Reid declines to support independent ‘truth commission’ to investigate torture. (Updated)
Reid declines to support independent ‘truth commission’ to investigate torture. (Updated)
Despite President Obama’s recent comments indicating that he would accept a bipartisan congressional “truth commission” to investigate the Bush administration’s use of torture, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is not quite ready to move forward with such a proposal. The Las Vegas Sun reports that Reid “declined to call for an independent commission” yesterday:
“I believe what we have to do is wait until the Intelligence Committee finishes its work,” Reid told the Las Vegas Sun.
Reid said Feinstein’s committee has subpoena power and can conduct closed hearings that he believes can produce results.
“The next step in my mind is to let her complete her work, because she can get to it a lot easier than anyone else,” Reid said. “That’s what we have to do.”
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has endorsed the idea of a truth commission.
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Hey Reed! Grow a pair! Jesus! The proof id right infront of you! Why are these Democrats so weak? Damn it!
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:01 am“..wait until the Intelligence Committee finishes its work,””
Wait, you mean the same Intelligence Committee that rubber stamped the previous administrations interrogation techniques?
And the warrantless wiretapping?
Doesn’t sound intelligent to me.
Grow some hair Harry.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:03 amdid you catch Elizabeth de la vega on countdown last night?
sounds like we should rethink that demand for a special prosecutor…
she was not in favor because the whole thing could get buried,
there could be no public narrative, and NO guarantee of indictments…
help! i’m so confused!
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:03 amWhy would a complicit Congress do anything? The unitary Executive wants to issue a decree and move on. Sad days for American democracy.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:03 amReid proved from past experiences similar to this that he is not the man for the job.
He is all talk and no action.
Remember the many non binding meaningless resolutions with no teeth to in them, that he passed.
American people and Democrats should not expect much from Reid …who wants everything done in sweet bipartisan matter,which sometimes does not work in fighting for rights and principles.
Reid wants to wait to test the strength of the wind to see if he can make his move.
He and Pelosi are two of a kind,and Democrats should push them to do something,or ask them to get out of the way.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:07 amAh yes. Subcommittees. Closed hearings. That’s just what we need more of.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:07 ami think the senate needs to change their stuffy old ways…
new blood will help that along…
but i suppose the deliberative nature is also a good thing -
keeps the blow-hards from running roughshod all over the place…
maybe if harry didn’t already have such a reputation as a weenie…
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:08 amDon’t worry folks, he’ll capitulate and change his position tomorrow like he always does.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:10 amI think a lot of the hesitation from the congresscritters is that as they begin these investigations and more and more comes out, it will be showing just how asleep at the switch they were when all this first started happening.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:10 amI agree that Reid lacks a real backbone and leadership skills but I’d rather not see a commission of any kind. I don’t think a commission is going to resolve anything. If Feinstein’s committee will yield prosecutions then lets wait and see.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:12 amThis is an area where I wish Democrats were a bit more like Republicans.
Republicans do not share the Democrats’ reluctance to prosecute. On the contrary, Republicans will prosecute Democrats for nothing whatsoever.
The Bush II Justice Department went after Democrats six times more often than they did Republicans. You could lose your job prosecuting a Republican.
When Jeb Bush gets flipped in as President in 2012 (you heard it here first!), I’m sure he’ll start vigorously prosecuting the Obama people, whether they did anything wrong or not. They will probably start prosecuting all Democrats.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:14 amThis spineless bastard just has to go. If not run out of office by the Nevada electorate at least run out of his “leadership” role in the Senate. What an absolute wimp.
Feingold would make a good majority leader. Hell Bobby Byrd with all of his shakes and drooling would make a better leader than Harry.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:20 amAs long as the Intelligence Committee actually does it’s job, I don’t care what this wimp says.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:21 amReid said Feinstein’s committee has subpoena power and can conduct closed hearings that he believes can produce results.
dianne has shown us that she’s all about the rule of law.
It’s damn near fascinating to see the way they are all just clawing to get this swept under the rug.
There’s clearly something going on that they all have interest in covering up that goes beyond torture.
katydid Says:
did you catch Elizabeth de la vega on countdown last night? help! i’m so confused!
Yes I did, after hearing what she had to say I was confused about what the best way forward would be too.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:23 amElBruce Says:
Ah yes. Subcommittees. Closed hearings. That’s just what we need more of.
What? Doesn’t that sound like transparency in government to you? I’m shocked.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:31 amLooks like wimpy-wiener Reed is just trying to hang on long enough to collect the pension and then go into consulting and lobbying.
Nevada, wake up and get rid of this cancer.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:34 amI just noticed the “closed meetings” piece.
