Judge orders Cheney to preserve VP records.
By on Sep 20th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Judge orders Cheney to preserve VP records.
Today, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly dealt a “setback for the Bush administration in its effort to promote a narrow definition of materials that must be safeguarded under by the Presidential Records Act” by ruling that Vice President Cheney must preserve his records. Kollar-Kotelly said that the Bush administration’s legal position “heightens the court’s concern” that some records may not be preserved. The lawsuit, brought by CREW and several historian organizations, was prompted in part by Cheney’s claim that he is not part of the executive branch.
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Cheney responds by…..
No response…
Wait, is this thing on?
Ok, here comes Fred Feilding.
Fred Sez. “Go ph*ck yourselves”
September 20th, 2008 at 5:50 pmWhy do I have a feeling there’s going to be an ‘accidental’ fire in the VP office again; or email records will be ‘accidentally’ lost on a ‘bad’ server somewhere.
September 20th, 2008 at 5:51 pmOr, Cheney sez “So?”
September 20th, 2008 at 5:54 pmThis is only about 7 years too late…
September 20th, 2008 at 5:54 pmwhat has dick got
to hide?
*
September 20th, 2008 at 5:55 pmcheney rewrote the VP job description, and already had the secret service destroy his visitor logs, so..if there is anything else, probably wont leave much else to see?
September 20th, 2008 at 5:57 pmcheck out this article..
washingtonpost.com/cheney/
by
barton gellman
and
jo becker
I still boggles my mind that the 28%ers thinks it’s ok for the VP to destroy his records. A five year can put two and two together. Destroying records to cover up his 7+ years of criminal activity. I would love to see Cheney leave the White House in shackles.
September 20th, 2008 at 5:58 pmCheney will preserve what he wants to; as usual, he thinks he is above the law. Even if he preserves records, it will be only those he feels does no harm. Anything regarding the illegal activities he has heaped on the American public will be….well you know….put to rest! The man is evil incarnate and should have been impeached years ago!
September 20th, 2008 at 6:02 pmYeah. Like that’s gonna happen. That’s probably what’s been going on in that man size safe of his… and remember that shredding truck that was at his house not that long ago?
September 20th, 2008 at 6:05 pmAh, so they didn’t have Cheney on at the GOP convention so the crowd could chant “burn baby, burn” in-regards to all the damning evidence the Bush administration wants destroyed, buried and gone.
September 20th, 2008 at 6:06 pmHow have we fallen so far? The records will be destroyed if they haven’t already been ,which I suspect is the case, and nothing will be done.
September 20th, 2008 at 6:10 pmCheney has long ago destroyed any incriminating documents.
As above, the truck shredder has been at his house and everything he has kept secret is long gone.
He should have been impeached years ago, but as we know, republican’ts just love their lying criminals.
September 20th, 2008 at 6:14 pmOur only hope is that someone will come clean either through in-fighting, being screwed over, or suddenly growing a conscience.
September 20th, 2008 at 6:14 pmSince when does the Bush Administration care what any judges say? Cheney should just count his lucky stars he is not the President during the worst economic disaster in 80 years.
September 20th, 2008 at 6:15 pmThe paper shredders will be working overtime tonight.
Cheney: “Fcuk the Judge”
September 20th, 2008 at 6:15 pm“by ruling that Vice President Cheney must preserve his records.”
You and the Courts can “preserve” those suckers forever but $4,000,000,000.00 to a glass of warm pee says NO ONE will see them unless Cheney wants them to before he is called to the great beyond to meet his maker: Darth, Sr.
September 20th, 2008 at 6:21 pmAbove (#14), Your “80 years” comment raised my neck hairs (the only ones that are left) and I had a real good zinger coming. I did the math and I owe you an apology. Damn I would have sworn I’m not that old. Actually, if you consider 1929 as the crucial year it is only 79 years ago. I do, however, concede and adopt, your point.
