Leahy suggests that truth commission is ‘not going to happen.’
Leahy suggests that truth commission is ‘not going to happen.’
In a meeting on Monday with Vermont citizens, Sen. Pat Leahy (D-VT) admitted that the truth commission he has advocated to examine Bush administration crimes like torture most likely won’t happen. Reporter Charlotte Dennett writes that Leahy said political opposition was too strong to overcome:
Halfway through the allotted 30 minute meeting (with him taking up much of the time explaining why he was not generally opposed to prosecution, since he had been a DA for eight years and had the highest conviction rate in Vermont), he told us that his truth commission had failed to get the broad support it needed in Congress, and since he couldn’t get one Republican to come behind the plan, “it’s not going to happen.”
Emphasizing that Leahy takes seriously his commitment to defend the Constitution, Leahy’s aide Chip Ross told the group, “He’s all you’ve got.” However, Leahy’s office sent an e-mail to reporters today objecting to “reports circulating on the internet” and claiming Leahy is “continuing to explore” the idea of a truth commission:
In contrast to reports circulating on the Internet, Leahy said he is continuing to explore the proposal.
“I am not interested in a panel comprised of partisans intent on advancing partisan conclusions,” Leahy said. “I regret that Senate Republicans have approached this matter to date as partisans. That was not my intent or focus. Indeed, it will take bipartisan support in order to move this forward. I continue to talk about this prospect with others in Congress, and with outside groups and experts. I continue to call on Republicans to recognize that this is not about partisan politics. It is about being honest with ourselves as a country. We need to move forward together.”
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STOP THE PRESSES!
April 2nd, 2009 at 5:57 pmHIRE A FREAKING SPECIAL PROSECUTOR INSTEAD, DUMBA**!
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:00 pmLeahy said political opposition was too strong to overcome:
God, I hate it when Boner cries.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:01 pmHe should have said it on April Fools, because that’s what this White House and Congress did to America, made us Fools.
No accountability for Bush/Cheney turns our country into a third world joke. It goes along with out monetary policy.
Spain does out dirty work.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:02 pmIt is about being honest with ourselves as a country. We need to move forward together.”
Extend your hand across the aisle, Pat.
Just don’t be surprised when it gets put in the wood chipper.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:04 pmA Republican with two legs that knows how to walk forward?
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:05 pmSorry Pat, but trying to get republicans to be honest is harder than trying to herd both cats and democrats. It just ain’t going to happen.
Why?
Because they don’t see themselves being part of our Country. There is the republican way, and then there is the un-American, anti-American, socio/islamo/commie/red/libural/fascist way.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:07 pmMeanwhile, Spain is actually investigating what WE should be investigating if our government had any moral standing left at all.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:07 pmSounds a lot like how it sounded when the administration reached out their hand to republicans on the stimulus package, the repubs bit it, trhe admin withdrew the hand and went ahead, as the administration has the majority.
Possilbly another ploy to say, they can get on board with us if they will, but if they won’t, the boat is leaving anyway.
One thing this administration has is the ability to think a few steps ahead. I wouldn’t be surprised if this was all planned.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:08 pmLeahy can take his eyebrows and go back to vermont, the bastard.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:11 pmIt’s certain Obama doesn’t support prosecution or any accountability either in the extra Constitutional activities of our last Regime or its cronies, let alone any wrong doing in the Wall Street debauches, as he reiterated in London yesterday. Seems as though the prisons would be empty if he had his druthers.
Why is it, the more heinous the crime inside The Beltway, the more politicians are against investigations and any resultant trials?
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:11 pmThe DOJ and the Administration need to sit down with Johnathan Turley fast, and have their eyes opened before it’s too late.
If they cancel the truth commission it better be because the people are going to proceed with normal investigations instead, or else every citizen is complicit in these bush crimes. All they really need to do is allow reasonable and normal investigations to proceed on the Bushies, so what or who is interferring?
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:11 pmThe GOP, the supposed party of personal responsibility and Law and Order refuse to hold our own leaders to the standards they demand of other nations. We are now a nation of hypocrites and criminals.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:14 pmThe one thing that remains blaringly clear is that refusing to examine the past because of what you might find will keep you stuck in the mud of your current problems.
Looking around at the problems we’re facing now, I’d say we can’t afford to continue looking the other way too much longer. We’re about up to our throats now.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:14 pm‘Scuuuse me…what political opposition?
