Court Finds Rep. McDermott Obtained Illegal Wiretap

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled today that Rep. Jim McDermott D-Wash violated the privacy rights of Rep John Boehner R-OH by giving an illegally obtained wire tap of a cell phone conversation to the New York Times.

The case stems from a tape that a Florida couple made in December 1996 and gave to McDermott the following month.

McDermott, then the ranking Democrat on the ethics panel, leaked the tape to the Times and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which printed partial transcripts in January 1997.

Gingrich was later fined $300,000 and reprimanded by the House, and he resigned his seat in November 1998. The Florida couple pleaded guilty to unlawfully intercepting the call and were each fined $500. McDermott resigned his seat on the ethics committee.

He was never charged with a criminal offense, but Boehner filed a lawsuit in 1998 accusing McDermott of violating state and federal wiretapping laws.

The number 1 Democrat on the Ethics Committee at the time involved in illegal wire tap scheme. Reminds me of the UN putting Libya in charge of the Human Rights Commission. Don't ya just love liberals. Oh and Rep McDermott is one of the sponsors of the impeachment resolution against President Bush. Funny how no one is calling for McDermott's resignation.

Basil's