President Barack Obama doesn’t let silly things like the Constitution get in his way when he wants to do something. He’s currently in the midst of getting sued by Congress for overstepping his bounds when it comes to executive privilege, and now the Government Accountability Office is reporting that he broke the law when releasing terrorists from Guantanamo in exchange for Bowe Bergdahl.
The report says:
[The Department of Defense] violated section 8111 because it did not notify the relevant congressional committees at least 30 days in advance of the transfer,” the GAO report said. “In addition, because DOD used appropriated funds to carry out the transfer when no money was available for that purpose, DOD violated the Antideficiency Act. The Antideficiency Act prohibits federal agencies from incurring obligations exceeding an amount available in an appropriation.
The GAO report stops short of calling the president a criminal for his actions, preferring to put the weight of the charges on the Department of Defense. But the DOD is just an arm of the Obama administration and, after all, the buck stops there. It’s just the latest black mark on this president’s legacy, adding to the piles of evidence that Obama will stop at nothing to get what he wants. If that means delaying the employer mandate so that Democrats aren’t hurt in the November elections, then that’s what it means. If it means letting prisoners out of Gitmo without following the proper legislative channels, then so be it. This is a president who believes the Oval Office is a kind of modern throne, perched upon which he can rule over the country with a liberal fist.
What’s the penalty for breaking a law like this? Who would pay that penalty if charges were brought in a court of law? If Texas Governor Rick Perry can be indicted and booked on charges that any idiot can see are political in nature, will we soon see Barack Obama’s mug shot on the front of the national newspapers?
Of course not.
This is a president who has not only tried to get his way by sidestepping the constitutional process, but one who has largely succeeded in doing so. While the tough talk about lawsuits and impeachment have plagued him throughout the summer, the fact remains that Obama continues to exercise his executive authority in an egregious and irresponsible manner. Even his most dedicated bleeding-heart supporters took a step back when the Bergdahl situation hit the headlines. Even the low-information crowd could see that trading five dangerous Taliban terrorists for an Army sergeant was bad business.
According to a recent report in the New York Times, ISIS attempted to negotiate a $100 million ransom with the U.S. over the release of journalist James Foley. Why would ISIS believe that the U.S. government would ever negotiate with terrorists? One need look no further than Obama’s illegal prisoner exchange to find out. Appeasement and negotiations don’t work when you’re dealing with Islamic madmen. It only encourages them. It weakens our safety. And for that crime, there is no punishment severe enough.
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