Obama, Congress Prepare to Thwart ACLU Suit Over Abuse Photos

[Orwellian_Ghost]

Obama, Congress prepare to thwart ACLU suit over abuse photos

By Stephen C. Webster
Saturday, October 10th, 2009 -- 10:24 am

In the continuing legal battle over 21 photographs showing terror war prisoner abuse, the U.S. government has not seen much success arguing for nondisclosure in federal court. So, the Obama administration -- which once promised to make public this shameful chapter of the Bush administration -- has hatched a new strategy to keep the scenes of torture from being released.

"The Obama administration believes giving the imminent grant of authority over the release of such pictures to the defense secretary would short-circuit a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union under the Freedom of Information Act," reported the Associated Press on Saturday.

It was with this new strategy in mind that the administration asked Supreme Court justices to stay their decision on the photos' release, allowing Congress time to vote on dictating the authority solely to the secretary of defense. The photos relate to abuse alleged to have taken place between 2001 and 2005 in Abu Ghraib and six other prisons. Some of the photos were said to depict rape and sexual abuse, though the Pentagon has denied this.

The measure is part of a Homeland Security appropriations bill that may be voted on in the coming week. The Supreme Court could rule on the photos as early as Tuesday, AP added.

[Autumn]

1. That is so wrong

k/r

[Mari333]

2. cover up. fucking cover up.

the more things change, etc.
knr
oh and he can take his nobel prize back.

[Eric J in MN]

3. Congress likes to change the rules in a middle of a lawsuit...

...when doing so will help a right-wing agenda (retroactive-immunity for phone companies, concealing abuse of prisoners.)

In the Lilly Ledbetter sex-discimination case though, Congress waited until after the Supreme Court ruled, and then passed legislation which will NOT give her another chance in court.

[SIMPLYB1980]

4. Good less snuff for you to plaster.

But I bet one day we will get to see it.

[G_j]

5. "Accessory To A Crime"

and that's not a joke

[maryf]

6. and nobody's laughing...

k&r

[ixion]

9. Indeed...

no joke.

[Towlie]

7. The Norwegian Nobel Committee called. They want their prize back.

Just kidding, but seriously, I wonder if this would have affected their decision.

[katandmoon]

8. They should. But then they should never have given it to him in the first place, IMO.

[niyad]

10. WHERE is somebody with a conscience in those offices who will leak those photos--we have a right to

know what has been (is still being???) done in our names, and with our money.

[Sultana]

11. What good will releasing the photos do if no one gets prosecuted?

Way too many PUMAs in this thread!