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The Senate Hearings on Immigration resumed today after a 3-week break, with a marathon session of testimony from 3 witnesses. 

And they picked up right where they left off, with mystery man Barton Middleton.  The last time he was there, Middleton was very evasive, almost making a mockery out of the Senate’s persistent probing. They were questioning him about his alleged role in the theft of 8 visa foils from the Immigration Department’s Western Border Station in November of 2012. UDP insider Patrick Tillett said that he paid Middleton 18 thousand dollars to procure the visas. 

So, Middleton had a lot to answer for - but he shared almost nothing. So, today, when he was called back, Senate Chairman Aldo Salazar made it clear that any witness who lies under oath, committing perjury or if they violate the National Assembly’s Powers and Privileges Act, will be prosecuted. It came up this afternoon when Middleton was called to testify, and he refused to answer any further questions. Here’s the back and forth:

Hon. Eamon Courtenay - PUP Senator
"I had an opportunity to review the transcript of your evidence for the Senate Select Committee and I have to tell you that I found 99 percent of it to be incredible. Is there anything that you might have said on the last occasion that you wish to change?"

Barton Middleton - Implicated in Visa Theft
"What I have to say is today I will exercise my constitutional rights and I don't have anything else to say to this committee."

Hon. Eamon Courtenay
"Mr. Middleton when you say you exercise your constitutional right and have nothing else to say, why is that?"

Barton Middleton
"I don't have to explain sir; I don't have anything else to day that's my constitutional right. I don't have to give a reason; I don't have anything else to say."

Hon. Eamon Courtenay
"Well I was about to thank you but I won't."

Hon. Aldo Salazar - Chairman, Senate Select Committee
"Thank you. I wish to highlight something, you are within your right based on the provisions of the constitution to refuse to say anything... especially in a situation where what you may say may incriminate you; but based on your last performance here before us we find it necessary to make it very clear to everybody, to the person especially who have been before us and to you without having to cast any aspersions which those persons on yourself may have already cast on yourselves. We need to make it clear that these proceedings are to be taken very seriously. This is the upper house of our national assembly, we are a pillar of our democracy and we expect that persons should carry themselves in accordance."

"With that in mind, with the fact that we require proper decor, require the truth because there are serious repercussions and I think that people have been taking this proceeding; some people have not been taking it as seriously as they should because they are not aware that they're liable to serious penalties. We have determined that where ever we have felt and feel that persons may have perjured themselves or may have conducted themselves in a manner which violates the sanctity of these proceedings and which may be viewed by a court as an offense under the legislative powers and privileges or under the criminal code - we have decided that we will hand over all information and evidence that we have to the office of director of public prosecutions."