Dodd, Leahy reintroduce Habeas Corpus Restoration Act.
In an e-mail to supporters, Sens. Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) announced that they were reintroducing the Habeas Corpus Restoration Act as an amendment to a defense authorization bill today. Last fall’s Military Commissions Act stripped detainees charged as enemy combatants of their right of habeas corpus. Watch Dodd introduce the bill on the Senate floor today:
Learn more about restoring habeas here.
Sort Comments By: Top Rated | Date
61 Responses to “Dodd, Leahy reintroduce Habeas Corpus Restoration Act.”
Register
RSSLogin
View Most Popular
Visit Our Affiliated Site
What We're About
What We're Fighting For
What We're Fighting Against
Featured
Subscribe to the Progress Report
Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.
Reports
In depth studies on select topics
Topic CloudView topics sorted by popularity
Afghanistan
Beck
Big Oil
Bolton
Bush
Cheney
Civil Rights
Drudge
Economy
Energy
Environment
Ethics
Feith
Fox News
GI Bill
Global Warming
Gore
Guantanamo
Hagee
Health Care
Immigration
Impeachment
Iran
Iraq
Justice
Kristol
LGBT
Lieberman
McCain
McClellan
Media
Military
O'Hanlon
O'Reilly
Obama
Politics
Race
Radical Right
Rove
Terrorism
Third Bush Term
Torture
Veterans
Wiretapping
Women's Rights
ArchivesBlog RollAbout Think ProgressContact Us
Donate
There are going to have to be at least a hundred bills like this in the next couple of years to undo all the damage of the Bush years.
sigh…..
September 17th, 2007 at 6:39 pmGood for them, but Bush baby might veto it or throw a tantrum about it perhaps.
September 17th, 2007 at 6:42 pmBaby Bush will throw a tantrum about it. But first he is going to be busy passing the law that makes the communications companies safe from prosecution for illegally handing out our private info over the last few years.
Has anyone heard about that legislation?
September 17th, 2007 at 6:46 pmFederal Prosecutor Arrested In Child Sex Sting
POSTED: 2:04 pm EDT September 17, 2007
UPDATED: 6:08 pm EDT September 17, 2007
[NEWSVINE: Federal Prosecutor Arrested In Child Sex Sting] [DELICIOUS: Federal Prosecutor Arrested In Child Sex Sting] [DIGG: Federal Prosecutor Arrested In Child Sex Sting] [FACEBOOK: Federal Prosecutor Arrested In Child Sex Sting] [REDDIT: Federal Prosecutor Arrested In Child Sex Sting] [RSS] [PRINT: Federal Prosecutor Arrested In Child Sex Sting] [EMAIL: Federal Prosecutor Arrested In Child Sex Sting]
DETROIT — A U.S. Justice Department official has been arrested on suspicion of traveling to Detroit over the weekend to have sex with a minor.
John David R. Atchison, 53, an assistant U.S. attorney from the northern district of Florida, was arraigned in U.S. District Court in Detroit Monday afternoon.
An undercover officer posed as a mother offering her child to Atchison for sex, according to police.
Prosecutors said Atchison flew from Pensacola, Fla., to Detroit on Sunday intending to have sex with the 5-year-old girl.
He was arrested at Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
He is charged with enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity.
According to authorities, Atchison made contact with a detective working undercover for the Macomb County Sheriff’s department’s.
The detective, acting as the child’s mother, allegedly arranged a sexual encounter between Atchison and her 5-year-old daughter, police said.
In deposition, detectives said Atchison suggested the mother tell her daughter that “you found her a sweet boyfriend who will bring her presents.”
The undercover detective expressed concern about physical injury to the 5-year-old girl as a result of the sexual activity. Detectives said Atchison responded, ” I am always gentle and loving; not to worry, no damage ever, no rough stuff ever. I only like it soft and nice.”
The undercover detective asked how Atchison can be certain of no injury. He responded, “Just gotta go slow and very easy. I’ve done it plenty,” according to detectives.
Atchison, a member of the Florida bar association since 1984, lives in Gulf Breeze, Fla., near Pensacola.
He is president of the Gulf Breeze Sports Association, a youth athletics organization.
He described himself online as a family man. His wife is a science teacher at Gulf Breeze High School.
The Macomb County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI were a part of the investigation.