September 20th, 2008 at 6:32 pmCheney’s response: What VP records? Hell, I am President of the Senate!
September 20th, 2008 at 6:39 pmThey’ve tried to contact cheney’s office but nobody answered, the reason for this is believed to be because the shredding machine is on 24/7 and nobody can hear the phone ring .
“what’s that ? ..*BZZZZZZZZ SHHHHHH* …I CAN’T HEAR YOU…THE WHAT’S RINGING ???? *BZZZZZZZ SHHHH* I’m just shredding one of those old forged documents that stated Saddam Hussain was the co-pilot in the plane that hit the pentagon” .
September 20th, 2008 at 6:40 pmCrusty–point taken with emphasis one “worst” economy since the “Great Republican Depression” of 1929–almost 80 years ago. What a legacy Bush will leave–failed wars, a disastrous economy, and more problems than even an army of Ronald Milhous Reagans couldn’t fix.
September 20th, 2008 at 6:41 pmSince when does the Bush administration care ANYTHING about the rule of law? Those records are already as good as confetti
September 20th, 2008 at 6:52 pmAbove the Clouds Says: “What a legacy Bush will leave–failed wars, a disastrous economy…”
And he was too drunk to get a BJ in the Oval Office!!
I apologize but I just couldn’t help myself.
September 20th, 2008 at 7:05 pmJudge Kollar-Kotelly winds up esconced in the woman size safe…
September 20th, 2008 at 7:17 pmOT-
Have you seen the release from the campaigns re: debate rules changed to compensate for Palin?
McCain advisers said they had been concerned that a loose format could leave Ms. Palin, a relatively inexperienced debater, at a disadvantage and largely on the defensive.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/9/20/173616/130/161/604948
September 20th, 2008 at 7:42 pmThis is a waste of time. This administration has no regards for any court. Thanks to all the stupid Republicans out there that has allowed our great country to fall to this standard. They are the real terrorists. What they have done to this country exceeds anything any terrorist group has done to date.
September 20th, 2008 at 7:50 pmleftcoast Says:
OT-
Have you seen the release from the campaigns re: debate rules changed to compensate for Palin?
McCain advisers said they had been concerned that a loose format could leave Ms. Palin, a relatively inexperienced debater, at a disadvantage and largely on the defensive.
Because:
Charlie Rangel Says Palin is ‘Disabled’
September 20th, 2008 at 8:05 pmAt the insistence of the McCain campaign, the Oct. 2 debate between the Republican nominee for vice president, Gov. Sarah Palin, and her Democratic rival, Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr., will have shorter question-and-answer segments than those for the presidential nominees, the advisers said.
Gov. Palin is busy memorizing the answers to the questions.
What ARE the Questions? It doesn’t matter. She will just pick the answer that comes closest to the topic at hand.
Gwen Eifel, from the Newshour and Washington Week, will be the moderator. She’s been around the block, and knows what questions will get at the heart of the Voter’s decision.
The media has busted Gov. Palin for many Misleading (to be charitable) statements.
Gwen Eifel needs to set the tone…thanks but no thanks, you didn’t answer the question.
September 20th, 2008 at 8:17 pm(just got here)
… but what about all the records he’s already trashed?
when was it that shredder truck was parked at his office?
September 20th, 2008 at 8:22 pmSarah might be the best thing to come to Washington since Fanne Foxe…
====
September 20th, 2008 at 8:22 pmImichael Says:
This is a waste of time. This administration has no regards for any court. Thanks to all the stupid Republicans out there that has allowed our great country to fall to this standard. They are the real terrorists. What they have done to this country exceeds anything any terrorist group has done to date.
That is why I say, to round up ALL Rethugnikkkans, and house them in the Halliburton concentration camps to be used for a target practice for a new industry….Helicopter Hunting.
No prob.
September 20th, 2008 at 8:42 pmMs. Palin has shown no ability to tell the truth on virtually any subject. Even if she has the questions, and a list of multiple choice answers, I still expect her fundamental dishonesty to shine through.
