perjury IS a serious crime

i am watching meet the press and there is a senator from texas (hutchinson) speaking about the plame investigation. she said some things that bother me (despite the obvious hypocritical value of it coming from someone who undoubtedly sought to impeach clinton based on perjury...which, for the record, i would qualify as a high crime and misdemeanor...and yes, he committed it, and yes, he should've been kicked out for it...but thats just me).

they were speaking of sitting back and waiting to see if an indictment came down (from good ol' pat fitzgerald of illinois...my old boss, a man with decades of experience on both sides of criminal law, thought very highly of him as a fair prosecutor...something this country lacks in too many cases)...and she began to talk about how important she thinks it is that they come down with an indictment for a crime and not some "technicality of perjury." besides the obvious problem that perjury itself is a serious crime (as is lying to federal investigators...just ask martha stewart).

maybe it is just because of my new-found role in society (although i have viewed perjury as a very serious crime for a long time), but perjury ranks up there with the worst of the non-violent offenses in my eyes...especially when it comes to criminal investigations. this country has countless individuals locked up for very long prison terms based on perjured testimony...how many are actually guilty, we may never know. our system relies too heavily on truthful testimony at all stages, from investigation to the grand jury process, to plea bargaining, to trial and sentencing...when lies become pervasive (even just 1/2 truths...which technically can be perjury) in any stage, the entire system is placed in jeopardy of becoming illegitimate in the eyes of the public...just ask a family member of some poor, inner city male locked up based on the testimony of a police officer that was false.

it bothers me that someone elected to the united states senate does not view perjury as a serious offense...especially when it comes in the investigation of such a serious crime...it bothers me more that partisanship has come to that point in this country. i suppose now i am further entrenched in my independent status as a voter...if only more people paid attention.

if you smile when you commit that sin, don't be too sure the tall grass ain't where i been...