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Obama Admin Fighting To Block Detainees From Challenging Detentions In Court
On Friday, we reported the comments of a lawyer for four Gitmo detainees, who told us that, in his view, the Obama administration is continuing the Bushies' policy, by stonewalling efforts by detainees to appeal their detentions in federal courts.
And that same day, another data point emerged suggesting the new administration is taking a hard line on detainee policy.
The Washington Post reported Saturday:
The Obama administration yesterday appealed a judge's decision granting three detainees at a U.S. military prison in Afghanistan the right to challenge their detention in U.S. courts, arguing partly that compliance would inhibit the future capture of Pakistani citizens for detention by U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
As the Post notes:
The appeal makes clear that, despite the ruling this month by U.S. District Judge John D. Bates, the Obama administration for now wants to stick with a policy set by President George W. Bush that those incarcerated by U.S. troops in foreign prisons have no U.S. legal rights.
A lawyer for the detainees in question told the Post:
I really thought Obama meant it when he said this is going to be the end of an overreaching executive who asserted he had the power to take people and lock them up and throw away the key, no matter whether they've done anything or not. It's absolutely ridiculous that we should wait until the administration decides [on its policy] until we give three people who have been sitting in prison for six years the right to say, 'I'm being held without any basis.'
The Obama-ites were careful to say that the move could still be reversed after a review of detainee policy is completed in July. So the jury may still be out here, and perhaps we should withhold judgment until then. But the initial signs don't look good.
Josh
Zachary
This appears to be a worthwhile re-mention of a blog comment reply to your Article that could, should and/or would seemingly be expected to be implemented Today!!
Thank you and all for your continued concern, time and consideration.
Dear Readers, 4/13/2009
1) Without the full and complete inclusion of the Restoration and Enhancement of the US Constitutional mandated 'FEDERAL EMPLOYYE WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION RESTORATION ENHANCEMENT ACT' and for all this or any other similar legislative proposal would appear to continue to hold our US Government nugatory and if not outright dispicable, sad and disgusting and/or the seemingly protrayed ability thereof.
Please note, recall and remember our DECLARATION,
'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.'
Also and importantly, please note, aside from the prospective that it is also seemingly and absolutely required and mandated within our US Constitution and that these concerns must have and are explicitly entitled to full and complete Legislative and Judicial Review.
Finally, I am listening as I write to the public Radio Broadcast, 'Connect the Dots' which has a commentary speaker a Missouri Proffessor Black whom states sevearl very compelling mentions as to the seemingly corruption within UBS Securities and the seemingly many connections and concerns between Gramm, Paulson, Summers and others in our Government, including the repeal of Glass stegal, CDO Swaps, 5 Billion Dollars treasury Dollars Given to UBS Securities and as they pay 1/6 of that amount to our Treasury for their apparently stipulated fraud and coruption. Also, many other seemingly direct concerns amoung the many well known concerns and including the seemingly well known seemingly false rating Agency reports, FDIC and other regulatory Agency seemingly due-dillegent and/or corrupt failures that also where broadcast on a 60 minute special from an intended WHISTLEBLOWER, reporting in 2001.
Please TPM and all other proper and forthright concerned and interested advocates of the 'FEDERAL EMPLOYEE WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION RESTORATION ENHANCEMENT ACT' contact the Government Accountability Project, National Whistleblower Center, and if applicable the 'Project on Government Oversight' to request that our US Executive, Legislative and Judicial Representative, immediately and today, to at least bring the Platts//Van Hollins 'FEDERAL EMPLOYEE WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION RESTORATION ENHANCEMENT ACT' to a full UP or Down, FULL FLOOR VOTE!!!!!! TODAY!!!!!
Thank you and all for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
TPM Reader
(I have responded as requested to the Presidential Obama Transition Team, 'Republican Committee Calls on Whistleblowers', numeruous correspondences to Senators Grassely (no reply), Kennedy (my chain of command 2002 or 2003, 6 months and I was told and/or implied I would not be heard and Senator would not hear) Senator Feinstein (2003 to 2009 said has forwarded my files to the Chairman of the US Senate Judiciary Committee 2003 = no reply and statis updates as I have requested many times) Congressional Leader Harmon whom said after severe admonishment and wsrnings towards me from several of her offices as I left as instructed by her Staff the 11/2003 Testimony (my name and case files where used and directly reffered in the 11/2003 US Senate Testimony) before the US Senate Committee of Good Government and Ethics (now inclusive of Homeland Security) Senator Chairperson Lieberman and Collins presiding in reference to FEDERAL EMPLOYEE WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION RESTORATION ENHANCEMENT ACT s1358 OR 85 in 2003 which is identical to the Platts//Van Hollins WPA and all other recent past legislative attempts to a full floor veto proof majority from these GAP,NWC,POGO and hundreds of written supporting organizations and with the full and complete stated and written!! promise of President Obama yet as I mentioned prior he stripped from the so-called Stimulus Bill and has since applied a well recognized illegal signing statement. The National Whistleblower Center and Government Accountability Project 11/2003 US Senate Testimony was left on her manager desk of the US Senate Good Government and Ethics Testimony 11/2003 from the NWC and GAP Testimony and as my name and case files where reffered, mentioned and placed in the record and as I previously mentioned many times in the recent decade) of the FEDERAL EMPLOYEE WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION RESTORATION ENHANCEMENT ACT.
