Fire in Vice President Cheney's Offices

From Classbrain.com

Political Cartoons
Fire in Vice President Cheney's Offices
By Cartoon: Pat Bagley of Salt Lake Tribune
Project: Cynthia Kirkeby, ClassBrain
Dec 20, 2007, 15:49 PST

Fire in Vice President Cheney's Offices

A fire broke out on December 19, 2007 in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building where Vice President Cheney has a set of ceremonial offices. The offices are known for their ornate and historical furnishings and they are most often used for press interviews and meetings.

Although the cause is still listed as unknown, the police have already ruled out possible terrorist involvement. The Internet and press immediately began tongue-in-cheek chatter about which tapes and documents Cheney and his staff might be trying to incinerate after recent CIA hearings.

Questions to Ponder

How can arson be ruled out before the source and cause of an incident is known?
Although bloggers are poking fun at Cheney's office in light of the recent fire, the issue of the destruction of CIA tapes is a very serious one. Will there be any substantial repercussions for the destruction of the tapes or will those in power walk away unscathed?
Should video tapes be required at all interrogations?
What is a reasonable penalty for the destruction of critical political documents?
If the penalty for the destruction of documents and tapes are not substantial, wouldn't individuals always opt to destroy documents rather than face the consequences of the actions shown on the tape or in the documents?

Learning Links

Battling Fire at White House office building forces evacuation
Source: LA Times.com

Flames at US government building
A fire has caused damage to US Vice-President Dick Cheney's ceremonial office in Washington DC.
Source: BBC News

Andy Borowitz: Attempting to Destroy CIA Tapes, Cheney Burns Down White House (SATIRE)
A satirical look at the recent fire, and the problems surrounding Cheney and the CIA tapes.
Source: Yubanet.com