Why are they afraid of investigations if they have nothing to hide??

[kentuck]

The Republicans are threatening to block the nomination of Eric Holder for Attorney-General unless he agrees to not investigate the Bush Administration for possible criminal violations. These are the same folks that were telling the rest of us that we should not fear the eavesdropping on our phones if we didn't have anything to hide.

Whether or not anyone from the Bush Administration is prosecuted is not as important as to whether or not the American people know the truth about what deeds or misdeeds were committed in their name. They can agree to not prosecute Bush and Cheney or Rumsfeld or anyone else but they cannot agree to disregard the truth. We cannot sweep it under the rug or shovel it out to the dust bin of history.

This appears to be one of the major sticking points that the Republicans say is keeping them from working in a bi-partisan way with the Obama Administration. That is too bad. If they did nothing wrong, they have nothing to fear. But the rule of law states that no one is above the law. Not Bush or Cheney or any Republican or Democrat. The people should demand that the truth be known. If they cannot be convicted by a court of law, then they should be convicted by history.

[spanone]

1. because war crimes were committed and the congress was complicit...imo

no attorney general is going to promise not to investigate, not that i could imagine. extortion.

[kentuck]

2. Where is the transparency Obama promised?

If they do not investigate these charges?

[spanone]

3. i think they will have to investigate....

[kentuck]

4. They can always get a "bi-partisan" Commission to whitewash whatever...

they want.

[spanone]

7. well if they do that, there is no transparency...we'll have to see.

meanwhile, i'll give President Obama the benefit of the doubt.

[stillcool]

10. So if there is an investigation..

and the results are not you believe they should be, you will blame Obama for the lack of transparency? Even though this is what our country has done, probably since it's inception? If Holder is not confirmed, and another attorney is named, who's fault will that be?

[kentuck]

11. It makes no difference what I "believe they should be"...

But it is important that it be investigated and that all the questions and charges be addressed. If Obama does not support any investigation, then there is no transparency.

[stillcool]

12. I agree...

I hope there will be more revealed in the coming weeks. So much so that it will no longer be a choice. That said, I have no confidence in the outcome, but I do think it's important to at least have a facade of justice.

[LakeSamish706]

5. I'm sure the Republicans must know that they don't have a snow-balls-chance in hell...

of Holder agreeing to this. Since he has already stated that he thinks water boarding is torture, it would seem that he must prosecute it.

[GreenTea]

6. You said it correctly...if the republicans did nothing wrong...

what the fuck are they bitching about?

[Igel]

16. ??

If the police show up at your door, would you complain?

If a local repub DA suddenly searches your local Democratic Party HQ, would you want your county leaders to say, "Sure, search away--even take us to court. We've done nothing wrong, so we have nothing to fear." Apart, of course, from time and effort and perhaps money. They'd complain that it was politically motivated, and there's a good chance they'd be right.

If Skinner were to post a note saying that DU had been visited by Agent Mike and, because he had nothing to hide, he turned over all the archived tapes and lists of names and handles, would the overwhelming sound of keyboards be typing out, "Way to go, Skinner--we have nothing to hide!" No, I think most would complain.

I know I would about all three scenarios. And if anybody said, "If you did nothing wrong, what the fuck are you bitching about?" I think I'd be tempted to hit them.

So the "if X did nothing wrong, what the fuck are they bitching about?" seems like a very, very thin and a very, very pointed reed to me.

More could be said on the interplay of DOJ investigations and politics, but 'nuff said.

[tavalon]

20. It's actually a turning of the rethugs words on them

Rule of Law, is another we will be hammering them with for the foreseeable future.

[Vincardog]

8. What ever happened to "The pReytzildent deserved the appointment he wants and UP or Down vote? " BS

[tulsakatz]

9. but isn't it true that when an AG is confirmed......

...you cannot ask how he would rule in a specific case?

As I recall, that was the case when republican nominees were trying to be confirmed! And in fact, I remember Schumer making a statement that if a nominee was going to be driving the car, he wanted to know where he was taking us!

Or maybe that was a Supreme Court nominee......

[noise]

13. Because they believe in keeping the public afraid and ignorant

That was the MO of the Bush years. Counterterrorism policy by way of propaganda and fearmongering. The GOP wants the public to accept that the illegal CT tactics were devised in good faith. A proper investigation would likely prove this to be false.

They also know that the OLC opinions that justified the CT policies were bullshit. Made up nonsense by Yoo isn't a good legal defense so a real investigation does indeed present a major problem.

[pmorlan1]

14. No More Coverup

"This appears to be one of the major sticking points that the Republicans say is keeping them from working in a bi-partisan way with the Obama Administration. "

Surely you don't believe them?

No AG could or should tell these people who they will or will not prosecute in advance of looking at the evidence. Once again the radical Republicans are deceptively trying to get around the rule of law. When are we going to stop letting them get away with this BS?

I think it's equally important for the American people to know what was done in our names as it is to prosecute crimes that were committed in our names. If a prosecution can be done it should be done and no amount of promises of bi-partisanship should have anything to do with it.

[alfredo]

15. Start speaking out about torture. Show how it has undercut our ability

to prosecute terrorist. Also speak out about those who were murdered under torture. Read Jane Mayer's "The Dark Side" and relay, in graphic detail how these prisoners were murdered under interrogation. Show how prisoners become vegetables under torture. Speak up on how torture provides shitty intelligence. Go for the gut, let them know the ugly truths the Republicans are trying to hide. There are many good arguments against, and none in support.

the more we expose the evils of torture, the more the US public will accept prosecution of the bush junta for their crimes against humanity.

[NNN0LHI]

17. Recommend

[Fireweed247]

18. good question!

Where's the questioning media on this one? They said they were going to start doing their jobs.

[Liberal_in_LA]

19. cuz they have something to hide. n/t