When a Congressman goes on a golf trip, it may turn out to be par for the Courts even though there may be a hole in one of the government’s arguments.  This case involved former Congressman Tom Feeney, who took a now notorious golf trip to Scotland.  He claimed it was a fact-finding trip paid for by the National Center for Public Policy Research, but it turned out the trip was actually paid for by Jack Abramoff, presently in prison.  When the Congressman learned the trip was under scrutiny he asked the House Ethics Committee to look into it.  They concluded it was a junket paid for by a disgraced lobbyist and ordered repayment of $5,000.  Even though Feeney went on to be beaten in the next election, the government decided to launch a criminal investigation based on statements he’d voluntarily given the Ethics Committee.  A Lower Court said okay, but the Court of Appeals reversed citing the speech and debate clause of the U.S. Constitution which states that members of Congress shall not be questioned in any other place.  So golf links won’t be leading to chain links but Mr. Feeney has paid a high price, there’s not much debate about that.

THIS IS NEIL CHAYET LOOKING AT THE LAW™

In re Grand Jury Subpoena, D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 08-3056

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