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Today's Must Read
Oversight, the Bush administration way.
The White House's Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board has been an open joke ever since it was launched as a result of a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission's 2004 report. The panel was supposed to keep a sharp eye on the government's possible infringement on citizens' civil liberties. But it turns out that it's a bigger joke than people even realized.
Yesterday, one of the board's five handpicked members, Lanny Davis, resigned. Davis, a former Clinton White House official, left over "administration attempts to control the panel’s agenda and edit its public statements."
Now, we already knew that the board had virtually no power or independence. Here's how Justin described it last November:
The board can't demand documents; it can't force bureaucrats who actually implement the program -- and who might be aware of malfeasance -- to speak with them under oath. Instead, its sole and complete authority is to take the administration at its word.
But apparently even this powerless watchdog was too much of a threat to the White House. According to The Washington Post, the White House "made more than 200 revisions" to the board's annual report to Congress this April, some of them deletions of entire passages.
Like, for instance:
Davis charged that the White House sought to remove an extensive discussion of recent findings by the Justice Department’s inspector general of FBI abuses in the uses of so-called “national security letters” to obtain personal data on U.S. citizens without a court order. He also charged that the White House counsel’s office wanted to strike language stating that the panel planned to investigate complaints from civil liberties groups that the Justice Department had improperly used a “material witness statute” to lock up terror suspects for lengthy periods of time without charging them with any crimes.
And the reason for striking the passage about the "material witness statute"?
Chairman Carol E. Dinkins told board members March 29 that the White House counsel's office had asked to delete the passage, fearing the revelation might inflame the ongoing political controversy over the administration's dismissal of nine U.S. attorneys.
OK, so the White House deleted two passages. The first was a discussion of an already completed investigation, the results of which had already been made public. Presumably the White House didn't want to reopen old wounds. The second was spiked because it was inconvenient from a PR perspective. You get the picture.
But it gets even better. Here's the White House's unapologetic response when asked why it had been tying the hands of its internal watchdog:
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino called the editing "standard operating procedure," saying it was appropriate because the board remains legally under the supervision of the Executive Office of the President."When you have a formal document going to Congress from any part of the Executive Office of the President, it stands to reason that it must be formally reviewed before it is released," Perino said Monday evening.
I think what Perino's describing is more accurately described as "undersight."
Comments (57)
johnny from republican rehab wrote on May 15, 2007 9:28 AM:Lanny, it took you this long to wake up !!!!
SC: ALARM CLOCK
BobinNH wrote on May 15, 2007 9:30 AM:More Bushit!
Steve wrote on May 15, 2007 9:34 AM:It must be getting bad when a Republican apologist like Lanny Davis quits.
asdf wrote on May 15, 2007 9:35 AM:LANNY DAVIS!!! The in house “Democrat” Bush administration apologist extraordinaire?!?? Pleeease.
He’s leaving because the ship is sinking, and for no other reason. If he had standards, he’d have left years ago.
Anonymous wrote on May 15, 2007 9:38 AM:Phrases like:
- Standard operating procedure
- Perefectly consistent
- Longstanding practice
are being used more and more by BushCo. Just because something has been in effect for a long time doesn't necessarily make it, or its root assumption right or correct.
bordersmuggler wrote on May 15, 2007 9:39 AM:The entire Administration is becoming a laughingstock.
Baldrick wrote on May 15, 2007 9:42 AM:bordersmuggler:
Becoming?
pete in China wrote on May 15, 2007 9:44 AM:What do people like Lanny Davis get paid for serving on that Oversight Board? Nothing, a stipend or a lot, I mean enough to keep someone serving?
Yossarian wrote on May 15, 2007 9:45 AM:Lemme see if I got this..
The White House operates its own investigating board, to catch itself if it does something wrong,
then censors what it catches itself doing, and if, by any small chance, anything it does wrong slips by, it also owns the Justice Dept. which decides not to investigate or prosecute the WH and/or itself.
Did I get that right????
Wow...that's some Catch, that Catch 22
Anonymous wrote on May 15, 2007 9:45 AM:Riley was here.
davis13 wrote on May 15, 2007 9:47 AM:Keeps Lanny's name in the news ... occasionally.