I thought I should respond with some additional support as these are also seemingly adament concerns of many including GAP, NWC, POGO and the hundred of supporting Organizations and supposedly our overwhelming veto proof majority of our US Executive Leader??!!!!!!!!!! and all Senatorial//Congressional Leaders??!!!!!!! an all and the proper and forthright intrepretation from our Judiciary Leaders!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hopefully I have been of some assistance with this/my impromptu, frustrated and exasperated reply and which I have not re-read prior to post. Hopefully TPM will accomodated me with any concerns or questions and/or allow me to have this blog comment reply removed and/or modified, clarified and/or corrected and/or if necessary.)
Please note;
The Congressional Representative did send me a prompt letter and stating that my case files where forwarded to Senator Feinstein.
Also I received a prompt additional (missing a numeric number) addressed letter several months later from Senator Feinstein in 2003 or 2004, (if I remember correctly) and a subsequent letter in 2003 or 2004, (if I remember correctly) that my case files where received in her office and forwarded to the US Senate Judiciary Chairman.
Thank you for your time and consideration within your reply and informative views and concerns.
From my interpretation and as I am (also) proud and concerned that I continue to hope that our Executive, Legislative and Judicial Leaders and Members of our great Country will uphold our endeavors in the manner that I and many others have recommended for many years and/or decades, I have attached an additional blog comment reply I recently posted on this well know formidable TPM Muckracker website.
---------------------Attachement------------------
Please, is someone available to get through to US President Obama, US AG Holder and others in the Executive, Judicial and Legislative Branches of our 'We the People' US Government to also remind him of his and their written promise to our US Constitution, False Claims Act, FISA Courts, prevention of Illegal Signing statements, Illegal Wiretaps, prevention of Torture, Illegal rendition, legal//Illegal Secrecy, and to the complete abolishment of the enactment of the death penalty ecetra and to his and their promise to Whistleblowers and his and their written promise to support the 'FEDERAL EMPLOYEE WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION RESTORATION ENHANCEMENT ACT (that he has already allowed to be voted out of the current so-called Stimilus Bill and with a seemingly illegal Signing Statement).
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Thank you and all for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
TPM Reader
April 13, 2009 3:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama to Bush: I guess you were right, after all!
April 13, 2009 3:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama to Bush: You are my brother!
April 13, 2009 3:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oooh... Mr Lalo! That's an astoundingly turgid stovepipe! It gets me sooo hot! Can I rub it? Please???
April 13, 2009 3:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dammit, Mr Hat! I told you not to flirt with the trolls while I've got my hand up your butt!
April 13, 2009 3:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
My hope and good wishes are along the lines that the above Oratory protects the Cardinals and Saints and with the immediate full floor vote of the seemingly fully vetted and fully approved and unanimously 'Veto Proof' approved by our US Legislatures within the recent decade of the 'FEDERAL EMPLOYEE WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION RESTORATION ENHANCEMENT ACT' and for all.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
April 13, 2009 4:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Obama-ites were careful to say that the move could still be reversed after a review of detainee policy is completed in July. So the jury may still be out here, and perhaps we should withhold judgment until then.
No, we shouldn't and here's why -
When Obamaco tells you to just give *them* time and wait for *their* decision they are saying that this issue is in the realm of the President's authority - that presidents have the authority to kidnap from around the world, ship protected persons hither and thither in violate of the Geneva Conventions, abuse and torture and degrade and humiliate for years and that the ONLY recourse should be - a kinder, gentler Sovereign being put in charge.
Obama's review or lack of review has not one damn thing to do with whether or not detainees are entitled to a court review. If he wants to hustle people so that he releases before a court would get a chance to rule and thereby moots that aspect - more power to him.
But if you ever for one minute buy into the "oh, give us time" argument, you've sold the whole farm bc you are agreeing that the right to release and detain is the President's alone, unfettered by any requirements of combat battlefiled detention or court review. You basically agree that habeas is not applicable and it is only a matter of the good will and whim of a President that carries the decision.
