John Conyers Nails It

We ought to get rid of the old myth that you're presumed to know the law.

So spoke Rep. John Conyers (D., Mich.), a member of the House Judiciary Committee's panel on crime, terrorism and homeland security.  This quote was part of a Wall Street Journal article on a bi-partisan concern that the proliferation of Federal Criminal Laws and Administrative Regulations put ordinary citizens at risk for major jail time and fines for minor, unknowing infractions of the proliferating laws and regulations.  Sometimes individual citizens find themselves facing industrial size penalties, but without the legal representation available to an industrial firm.  The lede:

The federal criminal code has grown so large it ensnares everyday citizens who have no idea they are violating the law, a bipartisan group of legal experts told a House panel Tuesday.

Bipartisan.  It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

Regards  —  Cliff