Comments (24)

JohnW1141 wrote on November 29, 2007 11:24 AM:

I think Leahy is trying to run the clock out. I think the party leadership decided to do nothing but bloviate about the Bush gang because they feel doing anything that can be seen as controversial might crimp their chances in the 08 elections.

They want to coast.

moondancer wrote on November 29, 2007 11:39 AM:

Maybe. But if I was running for office, I'd want bushco on trial all the time for the duration. Remind everybody how corrupt the GOP really is.

Alguien wrote on November 29, 2007 11:40 AM:

And while we wait for the House to vote, maybe we'll see another round of strong-worded letters for all those accused of contempt.
By now, the issue has lost its momentum. As usual, the ball was dropped and the "loyal Bushies" got away.

Leta wrote on November 29, 2007 11:42 AM:

Duty, Honor, Courage - the Democratic Leadership (snark) fail miserably on this. If I were subpoena(ed) by Senator Patrick Leahey, me just an average Jo, I'd have had handcuffs as a new jewerly accessory.

They let Bush continue to "get away" with this and we are going to see mass pardons forgiving any former crimes, current crimes or future uncovered crimes wrought by the criminals in the White House. Is it justice for all or justice for us common folks only Senator?

JA wrote on November 29, 2007 11:59 AM:

History shows that only revolution can make the "aristocrats" realize that they are NOT above the law of the people.

Barbara wrote on November 29, 2007 12:01 PM:

Is it possible that they can wait long enough so that Bush will no longer be in the White House to pardon his cronies? Just wondering if there might be a strategy rather than incompetence.

chabuka wrote on November 29, 2007 12:07 PM:

Crawling forward at a "breakneck" snail's pace....maybe about 2010 some one will actually be held accountable..?

ForKucinich wrote on November 29, 2007 12:18 PM:

Sen. Leahy is a courageous and honest representative. Waxman is a member of AIPAC - read the letter on his site dissing Rep. Moran for telling the truth in an interview with Rabbi Lerner in Tikkun magazine. Both Rep. Moran and Rabbi Lerner are also courageous in telling the truth about AIPAC ownership of our Congress.

Sen. Fulbright stated that the US Congress was "Israeli-occupied territory" when he tried to expose and halt this treason but the Lobby had Sen. Fulbright ousted from the Senate. This ownership of the US Congress, corrupt telcoms like Foxcom, Odigo, Amdocs and Converse must stop now.

Ideologically based violence"... like McVeigh, Eric Rudolph, Paul Hill, Pat Robertson.....? ...Or groups like Quakers, Raging Grannies, environmentalists, voting rights activists, civil rights activists, Code Pink, MoveOn, legal watchdogs, corruption whistleblowers and other angry-as-hell citizens?

Call your Congress members and demand they vote this down.

S. 1959: Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007

Democracy Now! has covered it:

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/11/20/1458214...

This bill is very very very bad for democracy and Us.

It is a big step in Fascist Shift.......

National Lawyers Guild has denounced it

http://www.commondreams.org/news2007/1127-06.htm

brian wrote on November 29, 2007 12:28 PM:

Terror grips all Republican incumbents who have to face primaries in Spring 2008. Not a one will cooperate with Leahy.

The Right Wing is standing by with piles of money and conservative candidates to unseat any Republican who votes for anything they do not like.

The Republican primary voters are skewed way right.

After the primaries the candidates will have to pivot wildly to get re-elected.

JohnG wrote on November 29, 2007 12:51 PM:

First, let's face the fact that on his last day in office Bush will pardon everyone now or formerly in his administration for everything that they may have done wrong during his tenure in office. So, everyone will "Get Out of Jail Free."

Second, they should vote the contempt citations simply to put the pressure on now, and make Mukasey justify his inactions.

jvill wrote on November 29, 2007 1:40 PM:

moondancer: Maybe. But if I was running for office, I'd want bushco on trial all the time for the duration. Remind everybody how corrupt the GOP really is.

Precisely. Poll after poll has shown that the public wants these guys held accountable.

I don't think we can really know what's going on unless we know the reasons for the delay. The House delayed their vote because they didn't want to "step" on their FISA or Iraq messaging, but that's ridiculous. Will the messaging be stronger about rooting out corruption during the holiday shopping season?

At this point, I'd delay until January when the primaries start up. Capture the groundswell of core supporters, get them pissed, get them aware, help push the GOP Corruption narrative as the election season starts to heat up.

jvill wrote on November 29, 2007 1:43 PM:

JohnG: First, let's face the fact that on his last day in office Bush will pardon everyone now or formerly in his administration for everything that they may have done wrong during his tenure in office. So, everyone will "Get Out of Jail Free."