Atchison remains in federal custody and a detention hearing will be held on Tuesday.
report on this too think progress…interesting and sick of his holiness to have pedophile prosecuters.
September 17th, 2007 at 6:46 pmOnce a democrat or independent is president, we will probably see something known as “The Bush Bill” or something. It will be a law basically to see that a president never gets to dismantle our constitution again.
September 17th, 2007 at 6:49 pmWilly,
I’d love to see the King have a temper tantrum over restoring habeas corpus — and then answer questions about why he wants to continue denying Americans and those on our soil our rights.
September 17th, 2007 at 6:51 pmCan we also restore the vice presidency to the Executive, please?
September 17th, 2007 at 6:52 pmHAPPY CONSTITUTION DAY!
thank you, senators!
.
September 17th, 2007 at 6:52 pmAll this is moot anyway. Legislation and EO’s cannot undo an amendment written within the Constitution and Bill of Rights (US citizens, anyway). The president cannot dismantle the Constitution - ever. The problem was that when this idea was being floated, there were no protest marches or work walk outs to highlight and publicize their claim to a non-existant power. But then again, when you have a VP telling the planet he is not part of the exec branch, you know you are in a world of hurt. I want my country back, how about you?
September 17th, 2007 at 6:59 pmTom,
There is no specific mention of habeas corpus in the Constitution.
September 17th, 2007 at 7:07 pmWoah, hold on there partner, I’m doing the decidering, you can’t be a letting people know what they are being held for…hehe. When we torture them we don’t want them a knowing what we are torturing them for…hehe…builds up the suspencieness of it all…hehe….kind of like them frogs I used to blowup with firecrackers….get em all worried and stuff..hehe…then, blam….makes my loins tingle a little. Babs get me some more pretzels.
Pull my finger….hehe
September 17th, 2007 at 7:15 pmAll this will do is delaying the signing of the Defense Authorization Bill and get Dodd and Leahy’s name in the paper alittle bit more. The amendment will never survive when you threaten to cut off money to a military at war. And no this is not the way to stop the war either, it just hurts the people already in harms way.
September 17th, 2007 at 7:15 pmAnd no this is not the way to stop the war either, it just hurts the people already in harms way.
Comment by Another Chris — September 17, 2007 @ 7:15 pm
Bullshit. there’s enough money to get them all out of harm’s way, there just isnt the political will among the mass-murderers of the Repig party. They won’t let troops come home alive as long as there’s a penny left in the coffers for them to steal. There is no war; there is only murder and rape and pillage. america is the foremost terrorist organization on the planet.
September 17th, 2007 at 7:19 pmZooey says “I’d love to see the King have a temper tantrum..”
I would love to see him pull a Ted Stevens!
“NO!” “I’M the Decider!” “ME!” “IT’S MY SAND BOX!”
September 17th, 2007 at 7:19 pmZooey, I believe habeas corpus certainly is specifically mentioned in the Constitution, Article I. Perhaps I am not reading you correctly.
September 17th, 2007 at 7:20 pmThe defense authorization act should be renamed to be more accurate, maybe The Bombing And Shooting Of More Innocent Families Act. Or the Let’s Put Targets On Our National Guard Act. Or the Al Qaeda Training Act.
September 17th, 2007 at 7:22 pmthere is 42 more billion for iraq and afghanistan in this bill…watch the dems vote for it…
September 17th, 2007 at 7:24 pmTom,
There is no specific mention of habeas corpus in the Constitution.
Comment by Zooey — September 17, 2007 @ 7:07 pm
First, you’re not Zooey.
Second, you’re pretty stupid.
Here. Allow me to demonstrate.
Thanks for demonstrating the stupidty of the right wing once again. You clearly don’t even know the constitution you are helping to dismantle.
September 17th, 2007 at 7:28 pmThe United States Constitution specifically included the English common law procedure in the Suspension Clause, located in Article One, Section 9. It states:
“ The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion, the public safety may require it.
September 17th, 2007 at 7:28 pmAnd no this is not the way to stop the war either, it just hurts the people already in harms way.
Comment by Another Chris — September 17, 2007 @ 7:15 pm
Since you’ve already been outted as a phony, you have no cred here.
September 17th, 2007 at 7:28 pmoy, I was duped by a namejacker. Sorry, Zooey!