Anonymous wrote on May 15, 2007 9:51 AM:I guess Lanny's a-hole was getting a little sore being pounded all the time by Karl & Co.
linda wrote on May 15, 2007 9:54 AM:wow -- and when the bushies have lost lanny davis -- one of the most accommodating democrats this side of donna brazile, you know they be effed up.
Anonymous wrote on May 15, 2007 9:55 AM:If a house of cards falls in the middle of the Capitol, does anyone in Congress hear it?
Pissed Off American wrote on May 15, 2007 9:57 AM:The "it can't happen here" sentiment that is blocking the removal of these facists from Washington is dangerous, and perhaps even fatal, to our democracy.
How many of these agregious abuses of power must occur before the majority of citizens wake up to the fact that we no longer have a "representaive" government? I see this nation as being at a critical juncture here. If this administration is not held accountable through impeachment and indictment, than there is absolutely no incentive for future "elected officials" to hold themselves accountable to the people. Our checks and balances were designed to prevent the exact situation we now find ourselves in. The checks and balances still exist, but the will to use them has gone missing, replaced instead by the self serving quest for power and lobby money that has infected both sides of the aisle.
If this administration escapes accountability and punishment for its crimes and abuses, than this grand experiment called the United States of America is OVER.
shrubsy wrote on May 15, 2007 9:59 AM:standard operating procedure
TheraP wrote on May 15, 2007 10:00 AM:appropriate
mistakes were made
would we have wanted a better outcome? Absolutely.
was there any criminal intent behind these silly little mistakes? Absolutely Not.
"undersight" -
Thanks, Paul - a concept long underestimated.
Austin Cooper wrote on May 15, 2007 10:04 AM:During Reagan's Presidency (and I use that word, with a capital 'p', since the country did in fact elect him), I would wake up nearly every morning and think: *Ronald Reagan*, the actor, is President of the United States. It seemed like a very bad television dramaCouldn't get my hands all the way around it, for eight years.
Now, six-and-a-quarter-years into Bush, I get up every morning with the realization that my country is hated and reviled in most of the world -- that 'our' government has committed crimes that we sentenced nazis to prison and the gallows for at Nuremburg. That I couldn't go abroad today without being shunned, experiencing verbal abuse, or worse simply due to my nationality.
And, that my government is directed by greedy cowards, and the kinds of self-serving political and religious zealots that were the pride of Vichy France, and were ultimately shown no better than common criminals.
I don't know what, specifically, caused Joyce to make his comment about history as nightmare, but I'd make a serious-money bet it was reading something like these details around the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board.
Anonymous wrote on May 15, 2007 10:06 AM:If impeachment cant touch this administration this country has lost it will to protect our liberties!
War, lies, stole, fixed numbers, education lost, health care dead, corporations win, laws fixed, security risks, broken military, homelessness on the rise, unemployment numbers fixed, outsourcing, unprepared for disasters,
there is not one single social issue/department this administration has not F#C#Ked up!
If you love your country, and you want life back in your country, there only one way...Impeachment!
Legalize wrote on May 15, 2007 10:15 AM:"If a house of cards falls in the middle of the Capitol, does anyone in Congress hear it?"
It's pretty much become a steady drone by this point. It's kinda reminds me of when I lived by the Williamsburg Bridge and the noise of the traffic just eventually turned into background noise that I expected at all hours.
RandyR wrote on May 15, 2007 10:26 AM:I wonder if anyone in this country remembers what fascism is, and why it's bad?
Well let's review,
Fascism is a political belief where the citizen's obligation to government is greater than the government's obligation to the citizen.
That's our lesson for today,
How can you tell if your subject to creeping Fascism? I have a copy of the real, not leaked Iraqi Hydrocarbon Law. It's very secret, I only know of one other copy, in english, not in the hands of "Loyal Bushies" or the Iraqi government. And I can't email it. Every time I try to send it out it comes back 3 to 6 days later as undeliverable. Ain't that the damnest thing. Fascism lesson completed.
NCBlueneck wrote on May 15, 2007 10:31 AM:If I try to put "oversight" and "Bush White House" together, my mind keeps picturing Mr. Magoo.
Code word: black as in black comedy.
the world wrote on May 15, 2007 10:37 AM:"If impeachment cant touch this administration this country has lost it will to protect our liberties!"
"If this administration escapes accountability and punishment for its crimes and abuses, than this grand experiment called the United States of America is OVER".
...........face the facts: 1)impeachment will not happen and 2)....it is over.
what now?