Ummm no, we’ve done enough of that over the last 8 years. It’s time for a CHANGE.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:35 amWhy can’t we get rid of these criminals (Reid and Pelosi)? Of course they aren’t going to investigate it, because they were in on it. Democrats need to clean house as much as the Republicans. I want to see Reid and Pelosi behind bars as much as the republicans.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:45 amof course pelosi wants a truth commission, that way she can cover up all her bullshit.
cut the crap, hire a special prosecutor. today.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:47 amI can’t recall when this first happened, but shortly after Bush was elected (wink wink) the Democrats where making proposals on energy or healthcare or whatever (I don’t really recall) and a few days before they were able to do anything officially the Republicans would come out with a position that would preemptively defeat said proposal.
At the time I remember a few Democratic members of Congress and the Senate wondering out loud (yes, on the news) if they were being wiretapped.
Well, as it turns out they were. Who knows what information was gathered and how it’s being used against some members. I think it’s more than Reid and Feinstein – Retire Already! – being gutless.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:53 ami got your back, you got mine?
had Harry and Nancy pulled the trigger back in 2006, this would be a non-issue. and for all you out there who scream, but we needed to win in 2008 i shout back – BS! Had these memos been released in 2006, before W got his head out his butt and the “surge” began “working” (i.e., we handed out more bundles of $100s), there would have been bipartisan calls for his head on a stake. To do this, because you wasted 9 months and didn’t know what was going on and wanted to connect AQ and Iraq – it’s torture for propaganda and because you don’t know what else to do. PATHETIC! And W and Cheney view themselves as “war time” leaders. I’m tired of Democrats. I’m tired of Republicans. I prefer American values and those don’t include torture or torture programs a/k/a enhanced interrogation. It’s that simple and if Congress doesn’t understand, perhaps impeachment should be for all – including Harry, Nancy.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:58 amWell somebody ought to tell them that this hemming and hawing makes them look guilty.
There’s no Lee Harvey Oswald to pin the blame on this time. They might hope that delay will make the issue go away, but I don’t think so…
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:02 amWow…big shock. DINO Harry Reid once again goes out of his way to kick Democratic supporters and voters in the teeth while protecting Republican interests. Say it aint so? I mean, this IS the same Reid who ALWAY indefinitely honoured anonymous holds that Republicans put on Democratic bills, but refused to honour the same actions from his own party. This is the same Reid who perpetuated the myth of the 60 vote rule, when in reality he was giving power to the Republicans by not making them ACTUALLY fillibuster anything. All they had to do was whine, and Reid let the minority control the agenda.
OH! And this is the same Reid who allowed telecom immunity by, instead of passing a bill written by HIS party, chose to pass a bill written by Cheney knowing full well he would go back to the 60 vote rule and not be able to strip telecom immunity.
Reid needs to be kicked to the political curb the first chance we get.
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:13 amGood ol’ Harry “no balls” Reid.
Right on cue.
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:15 amIt cannot be repeated enough:
Only cowards support torture. Period.
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:16 amReid = reed And he continues to blow in the wind, bowing to his moneyed, powerful financiers. I can anme a dozen, well maybe a half dozen, Senators that would be a vast improvment of this pussy willow.
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:27 amDon’t judge too quickly…Elizabeth dela Vega on MSNBC last night had the great idea that starting a special prosecution will have the effect of closing things down.
So by keeping things open more gets exposed, more people talk (did you see cnn.com report on the female General who got scapegoated speaking out about Abu Graib).
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:32 amAs much as I despise Reid…some posters may have it right. What is needed is a special prosecutor!
http://www.counterpunch.org/ratner04232009.html
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:34 amrf7777 Says:
Why can’t we get rid of these criminals (Reid and Pelosi)? Of course they aren’t going to investigate it, because they were in on it. Democrats need to clean house as much as the Republicans. I want to see Reid and Pelosi behind bars as much as the republicans.
They didn’t torture anybody, we’d just like to see them act more vigorously to prevent or prosecute it, instead of rolling over and mumbling about procedure. But your proposal would be the equivalent of arresting all of the people who were standing around in the convenience store when it got robbed.
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:35 amlook Congressional “leadership” on both sides has no interest in a true commission or a special prosecutor or much of anything at all. they want the show, but not the action because the action items show that they knew, were cowed and are cowards, and did NOTHING but say ok, you do it, but . . .
well, it’s now time to find out what the “but . . .” means and so far I’m less than impressed. The CIA financed the torture of people – some guilty of something others likely not. Some are dead. So, unless the CIA contractors were foreigners, Bush lied royally when he said America does not torture. Someone we paid did – and that’s one person too many.
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:41 amReid & Lieberman……….separated at birth?
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:57 amGod, Reed is about a useless piece of sheit.
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:57 amOr serving on the Intelligence committee where the torture techniques were discussed in their briefing and then remaining silent while it actually was put into effect, right?
April 23rd, 2009 at 12:09 pmReid really seems to be completely useless. Can anyone tell mey HOW or WHY he became leader? Did they really want a lump of playdough?
