A senator told Fox News that one solution to sinking Mexican drug cartels could be the deployment of pirates.
Sen. Mike Lee (RRRRRR-Utah) cited an obscure provision in the Constitution that gives Congress the power to “grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water.” The senator advanced the idea last month, and on Wednesday went on Fox News’s The Will Cain Show to make the case.
“Are we still headed for that?” Will Cain asked. “Private citizens taking on the drug cartels at the border?”
“Privateers is what they’re called,” Lee replied. “Letters of marque and reprisal are authorized under Article I, Section 8, Clause 10 of the Constitution. Same clause that gives Congress power to declare war also gives Congress the power to issue these letters of marque… authorizing privateers – pirates, essentially – authorized to carry out acts of piracy, if you will, outside of the United States, bring in the spoils back to the United States to share in the proceeds.”
“Is this also something we can realistically expect Congress or the president of the United States to endorse?” Cain asked, seeming skeptical.
“Look, it hasn’t happened in a couple of centuries,” conceded the pro-filibuster and pro-filibuster senator. “So, I’m not gonna kid you here into thinking this is a certainty to pass. What I’m saying is that it should be considered. I would love it if Congress were to pass this. I don’t think it’s something that we ought to take off the table. There are, as you know, immense risks involved with deploying U.S. military personnel. You can minimize some of that with the letters of marque.”
Watch above via Fox News.