September 20th, 2008 at 8:43 pmchanging the VP debate format???
HOW SEXIST!
that wouldn’t happen if the candidate was a MAN, and you know it!
September 20th, 2008 at 8:44 pmPALIN’S A PUSSY!
September 20th, 2008 at 8:44 pmsatirev Says:
…
The american people deserve better than this. This is a total insult to women everywhere which makes the case that a woman cannot be treated equally as a man is treated. It confirms what women’s rights groups have been fighting against for decades and plays right into the hands of those who believe that a women is somehow inferior to her male counterpart.
It stinks. We need to let them know that it stinks and is an act of discrimination against Biden.
EXACTLY!
September 20th, 2008 at 8:48 pmPBS poll “Do you think Palin is qualified to be VP?”
http://www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll-435.html
September 20th, 2008 at 9:20 pmRUCerious Says:
Judge Kollar-Kotelly winds up esconced in the woman size safe…
__________
Or goes duck hunting…
September 20th, 2008 at 9:23 pmRemember when cheney had a shredder truck at his home? dr. death said pay no attention to the name on the truck. ahahahahaha I believe it was around the time they whined for his records. He also has a bank vault in his house. dr. death thinks he’s clever and won’t pay the price. hahahahaha
But nevertheless, there are people who save such records, mainly to cover their own asses. Also his electronic records are here for eternity, it’s hard to remember lies.
Obama for our sake.
September 20th, 2008 at 9:24 pmLusmu Says:
Our only hope is that someone will come clean either through in-fighting, being screwed over, or suddenly growing a conscience.
__________
Now… didn’t you really mean to say, ahem… “Or suddenly growing A PAIR”???
September 20th, 2008 at 9:25 pm“what records? I ain’t got no stinkin records” DC
September 20th, 2008 at 9:30 pmkaty Says:
PALIN’S A PUSSY!
__________
Yeeeeah… Sarah needs her some training wheels here, huh?
And I coulda sworn the GOOPers said she was ready to sit at the big table w/ the adults. Sheesh… and hasn’t she been canceling speaking engagements left and right this week? So much for the “Pit bull in lipstick” routine…
September 20th, 2008 at 9:34 pmleftcoast@25
OMG! This is one of the most ridiculous thing I heard in two days from the loony repugs. This proves this dippyass plain can’t do shit. she isn’t quality to debate. WOW just WOW.
GTFOOH what a idiot plain is and mcchimpy chose her and people clap.
What are they going to allow for mcchimpy? Potty breaks?
repugs will f9ck up everything even the debates.
This should be a point in Sen. Obama’s ad.
UNFICKINGBELIEVABLE
September 20th, 2008 at 9:38 pmGot 4 words for Herhonner:
Day late.
Dollar short.
September 20th, 2008 at 9:40 pmhad enough@28
That was a nasty repug article. You have to do better.
September 20th, 2008 at 9:44 pmImagine Sen. Hillary Clinton asking for the same handicap.
HAHAHAHAHA
Basically what mcchimpy and the repugs want is a practice session on debating and Sen. Biden is the teacher.
This bimbo wants a break cause she has tits.
September 20th, 2008 at 9:54 pmtros – she said herself, at her inaugural (and last) townhall, told the folks to play “stump the candidate”…
‘course, that WAS the final question (that she never answered) for her that day…
.
this is great, if a tiny bit lengthy (or maybe it’s that my puter is taking forever to load pages, again… time for another purge):
Sam Harris on Sarah Palin and Elitism
Let me confess that I was genuinely unnerved by Sarah Palin’s performance at the Republican convention. Given her audience and the needs of the moment, I believe Governor Palin’s speech was the most effective political communication I have ever witnessed. Here, finally, was a performer who—being maternal, wounded, righteous and sexy—could stride past the frontal cortex of every American and plant a three-inch heel directly on that limbic circuit that ceaselessly intones “God and country.” If anyone could make Christian theocracy smell like apple pie, Sarah Palin could.