I don't believe you can pardon for future crimes (or even ones being investigated). Must be a conviction. So, in a way, if the Dems time this so that the investigations run through 2008, it's trouble for Baldy.

Of course, that would mean the investigations would move into the next administration, which I can't imagine would continue. Does anyone know of any precedent for such a thing?

markg8 wrote on November 29, 2007 1:43 PM:

Brian on the Senate Judiciary Committee there are only two Repubs up for reelection, Graham of SC and Cornyn of TX. Graham is pretty popular in SC but has a primary challenger and may have more than one over his support for immigration reform. Cornyn has only a 42% approval rating in TX but his only primary challenger is a religious activist not an established politician.

None of this means these guys will vote with Leahy but it won't
be over fear of a big money challenge from behind. Repubs don't have that kind of resolve, unity or cash these days.

markg8 wrote on November 29, 2007 2:10 PM:

jvill there are statute of limitations on criminal acts but justice doesn't get swept away just because the White House changes hands. If we don't want to set the same bad precedent Jerry Ford set with Nixon that apparently Rummy and Cheney took to heart then prosecution must go on for years to come. It's not only a moral obligation it's required to prove to the world that we are who we say we are, a nation of laws, not men.

feckless wrote on November 29, 2007 4:30 PM:

Any head butting between the Legislative and Executive Branch eventually ends up at the Supreme Court.

The Roberts Supreme Court is even more right wing partison than the Reinquist court that illegally put Bush in Power.

It would be worse to take the issue to the court and lose than to let it lie.

I think the democratic leadership believes a de facto destruction of the constituion is easier to reverse in 08' than a de jure obliteration will be to overturn.

Especially since Roberts, Thomas and Alito will be in there for atleast 30 more years.

svh wrote on November 29, 2007 4:37 PM:

Leahy: 'Now this time, I REALLY mean it...'

Right. Sure. Whatever.

Weak? I think so.

j swift wrote on November 29, 2007 5:14 PM:

Let me guess he mailed out another harsh letter?

Kathleen wrote on November 29, 2007 7:00 PM:

Go Leahy. We sure are glad you are on it. Your actions might even restore some faith in congress.

I swear Leahy looks like the God that I was told existed while growing up in the Catholic church. If there is a God it would look like Senator Leahy or Helen Thomas.

patriotsdream wrote on November 29, 2007 7:45 PM:

Remember, the next Prez will have the Military Commissions Act at his/her disposal. A mere accusation by the Prez or the SecDef that someone is "aiding terrorists" is enough to have them arrested and imprisoned somewhere. No indictment, no trial, no defense, no nothin'...just bracelets on all extremities and a flight aboard a jet with blacked-out windows.

Hmmmm! I'm pretty moderate, but don'tcha agree it would be poetic justice if Bush & Cheney were picked up during the Inauguration Ceremony and whisked off to Gitmo? "Those who live by the sword..."

It would be a lot more fer-sure than clunky impeachment proceedings, and would take far less time & money than one of those "trial" thingies.

patriotsdream wrote on November 29, 2007 7:54 PM:

BTW, did everyone notice that GW "pardoned" TWO turkeys last week? I thought the tradition was just one.

Could it be that he & Dick Cheney were hoping the next Prez would kinda take the hint?

Anonymous wrote on November 30, 2007 8:53 AM:

Is this what they mean by "gum it to death"?

Mitch wrote on November 30, 2007 4:24 PM:

I wish Patrick Leahy was my bookie. I'd get payouts on all my winnings (with no juice), and never pony up for my losses.

(Not that I ever gamble or anything.)

OCPatriot wrote on December 3, 2007 7:05 PM:

Last October I wrote Leahy this letter:
Dear Senator Leahy: Is it true? …
Karl Rove (and Harriet Miers and Josh Bolten) ignored subpoenas issued over two months ago by the Senate Judiciary Committee. If it is true I’d like to know why these subpoenas haven’t been enforced? Either you’re not worthy of holding office, and need to be replaced, or we need to have such actions carried out. Otherwise, everyone loses respect for you, the Senate and Congress, and that is exactly what has happened.
I, for one, voted for Democrats who would get to the bottom of the Bush lawlessness and end the Iraq War. If you, and the other Democrats can’t do it, I’ll work to elect more Democrats like Webb.
Sincerely
LAWRENCE LIGHT

Anonymous wrote on December 3, 2007 8:35 PM:

I appreciate Leahy's efforts, it's just the current Dem. leadership and the usual GOP-cock blocking makes it almost futile. let's hope that contempt charge goes somewhere.