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The Daily Muck
- Pelosi spokesman on her being briefed in 2002 on CIA interrogation tactics: "The briefers described these techniques, said they were legal, but said that waterboarding had not been used." But CIA documents "appear to conflict" with that line. [WSJ
- New York Fed chairman Steve Friedman resigned abruptly yesterday after his trades of Goldman Sachs stock were reported earlier this week. [NYT]
- Big numbers, then: Friedman and Bob Rubin created a stir in 1992, when the Journal disclosed that they both received more than $15 million in 1991 pay. [WSJ]
- Big numbers, now: banks need $75 billion more capital now, $600 billion under a "more adverse scenario." [The Big Money]
- But AIG loss is smallest in six quarters! [WSJ]
- Receiver says financial crimes of Danny Pang, the mini-Madoff with the made-up MBA, Chinese government connections, staff Disney cruise and mysteriously assassinated wife "may rise to the level of theft." [WSJ]
- Cuomo's next big probe: those companies constantly harrassing you (or is that just us?) about their "debt settlement" services. [Marketwatch]
- Like this 22-year-old San Diego woman's "cruel and sophisticated" loan modification scam? [Courthouse News Service]
- Credit default swaps on US government bonds have hit new post-crisis lows. [Zerohedge]
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Josh
Zachary
"Cuomo's next big probe..."
How about finishing the current one by coming out with some inditements? All these probes by Cuomo and Congress with no substantive results are just a waste of time and of more taxpayer dollars.
May 8, 2009 10:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
Gotta say, hate the new format...
May 8, 2009 10:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
"...AIG loss is smallest in six quarters!"
"Credit default swaps on US government bonds have hit new post-crisis lows."
"Pigs can't fly - birds safe!"
What a potpourri of dispiriting mush. Ever wondered about Jerry Brown's long-promised era of "diminishing expectations"? Missed it! We're in a time when high expectations are fossilizing deep in the ground.
On Pelosi: Her dissembling is disassembling any chance for effective action on torture. The Democrats who knew should come clean. Hey! Wait! A high expectation just pissed in my shoe!!!
May 8, 2009 10:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
"The briefers described these techniques, said they were legal, ..."
For those democrats who keep chastising the Republicans for torturing and supporting torturers...
You are now vilifying yourselves!
Might just as well get used to supporting the torturing of innocent as well as guilty people, because BOTH parties condone it and are supporting those who do.
Just because Obama has decided HE will not torture (if, of course, his Christian beliefs allow him to protect torturers, but not tell lies)... note that nothing he has done will stop the NEXT administration from doing the same...
We are repeating the history of many nations, folks... and it seems as though voters have decided to promote this course instead of protecting this nation from those who would destroy it (it's OUR leaders destroying this nation, folks, not the Taliban) ... IMHO
May 8, 2009 11:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
Amen, Johnny
May 8, 2009 12:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
If only someone would take their oath "to protect the country from enemies both foreign and domestic" as seriously as it is worded, we might get somewhere. Nah.
May 8, 2009 1:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
That doesn't add up.
It's one thing to be briefed on an outline and told as an outsider that it's legal, another thing to implement the technique.
The CIA was not asking Pelosi's permission to torture. But CIA operatives and the Principals Committee and some in the DOD or military were asking. What Bybee produced is not a guarantee of immunity, not even a blanket permission slip.
If Pelosi did in fact authorize torture somehow (even though she's not in the Executive Branch and has no authority except via laws passed by Congress) then she should be in line for prosecution for aiding and abetting. Meanwhile, don't distract from the key players.
May 8, 2009 2:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Time for a reminder and another Haircut !!
Seemingly re-arranged the deck chairs with the 'Same Pack of Lies' from the recent Bush//Obama Administration to the Obama//Bush Administration.
Also, most importantly it is seemingly 100% impossible to have a Democracy and within the expected compliance of and within the proper and forthright, respect and regard towards God, Man and Country, including all known Laws, Religions and within all Democratic Countries and their Constitutions and our US Constitution, Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776, towards Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness for All.