April 13, 2009 5:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
The following is one of my blog comment replies to a blog comment reply, referenced within a Zachary Roth TPM Blog Article entitled, 'Not Just State Secrets: Obama Continuing Bush's Stonewalling On Gitmo Cases, Lawyer Claims', of 4/10/2009 3:43PM and that has 51 additional blog comment replies and that appears to be relevant to be mentioned here.
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My apologies and appreciation for your comments and concerns as I have attached and transcribed them and most importantly within the Habeus Corpus concerns.
I hope I have not offended anyone and especially as I regard my posts as highly relevant with hope for a proper and forthright implementation (and with a complete supportive concurring view of the Habeus Corpus mention as I too inadvertantly mentioned as ecetra and included most importantly in many of my prior blog comment replies) and I further did not want to create and/or participate in a dispute and/or argument that may abstract from my previous blog comment reply posts.
Hopefully, thank you in advance for your indulgence.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
'I have to wonder how forgiving all ............. would be if it were THEY were the ones who were locked up with no habeus corpus and finding their cases delayed and obstructed --if they were faced with "a complete abandonment of the rule of law and a denial of the most basic due process" (to quote the article).
The article makes the very important point that closing Guantanamo (certainly good news) does not equal and end to the abuses -- far from it, apparently.'
Posted by tpmreader in reply to a comment from Chrisco
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Thank you and all for your time and consideration.
April 13, 2009 6:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks Mary2002!
Nobody has summarized it better.
Instead of ending the Bush-Cheney dictatorship it is looking more and more like all we, the people, managed to do in Nov '08 was switch to a more benevolent and articulate dictator. We truly need a SECOND party. Republicans and Democrats are the same!
April 13, 2009 6:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great comment Mary2002.
This needs to be repeated again and again.
Thanks for putting it so clearly and bluntly.
April 15, 2009 9:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
yes... I agree with the above. Our last election BEFORE Obama proved the Democrats in popwer were just as uncaring for this democracy as the eight previous years with the Republicans.
History has shown us over the past few generations that NEITHER party cares one bit for anything but their own desire to RULE.
Of course, I doubt very much that enough voting citizens even read any news, let alone pay much attention to anything beyond what the person's party affiliation is when voting....
Too bad, but it will eventually prove that folks living in THIS democracy actually care little about the energy needed to remain thus... IMHO
April 14, 2009 12:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
No difference between Bush and Obama..except for color...
April 14, 2009 12:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dear Readers, 1/14/2009
Good day. Thank you and all at TPM for the format and in allowing me to vent my impromptu exasperated frustrations within the past several recent days within many TPM Articles within these areas of seemingly great and/or notable concern and/or to and/or within all.
Also and most importantly, my apologies if I have offended anyone, as it is and remains my intent to not offend anyone. Also and importantly, my apologies in where I should and/or may have been expected to be more thoughtful in my blog comment replies. And finally, my apologies for the abundance of spelling and gramatical errors and within the lack of the and/or any expected formally educated Journalist skills.
In closing, please allow me to mention and that it appears well needed that interested Readers give their support to the endeavors of the US Constitutional, Bill of Rights mandate towards the 'Federal Employee Whistleblower Protection Restoration Enhancement Act' (for all) and directly to the due-dilligent Organizations of the Government Accountability Project GAP, the National Whistleblower Center NWC, Project on Government Oversight POGO (and the now 100's of additional other supporting Organizations) that have painstakingly for Decades and with the highest of Integrity, Fidelity and Bravery continue to provide the superb and excellent Professional Leadership to these US Constitutional, Bill of Rights mandates and within our Declaration towards hopes and aspirations of our declaration towards Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness for all.
In closing, my exasperated frustrations continue as it appears that seemingly to some extent these concerns continue and as I have previously mentioned as;
'This is not the hope for the 'Change We Can Believe In'. It appears seemingly similar to the same 'pack of lies' deranged, maniacal, dishonest, disingenuous, corrupt ongoings by these very exact same Individual(s)and exact and/or similar Practices, Policies and Procedures with the seemingly exact same and/or similar forbidden and/or uncorrected, secret and unwarrented illegal/legal Laws, Rules and Regulations and/or applications thereof.'
Again my many thanks and appreciation to TPM and the many formidable blog comment replies from the recent several days and weeks within these TPM topic areas of seemingly ongoing concern(s).
Again and finally, I presume it may be best for me to allow these GAP, NWC and POGO Oragnizations to provide the leadership and/or also until a Member of our US Executive, Legislative and/or as appropriate Judicial Branches of our 'We the People' respond to me and/or on this highly formidable and notable TPM Muckraker website.
Thank you and all for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Tpmreader
April 14, 2009 1:38 PM | Reply | Permalink