Voters in two Vermont towns approved a measure that would instruct police to arrest President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney for “crimes against our Constitution”.
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN0454699420080305
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Oh yeah! Go get em!
While the measure may make the locals feel better, it has no purchase in the legal system. The Municipality has no power to issue any warrant or order for arrest in this case.
Add to that, should the President, or anyone at the Federal level seek to pursue, such a measure, could be argued to be an attempt to overthrow the Government of the United States.
I hope for their sakes they have all of their tax receipts in hand…
Actually Local law enforcement has the most jurisdiction insofar as the law is concerned. They are required to enforce local, county, state and federal laws. In the reverse way … this is exactly why a FBI agent cannot give you a speeding ticket. I dont think the local police of these towns would be stupid enough to do it. But big balls prevailing they would have the right to detain him. However if you get Bush detained … he would be unable to execute the office…therefore President Cheney (a chill runs down my spine as I write that) would instantly pardon him and there is nothing the town could do about it. Even if you got both im sure the Speaker of the House Rep Puloski would pardon them to avoid the national government too looking stupid.
I understand the towns frustration dealing with conservative Republicans just like the frustration people feel dealing with liberal Democrats. This is just a feel good measure and does nothing. Wouldn’t it be nice if they spent this time and energy voting on laws dealing with crime in Vermont. That might actually help people.
http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/vtcrime.htm
The Municipality cannot issue a warrant for the arrest of the President, or Vice President. They are not authorized to do so. The legal extent of this measure is nothing more than a “Key to the city”. A token act.
It would be interesting to see what would happen when the Secret Service intervened.
I have read that the Bootleg Maple syrup rackets are getting out of hand 
Well its not actually a warrant unless its approved by a judge or in some cases a justice of the peace. However it would give the police in those towns the right to detain him. However no judge or JOP is going to ruin his/her career over this and I know alot of stupid cops but damn … not even Barney Phife (spl?) is that stupid.
And I tell you exactly what the Secret Service would do. Laugh and say get the hell out of my way. Unless these towns have a police force that can reckon with the secret service they are pretty much on their own. The county and state police wouldnt touch this at all.
Remember the President is TECHNICALLY no different then any other citizen of the US (notice the emphasis) they can be stopped and given a speeding ticket. Not wise but could happen nonetheless.
I see it as the joke it is…but if someone tried to act on it…ooof…not smart
Actually, in 1963 after the assassination of JFK, the Secret Service and the Dallas PD almost came to fisticuffs over the President’s body being taken out of town, then illegally (technically - since it wasn’t yet a federal crime to murder the president, and the Dallas coroners technically had jurisdiction.)
And as far as the topic, yes, this is a giant waste of time…
The Pres is no different in matters concerning violations of the law when in a particular jurisdiction. had he committed a crime, theft, violence, etc,in said jurisdiction, he would be liable to arrest under the law. The trouble here is, he has committed no breach of the law, much less in the municipality mentioned. this prohibits their police dept. from arresting, or detaining him without reasonable suspicion, which also prohibits their city attorney from issuing an arrest warrant.
In the captioned case, there are nothing more than vague inferences, and hearsay. If they sincerely felt this is needed, they must refer the matter through the court system, to a court authorized to order an investigation.The sticky part of due process.
The towns own top cop has even admitted that action in this matter is without his good office’s purview. And I also agree that its a foolish enterprise for all of the reasons posted here.
Lastly, I think the President must have a very good sense of humor, or there might be problems in the future of some of the town officials for acts of Sedition, insurrection, disaffection of loyalty, and acting against the Federal Gov’t in time of war. (a stretch I admit, as there is no formal declaration of war extant, but it sounds good eh,) Perhaps Jane Fonda should move there… Next they will attempt to arrest Barney.
We could argue this all day in connection to the domestic spying program, which is why he’s trying to ram legislation down the throats of Congress --to get blanket immunity for corporations, and himself…
But yes, the Vermonters have no jurisdiction in the matter…