Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy and White House Chief Counsel Greg Craig discussed on Tuesday the Senator's proposal to set up a truth and reconciliation commission to investigate potential crimes of the Bush administration.
Leahy added an important note to the story in an interview he gave the Huffington Post: Congress will likely proceed with investigations regardless of whether Obama is on board.
"Oh yeah," Leahy said when asked if he would go forward without Obama's endorsement. "I think the Senate and the Congress as a whole has an oversight responsibility that has to be carried out here anyway. Now it is much easier with the cooperation of the administration. A lot of things with the subpoenas I issued the past few years, we got a lot of information but a lot of it was held back."
Excellent news.
What we may forget after years of Bush trampling the Constitution is that the Legislative branch can and should operate independently of the Executive branch of the Federal Government.
No need for Obama to dirty his hands in the blood, guts and scum Bush and his cronies created. The Justice Department is completely capable of investigating the Bush war crimes and the lies they told, and it looks like Sen. Leahy is more than willing to lend them support from the Senate.
Bush left in his wake a financial crisis, two wars and America's international reputation in tatters. Still, time should and must be made to bring the Bush criminals to justice.
And you have to wonder, would Leahy be as willing to lead the charge had Dick Cheney not told him to go fuck himself on the Senate Floor in 2004?
Probably so.
;)
6 comments:
We're very pleased with our Senator's efforts, and a little surprised as well.
We were hot for impeachment, but Patrick wasn't. I guess it was the timing, not the concern for the rule of law.
He is a good guy.
Did you see him on Rachel's show tonight KZ?
Gotta heart the man for his effort.
I did see him, Dusty.
Sen. Leahy is no dummy- he knew he could get nothing done while the crooks were in office.
See Phillipe Sands book Torture Team on the topic of Rummy's famous memo egging the interrogators on to torture. Says too that Bushies are all ready scared to leave the Us for fear of a Pinochet styled treaty snare that could have them shipped off to someplace who has a beef with them, say Iraq for starters...
All this news just made my day a whole lot better. Now to get O's recovery plan going and maybe we can start moving this ship forward.
i wrote an ode to patrick leahy back in july of 2007. it's to the tune of She's a Lady (btw, did you know paul anka wrote it?):
Well, we won’t be nonchalant,
These are not the guys we want, this bunch of losers,
So let’s put them in their place,
They’re a national disgrace, liars, abusers.
Patrick Leahy, whoa, whoa, whoa, Patrick Leahy,
All my hopes lie with Patrick Leahy, Patrick Leahy’s so fine.
Hubris is their fatal flaw,
They are not above the law, they need confrontin’,
Bush is nothin’ but a lout,
I hope Cheney takes him out, for some bird huntin’.
Patrick Leahy, whoa, whoa, whoa, Patrick Leahy,
It’s all up to you, Patrick Leahy, be a hero of mine.
Leahy, you know how things work in political arenas,
So tell the White House, “Kiss my ass!” and send out the subpoenas,
They’ll probably ignore you, but you must make the attempt,
If Cheney says, “Fuck off!” again, hold him in contempt!!
Show them what we’re all about,
Our majority has clout, get all the facts, man,
Question every single louse,
And then send them to the House, to Henry Waxman.
Patrick Leahy, whoa, whoa, whoa, Patrick Leahy,
Talkin’ to you, Senator Leahy, make those bastards resign!
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Patrick Leahy,
Listen to me good, Patrick Leahy,
Hey, hey, hey, Senator Leahy,
Whoa, whoa, whoa, Patrick Leahy,
Please, please, please, Patrick Leahy
Leahy, go get those swine.
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