The 28%er’s?
Sen. Boner?
Who the phuck are you afraid of Leahy? Are you being blackmailed?
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:16 pmIT WAS ALL B.S. ANYWAY
WE’LL RELY ON SPAIN TO DO OUR DIRTY WORK FOR US.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:17 pmIt’s depressing we can’t even hold ourselves accountable. The only optimism I hold is the rest of world doing our job for us. I would like to know what happens when every country in the world has a formal investigation into these crimes. Perhaps then the President and Congress with have no choice but clean their own houses.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:18 pmSpain rises from Fascism toward Democracy pass the USA heading in the opposite direction.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:19 pmMaybe we have to take to the streets to get to the truth!!!!
I’m tired of the criminal activity and this sh|t has to STOP!!!
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:19 pmsome democrats opposed it because it would circumvent a real investigation, which is what this merrits.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:19 pmThis was an easy call! I called it over a month ago!
No surprise here!
gangster government
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:20 pmMr. Leahy:
‘By Partisan’ support…..is a political matter
Investigating Crimes..is non political matter.
It is done for ‘JUSTICE’.
Mr Leahy:
If you wait until Republicans in Washington to join you in
investigating Bush, you are a dreamer.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:20 pm#16 – rastaman,
It’s not our dirty work. It’s our cleanup work we should be doing!!!!!
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:21 pmBushie Says:
It’s certain Obama doesn’t support prosecution…
I’m sorry, but I don’t believe this. I think the fact that Obama is pushing so hard for Dawn Johnsen to be confirmed in the DOJ shows that he is not opposed to prosecuting the Bush Crime Family. I just think he decided not to start WWIII with the Republicans right now with so many important issues on the table. Once the economy is on an even keel and we have health care for all, I do think that the Justice Department will investigate and prosecute.
And since I was laid off my job last week, I support his efforts at tackling the economic problems of this country first. Because we all know that prosecuting the Bush Crime Family is not only going to start a war with the Republicans in Congress, it will also probably start a war in our streets. If you think the right wing nut jobs are talking an armed revolution now, just wait until the Obama administration starts talking about prosecuting the Republicans.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:23 pmjb Says:
The GOP, the supposed party of personal responsibility and Law and Order refuse to hold our own leaders to the standards they demand of other nations. We are now a nation of hypocrites and criminals.
At this point it is not just the GOP, but the GOP and the Democrats that refuse to enforce US and International laws at this point. The Democrats have a majority in both houses and we have a Democratic President and a new AG. None of them are working towards the direction of doing the right thing and they are all excusing, ignoring and enabling WAR CRIMES. Every F-king one of them.
I am disgusted.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:23 pmHow can you worry about the ‘opposition’ when you’re in the MAJORITY!!!
PANSY!!!!
If not now, when
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:25 pmIf not you, who?
Crimes have been committed by our highest officials and no one gives a crap except the rest of the world. This is a stain that will last a long time. This is a thousand times worse than burning a flag.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:25 pmThis may be the last nail in the coffin of justice and democracy.
DEMOCRACY IS DEAD!!
FACISM RULES OUR COUNTRY. RIGHT LEAHY???
RIGHT SIR?
SIR?
ARE YOU THERE???
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:25 pmYou could see this coming from the start. This was nothing but a ploy to get contributions.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:25 pmTurning your back to crimes of this magnitude is an act of supreme cowardice.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:27 pmHave you even thought that maybe the decision was that NOW IS NOT THE TIME to declare war on the Republicans. Because that is what investigating the Bush Crime Family would do if we did it right now. What is the hurry? They aren’t going anywhere. Why not pass Obama’s budget and health care reform and then turn to investigating the Bush Crime Family?
I truly believe that it will happen eventually.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:30 pmso leahy is all we got huh?? well thanks for nothin
COWARDS THE LOT OF’EM
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:33 pmThe first casualty of War is truth.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:36 pmBilbo Hussein Baggins Says:
Bushie Says:
It’s certain Obama doesn’t support prosecution…
I’m sorry, but I don’t believe this. I think the fact that Obama is pushing so hard for Dawn Johnsen to be confirmed in the DOJ shows that he is not opposed to prosecuting the Bush Crime Family.
————————-
Obama as much as said he doesn’t want to get involved.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:38 pmPer treaty, the US MUST prosecute people for torture. Period.
