There’s a hierarchy to violating laws in this country. At the bottom end, you have simple infractions of local rules and ordinances. These can include keeping your lawn clean and driving a red car down Lake Street (yes, those are both real). Violations might include a fine, but they’re pretty light.
As you move up the list, you encounter city charters, state laws, state constitutions, federal regulations and Congressional laws, in that order. Punishment for violations tends to grow in severity as you move up the list. It’s why felonies are more feared than misdemeanors.
The highest form of crime in our country is violating the Constitution. Interestingly, that can be difficult to do. The bulk of the Constitution puts regulations on the government and their agencies rather than on civilians. So, unless you work as an agent of the government, there’s a sharp limit on ways to violate our highest law. That’s why Congress has supplemented certain infractions with additional federal laws. It’s also why this most recent story is such a big deal.
Do you remember when Obama was President and over the top Republicans accused him and his administration of being outright traitors to our country? It might have seemed like typical partisan hyperbole, but now, it seems, those claims actually had some merit. While Obama himself has mostly kept his nose clean since returning to civilian life, the same cannot be said about John Kerry. The extent of his crimes is made clear in this video.
