They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.
The idea here is simple... if the executive branch can arrest a dozen members that are voting the "wrong" way then it can hold excessive power over the legislature by changing a vote. It disrupts the balance of power so they made them immune unless there is absolute proof of extreme criminal activity.
This is why Pelosi's mask mandate arrest order only applied to staff members. She literally can't have sitting members arrested. Those members are sent there by We The People and only the people who elected them get a say on whether they are allowed there etc etc. The only exception is...
Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behavior, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a member.
But to expel a member requires a 2/3rds vote. So unless a CRAP-TON of GOP members turn on MTG, Bobert, and crew then Pelosi can't do jack shit to them but whine and throw fines at them.
Of course we also can't get rid of AOC and the squad.
In comparison to todays Democrats, Trafficant was a Constitutionalist...
Maybe 2 steps closer to the constitution than the RINOS....
Hell, todays Republicans would happily vote for Trafficant.....
Sauce - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_One_of_the_United_States_Constitution#Clause_1:_Compensation_and_legal_protection
The idea here is simple... if the executive branch can arrest a dozen members that are voting the "wrong" way then it can hold excessive power over the legislature by changing a vote. It disrupts the balance of power so they made them immune unless there is absolute proof of extreme criminal activity.
This is why Pelosi's mask mandate arrest order only applied to staff members. She literally can't have sitting members arrested. Those members are sent there by We The People and only the people who elected them get a say on whether they are allowed there etc etc. The only exception is...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_One_of_the_United_States_Constitution#Clause_2:_Rules
But to expel a member requires a 2/3rds vote. So unless a CRAP-TON of GOP members turn on MTG, Bobert, and crew then Pelosi can't do jack shit to them but whine and throw fines at them.
Of course we also can't get rid of AOC and the squad.
Traficant is the only Dem I can recall getting tossed out of congress. He was probably the last one that wasn't DS.
In comparison to todays Democrats, Trafficant was a Constitutionalist... Maybe 2 steps closer to the constitution than the RINOS.... Hell, todays Republicans would happily vote for Trafficant.....