If they won’t, then other countries are obliged to do so.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:39 pmLeahy just won the Most Pusilanamous Senator award for 2009. It was a close call, with Mull Master Johnny Conyers running a very close second.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:42 pmI agree with Bilbo…
Keep your eyes on Dawn Johnson. The only entity with Legal TEETH is the JUstice Dept.
A senate Commission will just be a Partisan Circus. Sen. Cornyn (R Texas) vowed to start World War III, if Sen. Al Frankin is seated!!! Imagine how he feels about Republican Accountability.
Hyperbole aside, any Congressional Action will be for SHOW and VOTES.
If I were Bush/Cheney…I would still be worried. Facts are Facts…Events that Happened DID Happen…and people are BEGINNING to TALK.
Obama didn’t get where he is by making Mistakes.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:43 pmOpposition too strong to see if AMERICAs values were compromised?
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:48 pmSo? what’s your point? WTF…over?
I’m not defending anybody but, I’m not sure that the House or Senate are the best place for an investigation and/or prosecution. Any body of politicians would include GOoPers and I have no doubt that every single word, document, finding, or charge would be forwarded to the principals and their attorneys before the daily minutes were typed up. I don’t see how an investigation could succeed if the commission is peopled by GOoPers.
I think our best hope is a behind the scenes, if not actually covert, investigation by the FBI and/or DOJ. Such an investigation would, IMO, be better started after Bushbots have been purged from the FBI and/or DOJ or, we would face the same danger of leaks and tips going to the targets of investigations. And I sure as Hell wouldn’t want the investigation/prosecution to suffer the same fate as the Ted Stevens case.
Don’t get me wrong. I really wish that the guilty parties were in their 6th year of a life sentence, or waiting for the appeals to run out on a death sentence. My patience has just about run out and I would like to see action. I’m just not sure that immediate public action is the best course. And I would certainly be disgusted if we ended up with a situation where the guilty parties are tipped off before a charge is filed. I think the best approach is to offer nothing to the GOoPers or the press until, hopefully, formal charges are filed. It would be a disaster to give these slimy schemers a tip off.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:49 pmYou know Obama doesn’t really need to get involved in police work. This is a law and order department issue, and problem. If the DOJ do their jobs there won’t be any trouble. But i guess until we see some progress it will be a political issue for everyone.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:52 pmI hope you’re right Pete!
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:53 pmWhat does it matter about congress? What do the people want?
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:55 pmForget a “truth” commission. We need prosecutions. Because Reagan and his lot were never convicted for Iran/Contra, George W. Bush came in thinking he could get away with even worse. He’s being proven right. The next president to abuse power will be even worse than Dubya if we don’t stand up for the law. Count on it.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:56 pmrepublicans and democrats both feed eat the trough from taxpayer money while working under the table for big business and wall street.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:56 pmNone of them want one of their own to be held accountable, the whole house of cards would start to fall and American citizens would see them as the greedy bas tards they are.
The 911 commission went forward because…
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:57 pmLeahy’s suggestion that if no Republican member in the House or Senate is to join in his investigation, then there will be no investigation at all is a very political and dangerous approach to take in seeking justice for crimes committed against the public.
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:04 pmPolitics should not be linked to investigating crimes.
#47 – tarazan,
Good point. Imagine having to get a defense atty on the team before you can prosecute a war-criminal. Leahy = SPINELESS LOSER!!!
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:12 pmWe don’t need a truth commission, we know the truth, it is in plain sight. We need a special prosecutor.
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:15 pmSen. Leahy:
You don’t need a Republican Congressman to go ahead. There’s still a few decent and non-partisan Republicans left around (even if not in office); just grab a couple of them.
Cheers,
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:17 pmDon’t worry, Senator. There are several countries who are willing to do your job and prove the US government is a shill for their corporate stooges.
Does wonders for our much vaunted position when we can’t even clean our own outhouse. Thanks, Leahy.
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:45 pmI don’t want a truth commission (whitewash). I want prosecution.
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:46 pmDo I understand this logic? In the US we can only investigate possibility of criminal behavior if the criminals agree to be investigated? Or if it is politically expedient and might glean some votes?
Or if the moon is in the second house and Jupiter aligns with Mars?
Which is it?
