The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee today called for U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to appoint a special counsel to probe potential abuses of power under the Bush administration. House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) has called upon U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to appoint a special prosecutor to look into alleged Bush crimes. Holder has continued a rather transparent effort to block or curtail any investigation to prevent the prosecution of Bush officials for the torture and surveillance programs.
Conyers called on Holder “to appoint a special counsel to review the Bush administration abuses of power and misconduct. A criminal probe—he’s got to do that.” Conyers added that “All the breadcrumbs, as we call them, go right to the White House.”
Conyers has long struggled under limitations imposed by Democratic leadership, including reportedly Speaker Nancy Pelosi who did not want to see investigations into torture or surveillance — programs that Democrats knew about. Conyers himself has been viewed as a defender of civil liberties and privately favoring an investigation for years.
Holder needs to stop trying to find a way to game the system and control the outcome. He needs to appoint a special prosecutor without restrictions to look into criminal acts ordered by the Administration, particularly in the areas of torture and surveillance. No one expects the prosecution of low-level CIA officials. It is the mid-level and high-level officials –including President Bush, Vice President Cheney and others — who would be the most obvious targets of such an investigation.
For years, people have asked me what they can do to push for accountability for war crimes. Now, you have your opportunity. Write and call your members in the House and the Senate to demand that they publicly call for a special prosecution without limitations to investigate the torture and surveillance programs. Demand more than just a letter to you. Members need to follow Conyers and join a public effort to demand a special prosecutor. People can also press their local newspapers for editorials in support of this call for a special prosecutor.
With his speech at the National Press Club, Conyers has broken free of the reprehensible effort in Congress to cover-up possible war crimes and, in so doing, has protected his own legacy in Congress as a civil libertarian.
For the story, click here.
FFLEO,
If we get an actual investigation that goes where it should, we’ll have to call it a bi-partisan witch hunt!!! 🙂
I never thought I would say this, kudos to Rep. Conyers. We need to bear in mind that this is an initial investigation to discover facts and it must not be portrayed as a partisan witch-hunt.
naschkatze: “…would at least hope that it would be someone from outside the government, someone like you, Prof. Turley or Glen Greenwald (said tongue-in-cheekily).”
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Judge Judy. Srsly.
I would like to see John Woo or Alberto Gonzales or Dick Himself try to double-talk Judge Judy.
My congressman is the only Republican congressman from Oregon, Greg Walden, but I will make my feelings know to my two Senators though that is other half of the Congress. I have e-mailed President Obama and Eric Holder on their e-mail sites many times, especially about war crimes, but I have never received an answer from either.
Unfortunately, there is no longer an independent counsel law, but if AG Holder did appoint a special prosecutor, I would at least hope that it would be someone from outside the government, someone like you, Prof. Turley or Glen Greenwald (said tongue-in-cheekily). We all know what happened the last time with Patrick Fitzgerald. Asking the DoJ to investigate is a little like the fox and chicken coop scenario.
Republican President Bush committed war crimes, torture crimes, illegally surveilled American citizens, and lied US into a war.
The evidence is overwhelming and should clearly be investigated to the fullest extent.
It’s disappointing that right wing authoritarians like “Phil J” not only passively accepted the Republicans abuse of authority but even now try to distract from it by trying to change the subject.
Obama’s greatest failure are in not repudiating and investigating the corrupt Republican President Bush administration.
Conyers should shut his mouth and worry that his wife does not implicate him in her bribery trail. Man this is turning into one of the most worthless admin. that I have every seen, and I have been around since Truman. And all you left wing lunatics have not even scratched the surface on the wrongs our President has done in his short ,but beyond the pale Admin. And for you lovers of the aclu well I can’t help you when the country turns to socialism.
Christopher ‘Kit’ Bond and Clair McCaskill here. I still e-mail and call them to encourage them to do the right thing but it’s an exercise in futility. Still, I’m sure they need a good laugh every now and then too.
Mespo727272
You won the lottery. Eric Cantor…High Five! Up High! DAWG!
Mr. Cantor’s middle name is IVAN which kind of sounds Russian so he can’t run for President being a foreigner and all…Still don’t know how he beat Ben “Cooter” Jones and the “General Lee”! LOL
Tammy Baldwin, here.