September 17th, 2007 at 7:31 pmmaybe “zooey” was trying to pull a gonzo there… a joke…
There is no specific mention of “the right of” habeas corpus in the Constitution. … only that it can’t be taken away…
…
September 17th, 2007 at 7:32 pmHabeas Corpus, or “the Great Writ”, is the very FOUNDATION of our ENTIRE DEMOCRACY.
Bush treated it like a impediment to his plans, and dismissed it, thus effectively dismantling America.
When Bush passed a law, saying the President can arrest anyone, anytime, anywhere, for any reason that he declares a national security issue, then the constitution basically took a back seat to the executive branch.
September 17th, 2007 at 7:33 pmDodd is the man.
He has really been a LEADER lately. Clinton and Obama are lagging behind in my books.
~Sean
September 17th, 2007 at 7:34 pmSean, I completely agree. I think Dodd has had it right every time. Would really like to see him make some ground.
September 17th, 2007 at 7:39 pmI would think the trolls would be all for defending the constitution.
Oh, right, like Taylor and Gonzi their oath is loyalty to the man in the oval office and not that GD piece of paper as \/\/ calls it.
*sigh*
Is that predator guy a (R)? That seems to be what everyone wants to know from the blogs I read.
September 17th, 2007 at 7:40 pmComment by Another Chris
I dont think you understand the funding process and the money thats ALWAYS in the pipeline for the troops. Bush Sr didnt seem too worried about pulling out of Iraq the first time around.
September 17th, 2007 at 7:45 pmCall it the restore faith in American values act.The last 7 years have proven our collective grip on civiliation was shakier than anyone would have cared to admit .This is long overdue !Thanks Senators Dodd and Leahy !
September 17th, 2007 at 7:47 pmThere is no specific mention of “the right of†habeas corpus in the Constitution. … only that it can’t be taken away…
…
Comment by katy — September 17, 2007 @ 7:32 pm
You’re right, katy. That’s what I meant. Habeas corpus can be quite vague in the Constitution.
September 17th, 2007 at 7:54 pmYou’re right, katy. That’s what I meant. Habeas corpus can be quite vague in the Constitution.
Comment by Not Zooey — September 17, 2007 @ 7:54 pm
Yea, pretty vague. Especially the way the spell out each and every letter of the words, HABEAS CORPUS.
Really vague stuff there.
:|
I thought they were talking about watermellons.
September 17th, 2007 at 7:57 pmSorry. I don’t think thats zooey Katy. I can’t see Zooey trying to downplay the role of Habeas Corpus, which is the CORNERSTONE of the Constitution. Every liberty we have stems from “The Great Writ”, something any first year polysci student knows.
I think its a troll, trying to downplay Habeas Corpus.
September 17th, 2007 at 7:59 pmThat was NOT our Zoomistress!
Did y’all sign the citizen’s bill yet?
September 17th, 2007 at 8:01 pmDidn’t newly-Acting Attorney General Peter Keisler argue against restoring Habeas Corpus?
September 17th, 2007 at 8:21 pmZooey doesn’t visit here much anymore stupid trolls. Try again.
September 17th, 2007 at 9:16 pmWell, it’s about time. This was the first thing they should have done when they got back from vacation. The second thing they should have done would have been to undo the mistake they made on allowing the NSA no warrant spying to even be discussed much less passed.
If the Democrats don’t grow a spine soon, they will become irrelevant, and unfortunately there will be nothing to fill the vacuum they will leave.
September 17th, 2007 at 9:31 pmjust found at the zoo:
Abizaid: World Could Abide Nuclear Iran
September 17th, 2007 at 9:35 pmBy ROBERT BURNS (AP Military Writer)
From Associated Press
September 17, 2007 8:03 PM EDT
WASHINGTON - Every effort should be made to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, but failing that, the world could live with a nuclear-armed regime in Tehran, a recently retired commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East said Monday.
[…]
http://my.earthlink.net/ article/ top?guid=20070917/ 46edfbc0_3421_1334520070917-924297778
…
oh - H/T : trueblue
September 17th, 2007 at 9:36 pmon that abizaid story
Great. Reinstate the frickin constitution. A start I guess.
Stop funding Blackwater while you’re at it.
September 17th, 2007 at 9:44 pmah, good ol liberals, working for the rights of terrorists since time began…
September 17th, 2007 at 10:23 pmi think the git’mo prisoners should be transfered to connecticut, that way dodd can check up on them personally.
