Bluementhals letter about ICE memo justifying entry into homes without warrant [pdf](www.hsgac.senate.gov)
55 pointsby rawgabbit9 hours ago6 comments
  • bayarearefugee8 hours ago
    It is completely unsurprising that this is happening.

    It will be completely unsurprising that despite a "strongly worded letter" it will continue to happen and there will be no consequences despite the unconstitutionality.

    The US Government and the very idea of a rule of law here are hopelessly broken and there is no obvious peaceful path to ever fixing it.

    • hshdhdhj44447 hours ago
      The problem is that either a majority, or a large enough minority that due to how the U.S. constitution distributes power, of voters are absolutely fine with this.
      • bayarearefugee7 hours ago
        That is one of the major problems, yes.

        Other problems include:

        too many Americans just don't vote or pay attention to politics at all

        the 3 branch system of government used in the US never foresaw or planned for a situation in which two of the branches would just simply abdicate their own power

  • nerdsniper8 hours ago
    From a tech perspective, I do find myself occasionally having interesting discussions with co-founders about what it means to be operating our business in a legal environment where the rule of law is diminished. Startups have often had to contend with variance in enforcement and interpretation.

    Some of my favorite historical examples of startups who had to worry about uncertain rule of law are:

    - Aereo[0]: Who tried their very best to follow the law diligently but got slapped down anyways.

    - Uber[1]: Who blatantly broke the law so callously that they relied on gaps in the rule of law to enable their business model.

    - Kim Dotcom[2]: A German-born citizen who had never set foot inside USA's jurisdiction found himself arrested by the FBI in helicopters storming his home in New Zealand. This emphasized that any founder needs to follow US law, no matter where they are operating.

    In each case, it seemed that whoever had more money tended to win, rather than who had the letter of the law on their side.

    0: https://archive.md/PJHhD

    1: https://archive.md/tqk3W

    2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Dotcom

    • metalcrow8 hours ago
      I agree with your overall point, but for Kim's case, it seems it was actually NZ police who arrested him, no? NZ just decided to enforce US law because of mutual treaties.
    • nmfisher7 hours ago
      To clarify, Kim Dotcom was arrested by NZ police and is making his way through the NZ court system. It wasn't a Maduro situation. I'm not sure he's even been extradited yet (though that's the most likely outcome).
  • trhway8 hours ago
    20+ years ago it was torture memo. Similar principle of responsibility laundering - some government lawyer writes a memo that it is ok do to that thing (even when it is an obviously illegal thing), and the government agents go full speed ahead, and nobody held responsible after that.
    • chiengineer8 hours ago
      It wasnt just some rando totally unknown gov lawyer

      He was south Korean and proud to sign it for bush and said so in multiple interviews he would do it all over again

      John yoo

      • dc3967 hours ago
        Yep, the "Emanuel S. Heller Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley." (perhaps ironically given the reputation of Berkeley).
      • trhway7 hours ago
        >proud to sign it for bush and said so in multiple interviews he would do it all over again

        why not if you can't be held responsible.

        • kccoder3 hours ago
          Morals, ethics, empathy, humanity, …
          • trhway2 hours ago
            well, we see time and time again what's left of "Morals, ethics, empathy, humanity, …" once the threat of consequences is removed.
  • Johnny_Bonk8 hours ago
    What/who is bluementhals?
    • nerdsniper8 hours ago
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Blumenthal

      The letter linked by this post is signed by the U.S. Senator.

      > Richard Blumenthal

      > Ranking Member

      > Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations

    • chiengineer8 hours ago
      This is 2026 in a nutshell

      "Uggh chat gpt can you get these illegal kkk badge wearing nazis out of my house wtf man "

      • tom_8 hours ago
        Myself assumes they're point is that their should be some apostrophe's.
  • 6 hours ago
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