Arrested Development

Agencies like Commerce, Agriculture and Interior are just fine, Supreme Court nominee John Roberts said way back when, but they ought not to have any employees toting guns and making arrests. The New York Times details how Roberts made the Reagan administration's case for limiting federal law enforcement powers to the Justice and Treasury departments. The administration's position, Roberts wrote "will doubtless be viewed as an effort by Justice and Treasury to protect their 'turf,' but it is true that the proliferation of criminal law enforcement authority throughout the government is a dangerous trend that should be halted if not reversed."