September 17th, 2007 at 10:26 pmThe power of the Executive to cast a man into prison without formulating any charge known to the law and particularly to deny him the judgement of his peers—is, in the highest degree, odious and is the foundation of all totalitarian governments
- Winston S. Churchill, 1943
Hmm Churchill identifies the loss of habeas corpus with fascism and stalinism. I guess that makes you a fascist Mr/Ms liberals etc etc.
September 17th, 2007 at 10:33 pmthink the git’mo prisoners should be transfered to connecticut, that way dodd can check up on them personally.
Comment by liberals destroyed america — September 17, 2007 @ 10:26 pm
What a hateful and irrational statement. You make no sense what so ever. Try again.
September 17th, 2007 at 10:48 pmWow “Stupidity” saying someone ELSE doesn’t make sense. What irony.
September 17th, 2007 at 10:52 pmWow “Stupidity†saying someone ELSE doesn’t make sense. What irony.
Comment by Another Chris — September 17, 2007 @ 10:52 pm
Okay, *sswipe, You think you’re such a sharp marble. You’ve been outted so many times for being a FRAUD. Go ahead, explain yourself.
September 17th, 2007 at 10:54 pmWow sounds like a full out tantrum. Your the only one on here saying I’m a fraud. That’s what I mean when i say your not making sense. Your ranting about me. Unhealthy.
September 17th, 2007 at 10:56 pmYour ranting about me. Unhealthy.
Comment by Another Chris — September 17, 2007 @ 10:56 pm
Perhaps the oterhs don’t rmember what you say from time to time.
You’re… a… phony.
Youy don’t need to tell me whether or not I’m ranting. How dop you know I wasn’t kiddding?
September 17th, 2007 at 10:58 pmI don’t need to tell you whether or not your ranting? Ya I guess your right, you know your ranting, your typing is so poor your probably mashing the keyboard at this point in anger. That has rant written all over it, but like you said, I don’t need to tell you.
How do you know I wasn’t kidding? I have no idea what that means. You were kidding about me being a phony? Well thanks for coming clean about that. I knew you’d come around and see i was the real deal.
September 17th, 2007 at 11:04 pmI knew you’d come around and see i was the real deal.
Comment by Another Chris — September 17, 2007 @ 11:04 pm
Sorry, but, you were an phony last week and you’re a phony today. You were the one talking all tough about soldiers dying.
What.. a.. fraud!
NO ONE who’s been shot at or had their friends killed talks like that.
Only PHONIES make comments like that. You’re… a… phony!
Just one question for ya, bud… if I’m so irrational, why do you CARE what I think of you? But ya do, or you wouldn’t be havin’ this conversation right now. It bothers ya! ;-D!
*UCK YOU! You’re… a… phony!
BWAHAHAHAHAHA… whew, thanx for the laffs. Slow night at TP.
September 17th, 2007 at 11:11 pmThere’s alot of well trained professionals who can help you deal with your problems.
September 17th, 2007 at 11:17 pmThere’s alot of well trained professionals who can help you deal with your problems.
Comment by Another Chris — September 17, 2007 @ 11:17 pm
Indeed, and who can help you w/ your complete lack of credibility? Why do you feel compelled to argue w/ someone who makes no sense? Not so sure of yourself, Chrissy?
You’re… a… phony!
September 17th, 2007 at 11:19 pmHurry up and pass it and stop wasting your time sending me newsletters. I’m so sick of the talking. Blah blah blah.
DO SOMETHING, CONGRESS!
September 17th, 2007 at 11:23 pmI suggest you people read the Geneva Convention and some background on it. You’ll see why combatants don’t get POW status and why they don’t get many constitutional protections. They don’t deserve them.
You people act like Bush changed the Constitution and that he ignores the Geneva Convention - but you are 180 degrees wrong. A little remedial reading will go a long way in dispelling the many misconceptions that many liberals seem to have.
September 18th, 2007 at 2:05 amA little remedial reading will go a long way in dispelling the many misconceptions that many liberals seem to have.
Comment by Al — September 18, 2007 @ 2:05 am
MMMmm… nah. It appears that you’re the one whose got it backwards, but hey, yer a rightie! Bein’ wrong comes w/ the territory!
September 18th, 2007 at 2:46 amMaybe Chris Dodd won’t get to be president of the USA but, to me at least, he speaks like a President should. A few years from now, whether he wins the presidency or not, people in this country will be grateful for his effort.