JT wrote on May 15, 2007 10:39 AM:Austin Cooper: "During Reagan's Presidency (and I use that word, with a capital 'p', since the country did in fact elect him), I would wake up nearly every morning and think: *Ronald Reagan*, the actor, is President of the United States."
I used to do the same thing. The only differences are that I would actually murmur it aloud and my precise wording was "Ronald Reagan is President of the United States. RONALD REAGAN... is PRESIDENT... of THE UNITED STATES...."
I would repeat it over and over to see if it ever stopped sounding nightmarishly absurd. It never did.
bobh wrote on May 15, 2007 10:41 AM:RandyR
if u have a copy take a picture send the picture. Don't be dense.
liz wrote on May 15, 2007 10:49 AM:Discrimination is rampant in DC right now under Bush and his buddies. I know, I experienced it first hand. And it is wrong and it sucks . And it is still illegal......
Anonymous wrote on May 15, 2007 11:01 AM:Nancy, WHO IN HELL ARE YOU TO TAKE IMPEACHMENT OFF THE TABLE? If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
kentuck wrote on May 15, 2007 11:06 AM:Too rich! Too fu***** rich!
bubba wrote on May 15, 2007 11:11 AM:Wow!
siri wrote on May 15, 2007 11:14 AM:The whole White Palace is looking like something out of Caligula. I'm imagining mobs of evil people running in and out through broken down doors raping and pillaging...and after Dana's amoral statement, her nasty, little come hither looks are starting to work me up in a very primitive beast kind of way...
Pissed Off American said it well and right! If this administration is not impeached, tried and imprisoned, America as we knew it, the country in which we all were raised, is FOREVER GONE.
IMPEACH
Sally wrote on May 15, 2007 11:20 AM:INVESTIGATE
INDICT
IMPRISON!
Pelosi in '07
siri
Sovereign Citezen of the Former United States of America
Sure took a lot of time for Lanny to wake up and smell the Bushes. Does anyone anywhere believe the Lannys?
terry wrote on May 15, 2007 11:29 AM:yep. just rats leaving the ship to find a new home...like john yoo at berkeley...who would ever have thought a war criminal professor at berkeley?!
mo2 wrote on May 15, 2007 11:34 AM:but, there is always a home for a really good rat.
"I use that word, with a capital 'p', since the country did in fact elect him"
I have recently noticed lowercase 'p' used on the scrolling text on Good Morning America, in Newsweek, and I think CNN. I wonder if there are some disgrunled citizens doing this on purpose in small ways all over the country.
mo2 wrote on May 15, 2007 11:43 AM:Pelosi might be more calculating than imagined. Impeachment might be more than on the table. We really don't know, but it appears the Congress is laying everything out for the public now. Pelosi talks to Conyers.
Most Americans do not support impeachment at this time. Democrats worry about Cheney becoming President if Bush is impeached. And also pardons would be given. And a new VP (Rice, Hagel, McCain??)would be a stronger candidate in 2008.
Speaker Pelosi might be casting a broad net. I hope.
Frederick wrote on May 15, 2007 11:45 AM:Just because we have gotten use to no oversight from this corrupt administration, doesn't mean we shouldn't
terry wrote on May 15, 2007 12:01 PM:stop pushing on the goalpost until it falls over!
Personally, I'd like to see no indictments UNTIL bush leaves office, then indict EVERYONE.
mbbsdphil wrote on May 15, 2007 12:03 PM:That way no one gets a pardon.
It's the only thing that makes sense to me as I wonder why impeachment is off the table and the dems are taking it so slow.
Maybe Pelosi is that calculating. I just think her timing is a bit off....and needs to keep a bit more pressure on.
These are google guys. They may have to allow putting a statement or fact in the public domain, but they don't want it repeated, noticed or acted upon. If you can find it on google at all, it better be the last page, not the first. An Inconvenient Truth isn't the name of a movie; it's what this administration buries and ignores to everyone's peril.
mbbsdphil wrote on May 15, 2007 12:05 PM:Congress needs to disband this board in its current form and re-establish it new as an independent agency, with adequate powers and staff. The govt's routine management of information, let alone its abusive domestic surveillance programs, is reckless. It won't improve without serious attention and resources.