Then came Palin’s first television interview with Charles Gibson. I was relieved to discover, as many were, that Palin’s luster can be much diminished by the absence of a teleprompter. Still, the problem she poses to our political process is now much bigger than she is. Her fans seem inclined to forgive her any indiscretion short of cannibalism. However badly she may stumble during the remaining weeks of this campaign, her supporters will focus their outrage upon the journalist who caused her to break stride, upon the camera operator who happened to capture her fall, upon the television network that broadcast the good lady’s misfortune—and, above all, upon the “liberal elites” with their highfalutin assumption that, in the 21st century, only a reasonably well-educated person should be given command of our nuclear arsenal.
September 20th, 2008 at 10:10 pm[...]
http://www.newsweek.com/id/160080
katy Says:
tros – she said herself, at her inaugural (and last) townhall, told the folks to play “stump the candidate”…
_________
I’m astonished at the GOOP’s gall here… to pick such a green turnip from the patch and shove her out there into the limelight w/ so little prep. I thought the act smacked of desperation at the time, and the impression has only gotten stronger since then. I wonder if the power brokers who pushed McPain to do this are having second thoughts, or whether they’re so entranced on winning at all costs, they can’t see anything else?
And it’s kinda scary to see just how rabidly excited some folks are about this, how convinced they are that SHE, and not Obama, is the The One. You can make all the snide comments you want about drinking the Koolaid, but I find the whole thing very creepy and frightening.
Sorry, GOOPers, but this person IS NOT prepared to deal w/ Putin, or Iran, or much of anything more involved than a photo op w/ Johnny. A modified debate, so she won’t be overwhelmed?
I. AM. ASTONISHED!!! at the gall.
September 20th, 2008 at 10:23 pmGame of Life Says:
had enough@28
That was a nasty repug article. You have to do better.
Regardless if it was a nasty repuke article, the fact is Rangel said Palin has a disability.. my point… a political disability. If the rules need to be changed to accommodate Palin, then there is a problem. Accommodations are not being met for legitimate reasons, ex: physical, visual or haring impairment, but because she is lacking in what she needs to perform the VP/president duties.
September 20th, 2008 at 10:42 pmAlecto Says:
PBS poll “Do you think Palin is qualified to be VP?”
http://www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll-435.html
September 20th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
I voted in that poll–at that point it was 51% YES, 48% NO, 1% UNDECIDED. We need to send more people to vote in that poll!
Katy, thanks for the link to the Sam Harris article–excellent!
September 20th, 2008 at 10:49 pmsatirev, the other day I was talking to a customer, an 82-year old woman in Florida who actually went back to college last year. While I was entering her order in the computer, she asked me, “What do you think of Sarah Palin?” I hesitated (I usually don’t talk politics to customers unless they bring it up, and normally when that happens I get a sense of their leanings before I give any answers. I try to be good!), and she laughed a bit, so I figured ‘what the hell’, and replied, “I think her nomination is an insult to the intelligence of the American people.” Turns out the woman was “on the fence”, but things that she said told me that she was badly misinformed, so, after she said she goes on the internets, I steered her to factcheck.org and to TP. Hope she gets some real facts before election day!
September 20th, 2008 at 10:59 pmYa know, I could say a thousand bad things about Dick(head) Cheney but, I won’t. What I will say is simply, we can do better. Give Barack his chance to step up and show us what he’s made of. John McCain cannot be president and Sarah Palin ABSOLUTELY cannot be vice-president! We basically need to do a complete 180 with regards to how we interact with other entities on this planet. Contrary to popular belief, the neocon republicans do not own the Earth. Its high time they are made to understand this.
September 20th, 2008 at 11:20 pmUnless they limit the answers to Yes, No, and Dude! Palin will show the entire country her utter lack of political knowlege and expertise in policy area after policy area.
