The quote in the subject line of this diary was spoken by MSNBC anchor Chris Jansing in the 10AM hour this morning.
"He could go to jail for 30 years for lying to Congress."
Was she talking about banksters such at Lloyd Blankfein? Or Iraq war architect Douglas Feith? Or any one of dozens of oil and telecom industry executives over the past several years?
Nope. Jansing was talking about former baseball player.
Among all congressional investigations that have taken place over the past 10 or 15 years, one of the biggest wastes of time (in my opinion) has been the probe into steroid use in Major League Baseball. GOP congressional leaders started the ball rolling in 2005; when Dems took over in 2007, the investigations continued.
I say "waste of time" above on purpose. MLB was also conducting an investigation, headed up by former Senate Majority Leader (and baseball aficionado) George Mitchell. His report to MLB Commissioner Bud Selig was released in December, 2007. Careers, steroid-fueled records, and legacies (Mark McGuire, anyone?) were ruined in the process.
In February, 2008, former ace pitcher Roger Clemens testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that he had not knowingly been injected with steroids. Shortly after, Committee Chairman Waxman called Clemens a liar. The case was referred to the Department of Justice. Yesterday, Clemens was indicted by a federal Grand Jury (and will now stand trial) for lying to congress.
I guess that's all well and good. I'm no fan of Roger Clemens, and there is certainly no room in any sport for use of performance enhancing drugs (cough, cough, Linda McMahon). More importantly is the fact that lying in testimony to congress is a very serious offense. Clemens will now have to defend himself in a court of law, and possibly faces some serious jail time if found guilty.
As I've watched this story unfold, though, I thought back over the past 10 years and the various committee investigations that have taken place, both in the House and Senate. Oil price shocks, illegal wars, economic collapse, torture ... the list goes on and on. Bankster, oil company, and telecommunications CEOs have flat out lied in testimony. Congressional leaders have winked (and in the case of some GOP-led investigations, wouldn't even place the CEOs under oath - although the oath didn't matter - lying to congress is still a prosecutable felony, whether or not under oath).
Yet who's the only one potentially going to jail? A jock. A disgraced and physically debilitated jock.
Lying banksters can destroy our economy. Lying oil executives can collude in violation of antitrust laws (and contribute to the economic collapse). Telecoms can lie with impunity about their involvement with government agencies to eviscerate the fourth amendment of the constitution. Government agency apparatchiks can lie through their teeth about reasons for war, and no congressman or senator does much more than roll their eyes or express faux outrage.
I have little sympathy for Roger Clemens' self-inflicted wounds. But Roger Clemens doesn't matter to me. Clemens doesn't provide employment for anyone other than a stable of lawyers. Clemens has no impact on climate change. Clemens isn't gushing steroids into the Gulf of Mexico. Clemens didn't play the CDS game in the Wall Street Casino, and collapse the global economy. Clemens didn't lie the United States into blood-and-treasury-sucking wars of choice thousands of miles away.
Yet he is the bread-and-circus story of the moment.
There is something terribly wrong with this picture.