Constitution does not allow after-the-fact punishment
Re: “Next move: Impeach Marion Barry,” Feb 22.
Recommended Stories
Examiner columnist Jonetta Rose Barras writes: “The [D.C.] council could pass emergency legislation amending the city’s home rule charter to allow it to impeach any official found to have violated city ethics laws or to have been engaged in corrupt behavior.” In essence, Barras is asking the council to retroactively change the legal consequences of Mr. Barry’s alleged wrongdoing that occurred before enactment of the law. Such a move is constitutionally suspect. Article I, Section 9, paragraph 3 of the Constitution of the United States provides: “No bill of attainder or ex post facto law will be passed.” A bill of attainder is a legislative act declaring a person guilty of a crime and meting out punishment without bothering with a trial. As of this writing, Councilman Barry has not been found guilty of violating any laws.
Craig Taylor
Alexandria
If you’re going to insult Obama critics, do it right
Re: “Powell backs Obama on national security record,” Feb 21
Those of us with grey beards still remember when then-Vice President Spiro Agnew attacked people who criticized then-President Richard M. Nixon. Now comes former Sec. of State Colin Powell, who in a week’s late valentine on television, indicated that critics of President Barack Obama are sinners and unpatriotic. General Powell, how about borrowing the famous Agnew accusation [penned by William Safire] and just call us “nattering nabobs of negativism?”
Nathan Dodell
Rockville
Professional sports doesn’t need more debauchery
Re: “Was Tiger’s apology sincere?,” Feb 24
It appears to me that the standard celebrity playbook is to go to rehab and then apologize in a press conference. Tiger Woods did just that. While he is a very talented individual, he also appears to be a very troubled one. Is this someone we want to continue to be in the spotlight playing professional sports? I don’t think so. This kind of debauchery has already infiltrated nearly every other professional sport. Tiger, please retire – it will do you, and the sport of golf, a lot of good.
Brad Pobutkiewicz
Washington
