LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY eiredrake)

Can someone explain the significance of swearing in when testifying before the senate? I realize that doesn't precisely fit into the realm of Dark_christian but this group contains a lot of well educated folks and I figure someone knows. I've been doing net searches but coming up with nothing definitive.

There reason I ask is that the Senate comittee heads that are investigating seem to be tossing that aside quite often lately. For example when the oil execs were hauled before the senate the chairmen refused to swear in the guys.

Are they trying to use this as a tactic to protect them somehow?