She’s a complete lightweight who’ll try and dance her way through.
September 20th, 2008 at 11:32 pmPS. My LyingBastardoMeter WILL be turned off, unplugged, tarped, and wrapped in lead coated sheets.
had enough Says:
Game of Life Says:
had enough@28
That was a nasty repug article. You have to do better.
Regardless if it was a nasty repuke article, the fact is Rangel said Palin has a disability.. my point… a political disability. If the rules need to be changed to accommodate Palin, then there is a problem. Accommodations are not being met for legitimate reasons, ex: physical, visual or haring impairment, but because she is lacking in what she needs to perform the VP/president duties.
I agree with you on that, of course.
I say why is Sen. Obama listening to the repugs anyway? With plain’s obvious huge advantage isn’t fair
plain just insulted Sen. Obama and mcstiffy was is the background clapping like a idiot along with the idiots in his crowd.
I say the moderator should emphasize the repugs’ rules/advantages each time plain answers a question.
Moderator: Have tried to skate to Russia?
Before you answer that question Gov. Palin, let me just say the short answer you give is because Mccain’s camp says your not ready to debate.
The moderator would have to remind the stupid repugs before every question the above italic script. Variation of her handicap is allowed. That would be fair.
Also plain has set-up the vp debate as if were the questions and answers segment in some sort of wicked beauty pageant.
repugs uses mulligans and now handicaps.
They are mocking the sane people.
What absolute “psychopaths*”
*a mentally ill or unstable person ; especially : a person affected with antisocial personality disorder.
September 20th, 2008 at 11:37 pmDefined for the repus, I mean repugs
________________________________________________________________
MOF had, I agree with a lot of your posts. I was just messin with you. ;)
Mr. Evil
Thee was a time when we all thought things could not get any worse… now there is Palin. I an horrified to think the media, by keeping the public ignorant, may be able to pull off a win for Mccain/Palin. Has the hell worsened?
September 20th, 2008 at 11:46 pmkaty you are right.
plain sure talks a lot of smack for a gun shooting, needless animal killer, phony gov who’s claiming she’s ready.
This has to be some sort of joke.
September 20th, 2008 at 11:53 pmIn the negotiations, Republicans wanted to limit the amount of time available for their neophyte candidate, Palin, to be questioned on a single topic. Democrats, meanwhile, wanted to be sure Biden and Palin spoke from lecterns rather than sitting at a table…
WoW. Look how dirty the repugs are playing. They want to control the debate. What a perk to her limitation. She’s isn’t fit to tie a shoe.
THIS IS FICKING INSANE.
The dems want to stay on topic.
plain will mess herself up quick because she is sillyass woman. Their debate should be very interesting. She won’t answer one single question.
repugs will say she looked pretty and has confidence.
I hope Sen. Biden contains his laughter.
September 21st, 2008 at 12:29 amChenney is a war criminal and should be behind barrs wating for his trial for crimes against huminity and war crimes!
September 21st, 2008 at 1:10 amG O L -
This is insane….you would think even the republicans would be running from her as at some point common sense has to out weigh greed and their perverted value system.
Our country is still an experiment and seems to run well when the constitution is followed…. an area Obama is brilliant in.
Bottom line – if we go down, WE ALL go down something the repukes must know.
September 21st, 2008 at 1:14 amhad enough at 1:14 am
“Bottom line – if we go down, WE ALL go down something the repukes must know.”
Their money isn’t in our banks, hell, it isn’t even in our currency. Their manufacturing isn’t in our country. They aren’t risking what we risk.
September 21st, 2008 at 1:27 amot, but important:
ring wing christian ministry child porn raided by feds.
how much longer are americans
going to fooled by these clowns?