Best of good luck and good wishes in your future endeavors and for hopefully with many future successful accomplishments and for the 'Change We Can Believe In' and within the/your/my/our forthcomming weekend.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
May 8, 2009 11:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
Correction, shoul read.......impossible to have a 'death penalty' and a Democracy.....
May 8, 2009 12:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Re: Let's Not Fool Ourselves:
In my opinion, anyone connected to torture should be prosecuted. Surely there are analogous criminal law concepts that can be used to determine if someone who knew about an illegal act, and didn't stop it, is culpable. This is the difference between Republicans and Democrats. Republicans say "an inquiry will also snare some Dems, and you don't want that, do you?" Democrats say, "whoever is guilty should be punished, whether they are (R) or (D)."
May 8, 2009 12:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Correction, should read,
Time for a reminder and another Haircut !!
Seemingly re-arranged the deck chairs with the 'Same Pack of Lies' from the recent Bush//Obama Administration to the Obama//Bush Administration.
Also, most importantly it is seemingly 100% impossible to have a 'Death Penalty' and a Democracy and within the expected compliance of and within the proper and forthright, respect and regard towards God, Man and Country, including all known Laws, Religions and within all Democratic Countries and their Constitutions and our US Constitution, Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776, towards Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness for All.
Best of good luck and good wishes in your future endeavors and for hopefully with many future successful accomplishments and for the 'Change We Can Believe In' and within the/your/my/our forthcomming weekend.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
May 8, 2009 12:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Gee....Nancy..maybe you, John, Harry and Steny shouldn't have taken "impeachment off the table"..looks like its come back to bite you all in the ass....still can't find any proof of criminality..in the Bush Administration...?
May 8, 2009 12:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
THOSE BRIEFED BY THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION WOULD HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF AND OR PROSECUTED FOR TREASON DURING A TIME OF WAR HAD THEY REVEALED WHAT THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION TOLD THEM, AND THEY ARE STILL SUBJECT TO PROSECUTION IF THEY REVEAL WHAT THEY WERE TOLD.
We shouldn't still be in a position where political spin of any persuasion is arguably relevant. We should be investigating and letting the chips fall where they may. Also, the opportunity to testify under oath will give those who are in the right the ability to factually/legitimately defend themselves against false, incomplete and or inaccurate accusations.
It is my understanding that whatever members of congress were briefed on, they were required to sign a non-disclosure agreement which mandated prosecution if they EVER revealed what they were told. Had they revealed "state secrets" during a "time of war", the Bush administration would have accused and or prosecuted them for treason!
May 8, 2009 1:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
I certainly agree with the endeavors that suggest proper and forthright Transparency with proper and forthright, 'Oversight and Accountability' and as mandated within our US Constitution, Bill of Rights, Democracy, Declarations, Treaties, ecetra.
Several concerns remain;
1) In my view any duly sworn and presiding US Representative (example: Rep Jane Harmon) must write//fax ecetra their Chairman and the US Senate and Congressional Judicary Chairman and Members and all Executive//Judicial Branch Leadership and Members upon their knowledge of any Act//Policy//Law, rule and/or regulation that would and/or could be viewed as Traitorous, Treasonous ecetra and in violation of our US Constitution, Bill of Rights, Democracy, Declaration(s), Treaties, ecetra.
2) It is widely known that there is ongoing Rep. John Conyers, US Congressional Judicary Committee of Congressional of 8/2008 entitled 'Executive Powers and Its Limitations''Impeachment Hearings' that should have well resolved these concerns, as of today.
3) A Senatorial//Congressional 'Up or Down' 'Vote' should occur today and certainly the Stimilus Bill should have retained the Platts/ Van Hollins Obama 'Federal Employee Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Restoration Act' and to open, re-open all past cases, that was removed at the last minute Secret Conference by US Senator Susan Collins and US President Barack Obama.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
May 8, 2009 1:33 PM | Reply | Permalink