Washington State legislators above the peoples laws

[U201491]

It's the law: Washington state lawmakers don't get speeding tickets, http://fxn.ws/16cgaXI

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[Sgt Nambu]

Seems to me any delay of legislators is a good delay!

 

[Redcap]

Wait...what?! What a bunch of horse bubblegum.

 

[trainsktg]

Aren't they all above the law?

Keith

 

[Brutus57]

Well, I am going to speed going to work, now. If I am late I could miss my coffee breaK!

Brutus Out

 

[timberfaller]

Its what happens when the wrong people are place in positions of power, they want more then they deserve and will give themselves perks that no one else can have. Its why Jefferson said that every so many years you need to shed blood to keep a Representative Republic. Because "power" corrupts!

 

[JVK]

A spokesman for WSP says Washington lawmakers are constitutionally protected from receiving noncriminal traffic tickets

& what the bubblegum do they know about the constitution?

 

[timberfaller]

You just gotta love "spokesman" for government agency's!! They lie through their teeth all the time. Haven't meet one yet that didn't. Jay Carnie is just a example.

Constitutionally NO ONE is above the LAW. Its a PERK nothing more nothing less. They just passed it for a perk, then they can call it a LAW.

When a past Lt. Governor was pulled over by a young WSP for a DUI years ago, doing 100+ mph on I-5, his "Sargent" came to the scene and personally drove the drunk home!! He was never written up and it was kept from the media.

That young WSP quit because it wasn't RIGHT! He is retired now, and still talks about it and STILL can't stomach the Sargent or WSP in general.

To bad the LE as a whole didn't try their best to weed out LEO's who can't do whats RIGHT, but then they couldn't call it a "Brotherhood"!

 

[billdeserthills]

I bet they aren't subject to obamacare either

 

[CarlMc]

I assume that by the same token if said lawmaker is drunk off of his gourd, as long as he's on his way to vote, that he can't be stopped?

 

[oknow]

I assume that by the same token if said lawmaker is drunk off of his gourd, as long as he's on his way to vote, that he can't be stopped?

gabby gifford was basically brain dead and got to vote, so what is a little booze going to do?

 

[ScottyB]

So much for equal protection under the law.

 

[jimwsea]

There are many of us who perform far more important work for the public than driving to Olympia to cast a vote which the majority does not want.

 

[U201491]

Got a note from Lars today that stated he thought Oregon had a similar law.
Has anyone seen that before?

 

[John H]

A spokesman for WSP says Washington lawmakers are constitutionally protected from receiving noncriminal traffic tickets

& what the bubblegum do they know about the constitution?

WHAT DO YOU KNOW???

Washington State Constitution

SECTION 16 PRIVILEGES FROM ARREST. Members of the legislature shall be privileged from arrest in all cases except treason, felony and breach of the peace; they shall not be subject to any civil process during the session of the legislature, nor for fifteen days next before the commencement of each session.

 

[John H]

This is nothing new it has been there a long time.

 

[cwegga]

Yeah, I think most states have laws like this. It is to keep the police who are usually under someone else's authority, maybe the governor from interfering with them for political purposes. Mostly it just ends up being a perk though.

 

[Botte Hork]

I like how people are all gung ho when it comes to our beloved 2nd Amendment and its historical timeframe (no, it's not about hunting, target plinking or home defense), but don't see the analogy here.

Back in the days, but not only then, this still applies now, such a clause protects lawmakers against a tyrannical government (those dastardly British again!). If some critical law is about to be voted in or out, depending on the current executive branch's makeup, they could conveniently decide to arrest people. Sure, that gives some lawmakers of a lesser moral fiber an easy way out with regards to speeding, but it also prevents e.g. a liberal sheriff in, say, King county to prevent a e.g. conservative lawmaker to attend a legislative session by pulling them over and detaining them to "run some checks".

Yes, every law and right given or guaranteed can get abused, but this is also a good way to protect the legislative process.


How many tickets get dodged by our lawmakers, do we know any numbers?

 

[ScottyB]

While I agree with the intent of the law, the fact is it is abused. Lawmakers who think they are rulers do drive like they own the roads and can get away with it, because they can. This is not every lawmaker. I dare say it is not even a majority. Unlike the 2nd amendment though, there is a check. We are still held responsible for our behavior. Just because I am allowed to own an AR-15 with a 30 round mag doesn't mean I can just step out on my porch and shoot at some guy that steps on my land. Likewise, the lawmaker should be held responsible for his/her actions. Just because the legislature is in session should not be license for said lawmaker to drive like the devil. The law was made to protect the system from tyranny yet it has created a different form. It has created a class that is immune to certain laws with no balance to that immunity. I guess it is good to be the king.

 

[Botte Hork]

If the constituents think their lawmaker is stepping over the line abusing this law, which I think is illustrative of character, the best thing to do is vote them out.