^
September 21st, 2008 at 1:48 amYes, Mein Krieg should make interesting reading……
September 21st, 2008 at 1:58 amAmericanPie Says:
Courts in the US have abused their power. The President and Vice President do not take orders from politically motivated judges.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
WHAT????? There are checks and balances in this country. The LAW is king NOT the President. They not only have every OBLIGATION to follow the law which is what a court order represents the Constitution DIRECTLY DEMANDS that the president follow the law. You are clearly a fascist. The Presidnt is NOT above the law and he darn sure BETTER take orders from the court like everyone else. You might want to cough up some EVIDENCE this is politically motivated unless you just pulled that BS directly out of your ASS. This is the last refuge weak argument from wingnuts who know they dont HAVE an argument to question the motives. It is so easy. I think YOUR motive is that you are a fascist brownshirt and want to see America turn into a fascist country OR your motive is your idolotry of Bush and you want to see him become a dicatator. See how easy it is to just baselessly ASSIGN a venal motive. Its weak, and frankly its stupid.
September 21st, 2008 at 2:01 amAmericanPie Says:
Imichael Says:
This is a waste of time. This administration has no regards for any court.
Courts in the US have abused their power. The President and Vice President do not take orders from politically motivated judges.
September 20th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
If they intend to honor their oaths of office they will. And if you believe that they do not have to, then you have not read the Constitution very carefully (if you have at all.) I suspect you haven’t, and that you get your “legal opinions” from the likes of conservative hate-talk radio.
September 21st, 2008 at 2:20 amgee, . . . so what’ya think will we name an aircraft carrier after Cheney or Bush II???????
Has a better chance of happening than EVER seeing ANY document with a Vice Presidential Seal on it . . . .
September 21st, 2008 at 3:21 am>The President and Vice President do not take orders from >politically motivated judges.
Politically motivated? How? Im pretty sure this lady judge is a bushie, or at least a republican…just like the bushie judge who shot down thier attempt to dodge the subpeanas a few weeks ago..
September 21st, 2008 at 3:46 amBush and Cheney are sitting in the White House today because of “politically motivated judges.”
September 21st, 2008 at 8:12 amHeh, yeah, but I think that the probability of them growing a conscience or a pair is on par with Addington or Cheney suddenly giving their ill gained possessions away and joining a convent ;0).
So, what I’m really saying is that either someone in the inner circle will have to come clean on their own (fat chance) or one of the Democrats needs to grow a pair, in which case there is a good chance that the dominoes start falling (although the Pelosis, Reids, Rockefellers, Hoyers of the world will play their best defense).
In fact, I don’t think that Cheney is going to honor the ruling by this judge.
September 21st, 2008 at 8:25 amCheney is a war criminal and should be hauled off to Haig.
He has compleye comtempt for humanity. What this country has witnessed is beyond this anything (in terms of federal and internation crimes commited) ever witnessed.
Nixon was a walk in the park in comparison.
September 21st, 2008 at 9:28 amcorrections made.
Cheney is a war criminal and should be hauled off to Hague.
He has complete comtempt for humanity. What this country has witnessed is beyond this anything (in terms of federal and international crimes commited) in the history of the vice presidency.
Nixon was a walk in the park in comparison.
September 21st, 2008 at 9:30 amFor prosecution of Bush war crimes, planning begins
Stephen C. Webster
Raw Story
September 16, 2008
On Saturday morning in Andover, Massachusetts, as about 120 activists, adademics, constitutional scholars, public officials and legal experts gathered in the Wyndham hotel, the building suddenly went dark.
Electricity had been cut off just prior to the start of a landmark war crimes conference, the goal of which was to plan the prosecution of Bush Administration officials. The first of its kind conference, already featuring a laundry-list of notable speakers, was suddenly in flux … If only for a few moments.
“We were already so effective, the government tried to shut us down,” said conference organizer Lawrence Velvel, dean of the Massachusetts School of Law at Andover, in an interview with RAW STORY.
