Source: No criminal case likely over torture memos

[The Straight Story]

Source: No criminal case likely over torture memos

By DEVLIN BARRETT – 1 hour ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Justice Department officials have stopped short of recommending criminal charges against Bush administration lawyers who wrote secret memos approving harsh interrogation techniques of terror suspects. A person familiar with the inquiry, who spoke on condition of anonymity, says investigators recommended referring two of the three lawyers to state bar associations for possible disciplinary action. The person was not authorized to discuss the inquiry.

The person noted that the investigative report was still in draft form and subject to revisions. Attorney General Eric Holder also may make his own determination about what steps to take once the report has been finalized.

The Justice Department notified two senators by letter that a key deadline in the inquiry expired Monday, signaling that most of the work on the matter was completed. The letter does not mention the possibility of criminal charges, nor does it name the lawyers under scrutiny.

The inquiry has become a politically-loaded guessing game, with some advocating criminal charges against the lawyers and others urging that the matter be dropped.

The letter did not indicate what the findings of the final report would be. Jay Bybee, John Yoo and Steven Bradbury worked in the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel and played key roles in crafting the legal justification for techniques critics call torture.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jseitMBY7vwNpuvEsb1zvkvaVxrQD980BRDO1

[ProSense]

1. "The person noted that the investigative report was still in draft form and subject to revisions...

Attorney General Eric Holder also may make his own determination about what steps to take once the report has been finalized."


Smells like premature bullshit to me.

[Mind_your_head]

3. I was thinking the same thing. eom

[Xipe Totec]

6. It's called a trial buffoon.

float it and see who laughs.

[babylonsister]

7. From ABC? Say it isn't so! nt

[Tangerine LaBamba]

2. Two of the three referred to state bar associations?

That could mean suspension of the licenses, or even disbarment. Or nothing.

Clinton earned a five-year suspension for his ethical lapse in the Lewinsky matter. To put the torture memo writers in this same category would be the same as doing nothing.

Wanna bet Bybee is NOT one of the lawyers recommended to the state bar associations? Sitting Federal judge, and all that.

Shit ...........................

[seemslikeadream]

4. bullshit

:hug:

[Junkdrawer]

5. Getting us ready for the entirely predictable "No Action" decision...

:mad:

[Mind_your_head]

8. At 'some point' that "entirely predictable no action decision"

ain't gonna work anymore.

The citizenry are (or almost) homeless ~ or they see it as a possibility in their future.

...........

what do "the powers be" think will happen when a vast amount of the citizenry doesn't have "much else to lose"?

Or "is this part of their "plan"?

[Egalitariat]

9. The Buck Stops Where?

"We've decided to do nothing, so we're asking the state bar associations (snicker) to look into disbarring these individuals. We know they're not going to practice law again anyways, and the disbarment will likely drive up their speaking fees on the rubber chicken circuit, we feel this is the best way to appease our base without setting a dangerous new precedent."