Those fucking Criminals: Justice Dept. Rebuffs Leahy Request for Secret Docs

[cali]

From the TPM Muckraker:

The Justice Department has declined to provide documents on the CIA's detention and interrogation of terror suspects that were requested by a Democratic Senator.

In a letter to incoming Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the Justice Department said it "was not in a position" to give him copies of the the two documents he had requested in November.

"We remain committed to continuing these discussions," the Dec. 22 letter stated. "We must do so, however, in a manner that protects classified information and the confidentiality of legal advice and internal deliberations within the Executive Branch."

In a statement e-mailed to reporters, Leahy said he was disappointed by the administration's decision to "brush off" his request, but wasn't dropping the matter. "I have advised the Attorney General that I plan to pursue this matter further at the Committee’s first oversight hearing of the Department of Justice."

Leahy's full statement, after the jump.

Comments Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.),
Incoming Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee
On Department Of Justice’s Response To Request
For Documents Relating To Bush Administration’s Interrogation Policies
January 2, 2007

"It is disappointing that the Department of Justice and the White House have squandered another opportunity to work cooperatively with Congress. The Department’s decision to brush off my request for information about the Administration’s troubling interrogation policies is not the constructive step toward bipartisanship that I had hoped for, given President Bush’s promise to work with us.

“I requested two documents concerning CIA interrogation methods, which the Administration recently acknowledged in a lawsuit, and other relevant information. The Administration’s refusal to provide any of this information other than forwarding a couple of public documents suggests that the President’s offer to work with us may have been only political lip service. I have advised the Attorney General that I plan to pursue this matter further at the Committee’s first oversight hearing of the Department of Justice.”

“I hope the Department and the White House will reconsider their response and work with the Judiciary Committee to promptly share this information, with any appropriate confidentiality safeguards. The Committee will continue its efforts to obtain the information that it needs for meaningful oversight and accountability on this and other issues of importance to the American people."

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002262.php

Let the fireworks begin. Leahy WILL use the power of supoena; he's made that clear. And knowing the criminals they will continue flauting the law. Leahy has made clear that this is the top item on his agenda. What happens next?

[Waya]

1. Doesn't surprise me.....

....we didn't think those maggots would agree to hand over incriminating stuff just because the Dems are asking for it, did we?

[cali]

3. No, but that leads us to what they'll do

when they get supoenas. I'm a little surprised that they didn't try to obfuscate better. This is just a big old fuck you to the dems.

[fooj]

47. It's a f*ck you to the entire country.

Leahy isn't going to let them get away with this one. IMO, they made a gross error in judgement.

[cali]

4. sel-delete dupe

[ixion]

2. key phrase: "internal deliberations within the Executive Branch"

which translates into: "gee, we dont' want to hand over documents that would incriminate the executive branch of war crimes."

[opihimoimoi]

5. Bush is circling his tiny and few wagons.....thousands of Dem Arrows fill the air, darken the sky...

its only a matter of time....,

[HereSince1628]

12. More likely Unca Dick is circling the wagons. It's Unc Dick's mission

to re-establish the imperial presidency last enjoyed by Nixon. Since W has no sense of history he also has no inkling that what's going on around him isn't business as usual...

[KoKo]

43. Thanks OPI .. It's a great Image!

:hi:

[opihimoimoi]

45. Are WE a Nation of Laws, Checks and Balances...or, are WE under BULLY DICTATOR who wants HIS WAY???

This is America, Land of the FREE...free from Facists, free from unilateral Presidential Decisions, free from stupid Gov't, Free from Bully Leaders...esp from Narcissant Leaders....where are the checks and balances?

Where is the FILTER to PREVENT guys like Bush from attaining the Oval Office???

He is the WORST of the WORST...

Carl Jung...the Malignant Narcissant...OMG....somehow...we got ourselves a nutcase posing as Good...when all evidence shows he don't know what the fuck is UP or Down....He is in DELUSION to the degree he must be removed asap....

[Vinca]

6. Fire up the subpoena machine. nt

[lonestarnot]

7. And it's on! Go Leahy! Disrupt the Gulag!

[kentuck]

8. This is how the Bush Administration defines "bi-partisanship"?

You do what we want and screw you!

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. Sounds like a clear case

of obstruction of justice to me.

Go get 'em Leahy.

This should get real interesting when the WH and DOJ start ignoring supoenas.

[cali]

10. And that should happen almost immediately

Leahy needs to issue those subpoenas double time! He cannot issue anymore toothless requests.

[Quakerfriend]

11. Exactly!

[DoYouEverWonder]

13. I've got a feeling

Leahy is more then ready to kick some BushCo butt. Especially after Dick told him to go Cheney himself.

[cali]

16. I actually know that Leahy

is ready to be agressive. He's made that clear for quite a while now when he's a guest on VPR's Switchboard program and takes questions from listeners. But I don't think it has anything to do with Cheney's assholishness, or the anthrax he was sent. He believes that this admin is taking us down the road to hell, and he hasn't been shy about saying so.

[DoYouEverWonder]

17. Leahy is a very smart man

who believes in the rule of law and takes his job protecting the Constitution very seriously.