Thanks JT!
I, of course, have been advising and urging the same ‘local’ action for months now. It always sounds ‘better’ coming from you AND it’s August, again…
Best,
Patty C
“For years, people have asked me what they can do to push for accountability for war crimes. Now, you have your opportunity. Write and call your members in the House and the Senate to demand that they publicly call for a special prosecution without limitations to investigate the torture and surveillance programs. Demand more than just a letter to you. Members need to follow Conyers and join a public effort to demand a special prosecutor. People can also press their local newspapers for editorials in support of this call for a special prosecutor…”
I can’t think of a more pointless endeavor than contacting my representative on this issue, who happens to be that most embarrassing piece of political garbage, Steve King.
However, I can, and will, give a nudge to both Tom Harkin and Charles Grassley.
Swarthmore Mom,
McHenry County is very Republican and it has been for years. There are a few more progressives here than there was when we moved here in 1990.
Contact anyone who may have influence on Holder and/or Obama. Maybe even a call to Rahm and tell him to shut his mouth and let people follow the law.
The problem again with Speacial Prosecutor,Immunity for witnesses,and what ever is found out we will really never know.
Can anyone say”SCOOTER LIBBY”?
Not that he should need the cover, but at least this gives Holder some more cover should he decide to do the right thing.
I am being being to believe that when I can fly that this will happen. I would say when I could get HIGH but hey, who am I to judge.
This is a very good summary of the situation from the ACLU. They also have a campaign going to force prosecutions:
“The following can be attributed to Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union:
“The evidence is abundantly clear that the crime of torture was authorized at the highest levels of the Bush administration. Making low-level officials take the fall while the big fish get away is not how we do justice in America. In America, no one is above the law, regardless of rank or position. A narrow investigation that fails from the outset to follow the facts where they lead would only perpetuate the Bush administration’s false claim that torture was the result of a ‘few bad apples,’ rather than confront the reality that it was a widespread, systemic and orchestrated policy set at the highest levels of government.
“For the CIA to claim that this has all been ‘dealt with before’ is both disingenuous and disturbing when, to date – despite the mountains of evidence of high-level involvement – the highest ranking official to be prosecuted for abuse was a Lieutenant Colonel. Turning away from the facts does not make them go away.
“Attorney General Holder should enforce the law even-handedly and objectively, and not let political calculations stand in the way. Those who authorized, legally justified and carried out this dark spot on our nation’s history must be held accountable.”
http://www.aclu.org/
Buddha,
That you feel very badly and may snap at people during this time is totally understandable. We are with you in this devestating situation.
Call.
Write.
E-mail.
From the state level up, every representative you have. And not just them either. Stay on their staff too. Most officials have functionaries with public contact information. Make EVERYONE’S job more difficult by taking their time.
Be a total pain in the ass DEMANDING a criminal investigation of Bush Co. Do not take no for an answer without informing them that a “no” means you as a citizen will do everything you can to have THEM removed from office next cycle. Then follow through. Make sure everyone you speak to locally knows that their representatives are not working for We the People and must be removed from office.
Now is the time to sweat so we all don’t have to bleed later.
Whether or not you contact your representative/senators, (also) contact
Holder (1) and the president (2) directly.
1) http://www.usdoj.gov/contact-us.html
2) http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Rafflaw I didn’t know they had any republicans left in the Chicago area other than Mark Kirk. My family lives in Jan Schakowsky’s district. I am far more liberal that they are and I am stuck in Pete Sessions district.
Mespo,
I enjoyed the breadcrumb line as well. Conyers influence may be helpful in swaying Holder to honor his oath. My Congressman is Donald Manzullo who was/is a lockstep supporter of Bush and Cheney and the rest of their felons.
“Now, you have your opportunity. Write and call your members in the House and the Senate to demand that they publicly call for a special prosecution without limitations to investigate the torture and surveillance programs.”
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Good advice. Sadly my Congressman is Eric Cantor. Prepare for deaf ears!
I do love the line, “All the breadcrumbs, as we call them, go right to the White House.” An apt analogy for the fairy tale that the previous Administration sold all of us.