“Of course, when I said that at the conference opener, the power had been restored. I was only joking,” said Velvel with a slightly nervous laugh. “A fuse box fried, but the local electric company fixed it before we even began.”
The ‘Bush war crimes conference,’ according to its organizers, is a “throwback to the framers of the constitution,” which aims to establish “necessary organizational structures” to pursue those guilty of war crimes “to the ends of the Earth.”
“The framers didn’t trust the federal government either,” said Velvel. “And oddly enough, over the years and decades, a strong distrust of government was once a Republican position. It was, at least, in theory. And then Bush came along and there’s this, well, my country, love it or leave it in the GOP … But now, you have people on the other side of the spectrum taking that very position.
“This is a conservative idea, to hold conferences and then take action to take power. Liberalism has been made fun of as mere self expression. I was very impressed by the desire in this group to take action.”
“This is not a campaign event,” said Professor Christopher Pyle of Mt. Holyoke College, during his speech to the conference. “It is a conference about how to restore governmental accountability in the wake of a criminal administration. It addresses the most serious crisis in our nation’s history — the claim that the president and his secret agents can get away with torture, kidnapping, and even manslaughter.”
The two day affair was divided in half: Speakers on Saturday, and planning on Sunday.
Chief among the academics, legal experts and whistle-blowers speaking in Andover was Vincent Bugliosi, best known for successfully prosecuting Charles Manson and penning the subsequent novel, Helter Skelter. His new book, The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder, is currently available at retail.
Watch Bugliosi’s opening statement to a July, 2008 House Judiciary Committee hearing on the limits of executive authority:
Other speakers included:
# Phillippe Sands, Professor of Law and Director of the Centre of International Courts and Tribunals at University College, London. He is the author of “Torture Team: Rumsfeld’s Memo and the Betrayal of American Values” (Penguin/Palgrave Macmillan), among other works.
# Jordan Paust, Professor of Law at the University of Houston and author of “Beyond The Law.”
# Ann Wright, a former U.S. Army colonel and U.S. Foreign Service official who holds a State Department Award for Heroism and who taught the Geneva Conventions and the Law of Land Warfare at the Special Warfare Center at Ft. Bragg, N.C. She is the coauthor of “Dissent: Voices of Conscience.”
# Peter Weiss, Vice President of the Center For Constitutional Rights, which was recently involved with war crimes complaints filed in Germany and France against former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and others.
# Benjamin Davis, Associate Professor at the University of Toledo College of Law and former American Legal Counsel for the Secretariat of the International Court of Arbitration.
# David Lindorff, journalist and co-author with Barbara Olshansky of “The Case for Impeachment: Legal Arguments for Removing President George W. Bush from Office”(St. Martin’s Press).
# Colleen Costello of Human Rights USA.
# Christopher Pyle, a professor at Mt. Holyoke and author of several books on international matters
“We need to revers[e] a fifty-year trend towards unaccountable secret government, which can commit crimes with impunity,” said Pyle in a release. “‘Sending a clear signal to future Cabinet-level officials that ours is still a government under law, and that they had better obey the criminal law, no matter what their president and his legal lackeys say,’ is a matter of overwhelming importance.”
While video of the conference was broadcast live via UStream.tv, the footage is currently unavailable on the Internet.
Conference organizers told RAW STORY that a series of DVD’s will be offered for sale at cost to interested parties. Online footage of the conference will also be made available Friday, Sept. 19, at a Web site address yet to be announced.
“Later this week we will establish a central committee which will decide which of the many ideas we came up with are practical, and we will begin asking people to undertake particular actions,” said Velvel. “Once those first steps are carried out, as I hope it will be, that will be the first major accomplishment of this conference.”
The plans, which will be released in a media advisory later this week, considered:
# What international and domestic crimes were committed, which facts show crimes under which laws, and what punishments are possible.
# Which high level Executive officials — and Federal judges and legislators as well, if any — are chargeable with crimes.