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:50 pmI’m surprised that Leahy didn’t realize that repugnicans aren’t about seeking the truth for the country. They’re not about truth or justice or fairness for Americans. It’s all about their party members getting re-elected. Forget about truth commission – we need to get on a prosecution mission and start the process of sending Bush, Cheney, Rove and the rest to jail.
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:25 pmIf the Unites States government does not take action, is there anything the people can do?
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:52 pmwatchdog Says:
Bunk it only underscores that Democrats are spineless. There is plenty of prima fascie evidence the Bush administration violated the constitution AND the law. They should be held accountable but Dems dont want to LOOK partisan and Republicans dont CARE about the law OR the constitution or really anything but raw political power. They are going to protect their own no matter WHAT so they wont take part in the process. You are giving us the brainwashed partisan take on the issue. I have been paying attention. I know better
April 2nd, 2009 at 9:05 pmThe democratic leaders in congress are the biggest bunch of wimps i have ever seen. Reid and Leahy both need to be tossed out and get someone in there who actually can stand up for americans and not be bullied around. If i have to see Reid’s ugly spinless face Im, going to hurl. Democrats in congress have yet to learn how to lead, they seem to busy capitulating to repugs every time they cry like babies, which is practically non-stop. The only way to stop this is vote them out of office, and good luck with that, most americans are too dumb to see what is going on.
April 2nd, 2009 at 9:17 pmOBAMA MUST APPOINT A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR NOW! NO TURHT, WHISHY-WASHY OMISSION COMMISSION! ACCOUNTABILITY FOR WAR CRIMES! THE RULE OF LAW!
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:06 pmSPECIAL PROSECUTOR NOW!
This is total bullsht, Bush/Cheney and the rest of the crooks in his administration must be held accountable for their crimes. They made a mockery of our country. They stepped all over our constitution, They didn`t honor the Geneva convention, They tortured, They lied to the American people about Iraq and WMD. The list goes on and on. One of the most sickening things about this is that some 28% of the people in this country still approve of the job that Bush/Cheney did.
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:07 pmEnough, the Dems need to get their sht together and appiont a special prosecuter. We need to get our integrity back.
We’ll have to leave it to Spain or other more civilized countries to investigate and indict our war criminals. It will be a great embarrassment if we refuse to honor their warrants and extradite the defendants for trial, and the Obama administration will have dramatically worsened the damage done to our reputation by Bush and his co-conspirators; the sordid 8 year crime spree will become not an atypical episode regretted and punished, but official policy endorsed and upheld.
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:27 pmLeahy and the others should not give up on the “Truth Commission.”
The failure to punish Bush would establish a horrible and damaging precedent.
Submitted by Andrew Wang, J.D. Candidate
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:52 pmB.S., With the Highest Level of Academic Honors at Graduation, 1996
Messiah College, Grantham, PA
Lower Merion High School, Ardmore, PA, 1993
LOL!! Demublicans and Republicrats at it again. I am laughing because us “Crackpot Independents” predicted this would happen. It started when Obama caved in to the FISA Telecom Immunity, and it has been downhill since then. Keep smiling at your $20 more per paycheck, while you are building a debt of many thousands of dollars paying for Wall Street Fat cats, more military, and investment firms. The Demublicans do not want to investigate torture by Bushies because they are complicit with them, and answer more to AIPAC than the American People. Dennis Kucinich, Ron paul, and Russ Feingold were some of the only consistent voices through this whole charade, as the Captains Of Capital piloted the Obama Ship.
Joke’s on us all.
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:15 pmTurley said it’s a well’known fact that Obama is protecting Bush/Cheney from prosecution. And lets face it, ALL of our slimey politicians have something to hide b/c they know the truth about 9/11. They sure as hell don’t want that info. leaked to the public. They’re perfectly content to have the public believing the “radical islamic fundamentalists” could attack us at any time as long as they can continue to get away w/ their crimes. They’ve been pulling our chains for years. Are we to believe they’re gonna stop now? Besides, Obama would get knocked off in a NY minute if he messed w/ the Bush crime family.
April 3rd, 2009 at 12:51 amAnd I’ll put money on it that Spain’s investigation gets miraculously squashed.
April 3rd, 2009 at 12:53 amWe should have an independent prosecutor, period.
Fascism has become the change we can believe in and count on. Obama’s and Holder’s passivity has ensured that.
