Sensenbrenner to Conyers: F. U., 2

Wisconsin's leading light in the House, Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner (R-Suburbia) doesn't like to hear hostile witnesses testify about abuses of the Patriot Act. He made that quite clear with his high-handed action to end a hearing, take his gavel and go home last week.

Rep. John Conyers (D-Michigan), who had lined up the witnesses that sparked F. Jim's temper tantrum, has been holding his own "forums" to give people a chance to talk about issues on which Sensenbrenner won't even schedule a hearing. They are run like hearings, but have no official standing except as a vehicle for people to express their views.

But F. Jim doesn't not only doesn't want people saying things he disagrees with in his presence. He doesn't want them to do it even if he's not around to hear it.

The Hill reports that F. Jim, the Judiciary chair, has pulled the plug on Conyers' forums, declaring that from here on no Democrat on the Judiciary Committee will be allowed to use a hearing room.

Read it and weep , for the loss of free speech rights in the Capitol itself.