The above reference was just the moment in time that captured the nature of the relationship and contempt the WH has for Leahy and the rest of Congress.

There are a lot of wrongs that need to be righted. Let the fun begin.

[malaise]

14. IMPEACH them n/t

[cali]

15. That's NOT in Leahy's job description.

Surely you want him to aggressively pursue what is in his job description, don't you? And that is uncovering the truth about torture, the sooner the better.

[annabanana]

18. And when they ignore the subpoenas?

They will cite "Executive Privilege" for the entire executive branch. . right down to every last clerk and messenger.

What will the Supreme Court (THIS Supreme Court) say to that?

[cali]

19. That is an excellent question.

I guess like so many things that will confront the court, it will come down to Justice Kennedy.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

20. Refuse to fund the exective branch at all

Congress has to approve all money spent.

[cali]

21. Unfortunately, that's

just a pipe dream. As someone pointed out, it goes to the SC.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

25. The supreme count doesn't appropriate money

That is the exclusive right of Congress.

[EST]

22. I would like to see, at the first hearing, the sergent at arms come

in and arrest that creep-Speedy Gonzales-and cart him directly off to jail.

[spanone]

23. They will go down kicking and screaming. Fuck their 'bipartanship bullshit'.

[cali]

24. I just want them to go down

and I'm very concerned that they'll obfuscate and draw things out 'til 2009.

[Virginia Dare]

26. Game fucking on, folks...n/t

[Jackpine Radical]

27. At the last ditch, what would keep them from shredding

everything and saying, "Oops--that stuff was inadvertently destroyed. Sorry."?

[cali]

29. Well, I suppose that there are a couple of considerations

in regards to such a move. One is that they could be prosecuted for destroying said records, inadvertently or not, and another is that many people have seen the documents.

[Jackpine Radical]

33. Prosecuted by whom, the DOJ?

Not to mention the matter of Presidential pardons.

But in reality, I tend to agree with those who expect the whole effort to founder when it hits the Scalia gang.

[in_cog_ni_to]

28. The Democrats will get no info they ask for. They will have to fight and subpoena their way to

justice. The criminals in power know their asses are in BIG FUCKING TROUBLE. They will drag their feet every chance they get. Go get 'em, Pat!

[cali]

30. I often make this error too,

but subpoena is spelled with that almost silent b. Sorry to be a spelling nitpicker, just thought you might want to know.

[in_cog_ni_to]

35. ah...thanks. .......In the OP.

:) I usually spell check. I'll go edit my post.

<snip from your OP> Let the fireworks begin. Leahy WILL use the power of supoena; he's made that clear. And knowing the criminals they will continue flauting the law. Leahy has made clear that this is the top item on his agenda. What happens next?

[dogday]

31. I hope he subpoenas the shit out of them

and then some... They don't want bi-partisanship, they only want it their way.... This move I believe will backfire on the DOJ and The Administration... Wrong move on their part....

[LiberalFighter]

39. Especially if/when the Democrats explain plainly the wrongdoing

and the seriousness and the extent of the wrongdoing with enough evidence.

[LiberalFighter]

41. They need to describe it also in words that everyday citizens

can understand.

AND even as a long time friend of mine would do... using hillbilly or backwoods phrases that were both funny but made it clear.

[cali]

42. While I can't see Leahy using hillbilly or backwoods phrases

I do think he usually expresses himself plainly and clearly, and despite his 32 years in the Senate, he has not succumbed to gobbledy gook Senatorial speak.

[pberq]

32. Let's hope for the best, but I'm not holding my breath.

A couple of points:

1. this admin. is cutthroat - remember the anthrax letters to Leahy and Dashcle? They won't turn over those documents no matter what Leahy does.

2. Which leads to the point that they will have to be removed from office one way or another before we see any real change.

[cali]

34. Well, I can't disagree with you about the admin being

cutthroat thugs, but there could be some high drama. There could be someone who rats out the admin. It will probably go to the SC, and the documents can't be the only evidence out there.

[babylonsister]

36. The shot heard 'round the world by Leahy, and the start of many

constitutional confrontations. I wish it wasn't going to be so contentious and subpoenas weren't necessary, but there it is. I trust Leahy will stick to his guns. Sadly, their stonewalling is what will drag the process out.

[in_cog_ni_to]

37. Exactly. If the Democrats get anything accomplished in the next 2 years,

it won't be because the repukes didn't try their best to stop them from doing so. It will be an endless FIGHT for our Dems and the repukes will make nothing easy for them.:(

[opihimoimoi]

38. the nx 2 years will show us if WE ARE A NATION OF LAWS..OR, A NATION

UNDER BUSH....

[verse18]

40. Leahy's fighting for

<-----------------The Law of our Land.

[in_cog_ni_to]

44. Do you remember how important that was when Bill Clinton was the President?

"The rule of law."

"The rule of law."

"The rule of law."

"The rule of law."

"The rule of law."

That was the repuke EXCUSE for going after Bill. Funny how it's not so important anymore.

[Rex]

46. I don't know if I would want to anger Torture Boy.

Maybe Gonzales should be the first person you subpoena. He has publicly admitted to the right to torture people over 'information'.