# Which international tribunals, foreign tribunals and domestic tribunals (if any) can be used and how to begin cases and/or obtain prosecutions before them.
# The possibility of establishing a Chief Prosecutor’s Office such as the one at Nuremburg.
# An examination of cases already brought and their outcomes.
# Creating an umbrella Coordinating Committee with representatives from the increasing number of organizations involved in war crimes cases.
# Creating a Center to keep track of and organize compilations of relevant briefs, articles, books, opinions, and facts, etc., on war crimes and prosecutions of war criminals.
Velvel told RAW STORY that several groups have been established to force some universities to hold hearings on whether faculty members should have their jobs terminated for participating in Bush Administration crimes.
“John Yoo, the author of the infamous ‘torture memo’ who now works at Berkeley, comes quickly to mind,” he added.
“The consensus of attendees is President Bush’s attack on Iraq is a violation of the Charter of the United Nations and that he is culpable for this as well as for torture and abuse of war prisoners held by the U.S. military and the CIA,” stated a media advisory.
Other conference cell groups plan to raise up groundswells of support for district attorney candidates who would be willing to investigate or prosecute Bush Administration crimes. Conference attendees also plan to begin seeking disbarment proceedings against lawyers who assisted the administration in war crimes.
Additional measures, details of which were not immediately forthcoming, include utilizing foreign and International courts, and focused actions on state and local levels.
“The idea of using foreign and International courts is not so dissimilar to the time [Donald] Rumsfeld had to flee France to avoid arrest on war crimes charges,” said Velvel. “Of course, that was a foreign court, and he just went into Germany and was fine. We were talking more about going to a true International court.”
The Bush war crimes conference is in the tradition of Justice Robert H. Jackson, who prosecuted war criminals after World War II, writes Sherwood Ross.
“The common sense of mankind demands that law shall not stop with the punishment of petty crimes by little people,” said Justice Jackson. “It must also reach men who possess themselves of great power and make deliberate and concerted use of it to set in motion evils which leave no home in the world untouched.”
“Obviously, we want to go beyond self expression,” concluded Velvel.
September 21st, 2008 at 9:38 amAnd the reason we think these habitual criminals that are responsible for treason, war crimes, and crimes against humanity will follow the judge’s order???????
Just runnin’ out the clock – but folks, as bad as chimpy and cheney are, they are not really the problem.
We should be talking about the economic/political interests they represent, because there are always folks like chimpy, cheney, mccain, and palin that are ready and willing to take the place of the morons that get paraded in front of the cameras.
September 21st, 2008 at 9:44 am“Dubai Dick”
will live in Dubai and live off his Stolen Haliburton Booty
“The Commander Guy”
will live at the Bush Family Paraguay Hideaway…..
The United States is a Rotting Corpse and will sold off in large chunks to the China, Saudi Arabia, etc. to pay off
the Quadrillion dollar debt.
Say good nite to the Sweet Harlot called America…..
September 21st, 2008 at 10:27 amIt’s all Over!
All funds should be cut-off to the Vice President’s office….all funds, no planes, no motorcades, no food, no utilities…everything, until we find out what agency the office belongs to. You know, just in case we find out that the Vice President isn’t even part of the US government.
September 21st, 2008 at 1:10 pmIf McStain/Pallid steal the election w/the help of Diebold — Pallid will continue Darth’s fuzzy status of what part of the US govt the VP actually is part of?
September 21st, 2008 at 1:17 pmplease let me rephrase this:
if McStain/Pallid steal the election with the help of Diebold
(the only way they are going to win):
is Pallid going to continue the same fuzzy VP status that Darth maintained during his 8 years?
September 21st, 2008 at 4:31 pmHopefully Pallid at least shaves that fuzzy thing.
September 22nd, 2008 at 1:49 ami just looked at that pbs poll (http://www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll-435.html) and it was 53% saying she did have enough experience. This may be a rhetorical question, but are people really that stupid? Wake up, America!
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:57 am