September 18th, 2007 at 4:00 amAfter the 2006 elections this is the first bill Congress should have passed; this and other bills to restore our rights.
If Bush vetos he will have to explain and be questioned , then send it to him again and again.
His posturing is only to extend the “unitary executive.”
September 18th, 2007 at 4:56 amYou people act like Bush changed the Constitution and that he ignores the Geneva Convention - but you are 180 degrees wrong.
Comment by Al — September 18, 2007 @ 2:05 am
Oh, Al, you’re sooooo 180 degrees OFF! And I wanted to mention that I found that the way you selected this particular expression (the 180 degrees part) very interesting, as that is the exact formula I have used for several years to interpret what George Bush SAYS.
September 18th, 2007 at 6:59 amI take the statement, turn it 180 degrees, and– VIOLA!– there you have it, the truth.
The way I look at this, George Bush set the whole thing up to be able to CONTROL US HERE IN THE STATES, in the event we get a little too rowdy. You know, storming the White House in the attempt to “habeus corpus” some of the war criminals living in the area.
http://www.firedoglake.com/
.Hillary’s Health Care Sham
You know, Hillary, we need to talk. Today you unveiled your shiny new health plan and I have to say that I am wildly underwhelmed.
First we need to get something out of the way. For you to proclaim that your plan provides, “Universal Health Care†is a decided misnomer. “Universal Health Insurance†might be more like it.
Universal Health Care is what they have in England and Canada and Spain and Germany and Japan and, well, every civilized nation in the world but ours. It’s single payer health care provided free of charge with no need for interference by a greed-crazed insurance and pharmaceutical industry. Is that so freaking hard to understand?… Hillary Clinton yesterday set out an ambitious $110bn (£55bn) plan to introduce universal healthcare in the US more than 10 years after her earlier failed attempt.
And that would be great, if private health insurance in this country didn’t already suck for air.
Senator, your plan is basically a national version of Republican Mitt Romney’s “Universal Health Care†plan for Massachusetts, which has still left thousands in that state uninsured and even more struggling to make the payments on their new policies, which they are now required to have by law, but which may not pay them one thin dime should they actually become sick or hurt. What you’re trying to pass off here as some kind of bold new way forward is just another bureaucratic nightmare in the making, as the already staggeringly inefficient insurance corporations struggle to take on the millions of new clients and patients. That’ll work. That’ll work just fine…for rich people like you and your husband and the Bush family.
Is there anybody here who believes that this plan wasn’t conceived and dictated to Senator Clinton by passels of high-end lobbyists for the insurance industry? Yeah? Well, I’ve got some sports memorabilia in a hotel room in Vegas that I’ll sell you. No, really, it’s mine. We just need to go in there with our guns drawn to get it.
September 18th, 2007 at 8:01 amSalazar is my Senator, also. I’m an unaffiliated voter who helped put him in office. I have been sending his office an average of one email a week to register my disappointment in his FISA/torture/Iraq/etc voting record. He has been labeled a Bush-Dog Democrate by OpenLeft, and I haven’t hesitated to remind him of that. I get these wishy-washy, spineless emails back from his office, and I use those as an opportunity to complain as well. As much as this man has irritated me, I’ve been explicit that most (if not all) will be forgiven as long as he keeps us the h*ll out of Iran
Senator Says Troops Want Congress To Cut Off War Funding
http://tpmelectioncentral.com/ 2007/ 09/ salazar_says_troops_want_congress_to_eye_cutting_off_war_funding.php
September 18th, 2007 at 8:05 amNot enough for 2/3. But… I give them kudos for proposing it. Great men, these guys are.
September 18th, 2007 at 1:52 pmThere seems to be a mistaken impression about the constitutional status of habeas:
US Constitution Article 1 Section 9 (third paragraph):
Unless the War Between the States has restarted or Congress has declared war on Mexico (workers) and/or Canada (entertainers) for invading, habeas may not be infringed.
September 18th, 2007 at 3:07 pmWhile I don’t agree with what Bush has done, the one thing that you folks seem to forget is that most of these people affected by this issue are not even American Citizens, and by extension, not a party to the rights stipulated therein.
By granting them constitutional rights, you are elevating them to the level of legal citizens. But, then again, what could I expect from the party that wants to make The United States into Northern Mexico? ‘nuf said!
September 18th, 2007 at 4:19 pm