Chris Christie: Rand Paul Should Answer To Congress For All Future Terror Attacks

Say That Again

from the uh-what? dept

Chris Christie, New Jersey Govorner, presidential candidate, and anti-terror crusader, has built quite a reputation for himself for his admiration for the now partially-expired PATRIOT Act. Add to that his worry about anyone opposing NSA surveillance and his assertions that any fears over government surveillance are so much malarkey, and the man who built his anti-terror reputation in part upon the pillar of an entirely trumped up case he prosecuted as a US Attorney has solidified his never-ending love for all things Orwellian.

So now let us add to the list of Christie’s transgressions his suggestion that all future terror attacks should be blamed on Rand Paul, because Paul allowed parts of the Patriot Act to expire.

Here is the relevant quote from Christie’s appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe program.

“And that’s why what Rand Paul has done to make this country weaker and more vulnerable is a terrible thing, and for him to raise money off of it is disgraceful. It’s disgraceful,” Christie said, touting his experience as the only candidate to use the PATRIOT Act as New Jersey’s top prosecutor. “We’re going to look back on this, and he should be in front of hearings in front of Congress if there’s another attack,” the governor said at the end of the interview. “Not the director of the FBI or the CIA.”

You hear that, you folks over at the FBI and CIA? Take the next couple of years off. All of your responsibility has been lifted in the future should Gov. Christie become President Christie. Any attacks that happen will result in Rand Paul, a Senator representing his constituents, mind you, being hauled before Congress to answer for why he dared participate in the legislative process in a manner designed to retrieve some small part of American liberty. The future-crimes of ISIS rest solely on the shoulders of Senator Paul.

Should you be unaware, this is ridiculous. The PATRIOT Act was an overreach, the kind of legislation that gets passed out of fear by reactionaries too busy crapping their own pants to bother wondering whether they might be trampling on the rights of American citizens. Christie calls out Paul for raising money touting his part in defeating the PATRIOT Act, but Christie has no problem raising money by fear-mongering his way across the country. Christie also says Paul should answer to Congress if there’s another attack.

But, if we accept that, should we also demand that Christie and government surveillance supporters answer to Congress every time there is abuse in the surveillance state for which they’ve cheered? If so, Christie should probably clear his schedule, because those abuses are the rule, not the exception.

Filed Under: 4th amendment, attacks, chris christie, congress, patriot act, rand paul