Matt Longmire wrote on May 15, 2007 12:08 PM:My only hope is that in the future these fascist shit-stains are chased out of diners and shops by disgusted citizens--much like what OJ Simpson has recently experienced in Kentucky. This is the only form of justice we can muster these days, given that "Justice" is no longer ours.
If we want, we as citizens can use this trivial attempt at revenge to ridicule the powers-that-were into humiliation. I believe the Republicans were able to use this tactic very effectively in the early 90's. Shame-Shame-shame!: "The hammer of God"-- let them suck on it for awhile! Nothing like an old fashioned scarlett letter to pin to these clowns and thier spawn for the next couple of generations!
littlesky wrote on May 15, 2007 12:10 PM:"...the board remains legally under the supervision of the Executive Office of the President."
In other words, the editing was simply another version of the Signing Statement.
Impeachment of Bush won't help, but impeach Cheney and you'll cut this crap off at the knees.
Anonymous wrote on May 15, 2007 12:15 PM:Oldest trick in the book: Appoint some sort of commission to "investigate" or "provide oversight" as a manifest function when the real function is to bury the matter.
biggerbox wrote on May 15, 2007 12:20 PM:Of course, the main reason for editing the report of the 'oversight' panel is so that later they can point to the report and say "See, the panel looked at all of that, and didn't find anything questionable." (Not that they are above saying a report says something different than what it actually says, but it's sometimes easier just to edit the report first.)
They've been using the trick of getting some supposedly authoritative source to print their version of reality at least since they told Judith Miller about the aluminum tubes. It makes it so much more convincing to lie when you can pretend you're backed up by an 'independent' source.
Anonymous wrote on May 15, 2007 12:39 PM:if they can get the dark overlord's son out and in prison I dont think there's any fear of "cheney" as a vice prez ... they all need orange jumpsuits or worse ... sorry but them be the facts of the matter mam
randron wrote on May 15, 2007 12:47 PM:Correct me if I'm wrong but if you do the right thing in an honest and honorable way and tell the truth about it, there's no need to "control the message!" As Mark Twain said, "If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything."
Bruno wrote on May 15, 2007 12:55 PM:Well I suppose then the antithesis of Mark Twain's quote, and ultimate principle which our beloved Gonzo so dearly believes is; "If you don't remember anything, then you don't have to tell the truth."
axolotl wrote on May 15, 2007 1:11 PM:So, how much more of this stuff do we have to hear about before impeachment is put back "on the table"???
parrot wrote on May 15, 2007 1:40 PM:Obstruction. This is getting tiring. No doubt they can't speak to anyone because of ongoing investigtions...including the investigators? I'm tired of wondering how that logic can prevail. Supposedly, the US Constitution is designed to stop this kind of crap. Of course, maybe the US Constitution is just "a piece of paper"...
Mooser wrote on May 15, 2007 2:54 PM:- Standard operating procedure
- Perefectly consistent
- Longstanding practice
And some people are saying the Bush administration is not conservative!
Impeach them at your peril, tho. All it will do is give the American Electorate time to gorge on Kool-Aid from the MSM. By Election day, they'll be ready to chase the Republican pony again.
Richard L. Adlof wrote on May 15, 2007 3:22 PM:If they're not actively suffering under the heel of the Repubs they will forget everything in six months. Don't solve the Repubs problems for them.
Do you think they will appreciate it you do?
RandyR @ May 15, 2007 10:26 AM
Fascism (as the latin bundle of sticks that it derivies from) additionally owes significantly to the fussion of the corporate and corporations into and ultimately surplanting the government . . . The disenfrachisement of flesh and blood humans due to the transposition of corporate control and corporations claiming primancy (& possession) of unalienable rights (rather than granted rights as they should be) is part and parcel of 'fascism'.
Yes, the current Administration is fascist by defination but you only delivered half the whole story. Privatization of the commons . . . Including the government itself is in play . . . Lanny Davis has been and is the willing buttboy of this process and if the hammer weren't swinging down so fiercely, he would still be wiping up under the current President's desk.
Austin Cooper wrote on May 15, 2007 8:00 PM:If I'm serious about -- well, everything -- for more than another five seconds, I'll scream.
So: Lt. General Lute, new "War Czar" -- is it true he's independently wealthy, as the holder of the patent on "Lutefisk"?
And, This Just In -- Jerry Falwell: Still Dead.
Code = Part, as in "Part Funny", as in "Paul Wolfowitz parts his hair with *Human Spit*!"
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