a crime for invoking your 5th amendment rights. When did we start criminalizing invoking your rights?

 

And 1/6 committee depositions were neither civil or criminal, so at this point, it's up to the public to determine who's a lying POS vs who's a lying POC.

A tough call, I grant you..

 

The Jan 6th committee was acting as a CRIMINAL investigation, they were looking for crimes and have now made criminal referrals. Thompson said invoking their 5th Amendment rights would be taken as guilty of a crime.

 

Nope. Not sure where you got that. "You have the right to plead the 5th in a civil trial. But it can be used against you."

 

The committee has no power to levy criminal penalties. It wasn't a criminal trial. Thompson is as free as any of us are to make a negative inference about the pleas. If the criminal referral results in a criminal trial, those involved will have their 5th amendment protections in that trial.

 

Fair enough, but I don't see how it can be used against you. Anyone who would use it against you doesn't understand or respect the Constitution.

 

Didn't say it was a trial it was an investigation and you have rights in a CRIMINAL investigation. Thompson is not free to declare a citizen's rights null and void before his GOVERNMENT INQUIERY where do you get that nonsense?

 

You can plead it before any government proceeding including investigations in which you testify under penalty of law, criminal law.

Does the Fifth Amendment apply outside of criminal trials?
Yes. Although the terms “witness” and “criminal case” naturally evoke visions of a criminal trial, the Supreme Court has long held that the Fifth Amendment applies outside a criminal courtroom.

It applies any time a person is forced to make a statement that could be used to incriminate him. A (non-exhaustive) list of situations where the Fifth Amendment applies outside a criminal trial includes: traffic stops, police interrogations, grand jury proceedings, arrests, civil depositions, civil trials, and testimony before the Unite States Congress. We examine some of these below....

.....Can I plead the Fifth if subpoenaed to testify or produce documents to a congressional committee?
Yes. The Supreme Court has held that the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination is available to recipients of congressional subpoenas.

https://www.burnhamgorokhov.com/criminal-defense-resources/fifth-amendment/

 

It's a civil case, not a criminal one. I'm sure you've made negative inferences about people pleading the 5th in the past. In civil cases, just like in the outside world, you can make the inferences that the person's truthful answer to the question would likely implicate them in a crime.

I'll give an example. Let's say Timmy is in civil trial. He's accused of paying someone to steal his neighbor's dog. An attorney shows him a check and asks him if this is his signature on the check. Timmy pleads the 5th. The jury is free to infer that saying "No" would risk perjury and that saying "Yes" would implicate him. Anyone who thinks this violates the Constitution doesn't understand or respect the Constitution.

 

Yes. You can. I specifically said you can. No one is saying you can't.

 

Thompson hasn't taken away anyone's right, and this wasn't a criminal investigation. No right was declared null and void.

 

Ahh... that old fallback position...

Do you understand the difference between Civil and Criminal?? The Constitution you claim to know sure does...

I suggest you start your 6 hours of research there...