April 23rd, 2009 at 12:16 pmI don’t want some BS commission, either.
We have Courts and Prosecutors, and they produce concrete consequences – convictions and sentences, not sternly-worded letters and voluminous reports to stuff the National Archive with.
No theater – just law and order, please.
April 23rd, 2009 at 12:16 pmTHIS IS EASY, PEOPLE
Anyone who doesn’t want to prosecute torturers can be easily labeled as pro-torture.
I know that this is rather Rovian, but aren’t they kinda pro-torture?
April 23rd, 2009 at 12:32 pmI’ve wanted Reid (and Pelosi) gone for a long time now. They tend to be spineless (especially Reid) and too easily cave to GOP and media pressure.
However, I think he may be onto something, as was highlighted on last night’s Olberman: If there is an independent commission, a lot of the info will never again see the light of day.
Memos will be subpoenaed, witnesses will clam up, and the public narrative will all but cease as info is dumped into (but not out of) the commission.
I say let the other folks keep gathering info (Justice Dept., et al), let key players hang themselves with their own words (e.g. Cheney and Rove), and let the public have near-full knowledge of what is happening (some stuff may, in fact, really be secret and worth keeping that way).
Don’t get me wrong — I want to see Bush, Cheney, Rice, Addington, Yoo, Ashcroft, Bybee, and the rest of the cabal at the Hague. But I want the case to be as airtight as possible, and the public to know what, exactly, happened in our names.
April 23rd, 2009 at 1:14 pmThis guy is so predictable, so lame, so sad…
April 23rd, 2009 at 2:31 pmNo surprise here…was anyone banking on anything else from Harry?
April 23rd, 2009 at 2:42 pmjay Says:
Or serving on the Intelligence committee where the torture techniques were discussed in their briefing and then remaining silent while it actually was put into effect, right?
Disclosing closed Congressional discussions about national security matters legally constitutes treason, and can get you life in prison at best, and the death sentence at worst. Would you have blabbed? They’d just deny it and then throw you in the slammer.
.
tombaker Says:
No theater – just law and order, please.
Democrats – the law and order party… I like it.
April 23rd, 2009 at 3:00 pm“Reid declines to support independent ‘truth commission’ to investigate torture.”
Gawd, another footdragging from Reid. No real spine nor backbone from Reid. Waiting for Reid to get a spine is like waiting for the cows to come home. Completely worthless. He needs to step down as the Majority Leader.
April 23rd, 2009 at 3:17 pmThe truth is we waterboarded 3 terrorists to stop future terrorist attacks. Good, now if we have a attack 1 month, 2 months, or a year from now. Will it be Obama fault?
April 23rd, 2009 at 3:18 pmReid… these are WAR CRIMES! W-A-R C-R-I-M-E-S !!!!!!!
After the ‘9/11 comisssion’ which desregarded witinesses of explosions, desregaded the 47 steel columns of the core of the WTC1 and 2, and disregarded the controlled demolition evidence of WTC1,2 and 7, a ‘Truth commission will be just another WHITE WASH!
War Crimes have been commited in the name of the American People! The American People and the rest of the World want JUSTICE! Not revange, not whitch hunt, not politicism, JUSTICE! JUSTICE!
If these criminals walk free, Obama, Pelosi, John MacCain, or anybody else, can forget the notion of “Restoring America” and move foward… we can forget what we used to love about the USA, because the USA doesn’t exist anymore. What is left is something ugly that pretends to be the USA…
April 23rd, 2009 at 3:44 pmjeff2001 Says:
The truth is we waterboarded 3 terrorists to stop future terrorist attacks.
No, we did a lot more than waterboard three people. None of what we did stopped any attacks.
.
jeff2001 Says:
Good, now if we have a attack 1 month, 2 months, or a year from now. Will it be Obama fault?
I’d like to argue against you, but the fact of the matter is that the sitting President is always held responsible for what happens under his watch. So, yes. Yes, it would be widely viewed as his “fault,” much in the same way that the Iranian hostage crisis was Jimmy Carter’s “fault” (even though he gave the OK for a rescue mission and it wasn’t his fault it failed), and 9/11 was Dubya’s “fault” (even though it totally wasn’t fair of them to do that because he had been on vacation most of the time up to then and national security reports are really boring).
April 23rd, 2009 at 4:01 pmSo what you’re saying is that as long as it is cloaked in the Secrecy Act even if it’s illegal then you are safe from prosecution. If it is illegal and you cover it up then you should spend life in prison as an accomplice. Illegal is illegal isn’t it? Is “I was just following orders” an appropriate defense?
They can’t deny anything, the documents are there to prove the conversations and who attended the meetings. Obi just has to declassify them and then use them to prosecute the offenders. Hell, if we’re gong to do this, then lets really do it.
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