Obama won’t be considered the greatest president of all time, because the tyrants that take over the goverment will either praise him for making their coup possible and he will be hated by the rest of America that will then be able to underbid Chinese workers, or they will erase his name from the history books as a mere temporary interruption or distaction from their objective.
I thought Obama was smarter than this.
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:58 amwiley Says:
I don’t want a truth commission (whitewash). I want prosecution.
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:46 pm
___________
Exactly. We KNOW the truth – Sy Hersch and Jane Meyer and Ron Suskind and Jeremy Scahill and many others have written extensively about the truth.
We need our government to do something about it.
April 3rd, 2009 at 6:32 amThe half-azzed effort to form a truth commision was never a serious effort anyway. If Mr. Leahy was serious he would surely understand that getting to the truth of these crimes far outweighs making a bi-partizan effort with members of the very cabal that you wish to investigate. Americans want answers and I believe would completely understand the current batch of Repubs on the Hill not getting behind such an effort. Plus any evidence gleened from a long, drawn out commision investigation would surely drag out way passed the statute of limitations on most of the crimes commited. Yeah, we may learn more details about who knew what and when but what is truly NEEDED is accountability for these crimes. That said, I understand Obama’s distancing himself on one hand while on the other pushing for the confirmation of Dawn Johnson. This is an issue for the Justice dept, not the Administrative Dept. Anyone know the current status of efforts to seat Dawn Johnson and when is the next Congressional recess?
April 3rd, 2009 at 8:29 amHe is afraid of another Cheney Anthrax letter folks. Bruce Ivins is a patsy. Anthrax letters came from a secure US lab- remember.
And those letters went out to well known liberals.
or
he is afraid of being taken out by Cheney hit men.
They’re is a shadow goverment folks and it is evil.
April 3rd, 2009 at 9:15 amWho needs another Warren Commission anyway ?
April 3rd, 2009 at 9:55 amWhoever it is that tends hook on this situation hires the special prosecutor I’m guessing. So to hell with bi-partisan support. This isn’t politics, it’s law breaking at the highest level.
Well so much for truth, justice, and the American way. Never thought I would see the day when state-sanctioned terrorism would be legalized in America. Another black-eye in American history. I guess that the idea of a rule of law really is just “quaint.”
April 3rd, 2009 at 10:19 amIt’s unfortunate to think that there are more Benedict Arnolds in our goverment than patriots.
The founding fathers would certainly be disgusted by this cowardly arrogance that threatens the Constitution.
“Nobody is above the law?” What law? Is this America of Sudan? It becomes hard to tell.
April 3rd, 2009 at 10:38 amOur whole goverment needs to be removed and set up a new goverment like it should be, our goverment now is a bunch of cowards, lie basters, we need to fo what declaration of indepedence says to do when your goverment becomes useless, all american should go to washington and demand all to be thrown out.
April 3rd, 2009 at 12:23 pmpops7154 Says:
all Americans should go to Washington and demand all to be thrown out.
This is correct! However, after all this mass murdering recently, I am getting the impression that Joe “I am a Zionist” Biden is pushing for more gun control. Is this really a good idea? Then we would have to deal with the Storm Troopers that protect the Government/Wall Street Mafia.
America has devolved constantly since JFK, who took on the Federal Reserve, CIA, Military-Industrial Complex, and Israel’s Nuke Ambitions.
Fast forward to 2009….
The Federal Reserve is bankrupting the country if not the whole world
The CIA tortures, manipulates governments, and kills leaders who disagree with Imperial Policy.
The Military-Industrial Complex gets a budget increase, two wars, and more wars promised as a proxy for Israel.
Israel calls itself the “most moral military in the world”, while it shots Gazans like squirrels in a cage, uses white phosphorus, cluster bombs, and depleted uranium.
The act of torture thus is accepted by Demublicans and Republicrats alike, because all the organizations, countries, and Corporations that run the government are insensitive to the practice. It if gives pwer and money, so be it. The last thing they want to do is “Protect American Against Terrorists”.
Remember, if you question the government (Demublican or Republicrat), are a gun owner, environmentalist, animal rights advocate, socialist, militia, hippy, or antiwar activist, you are considered a “terrorist”.
Ready to vote Independent yet?
April 4th, 2009 at 9:46 amOK Pat obviously senile dementia has set in. Time to see the nice young men that will need to take care of you soon.burun estetigi rent a car arac kiralama
April 18th, 2009 at 6:12 amsac ekimi