Rep. Nadler Says Holder’s Torture Investigation Should Examine Cheney
Rep. Nadler Says Holder’s Torture Investigation Should Examine Cheney
Last week, Attorney General Eric Holder announced that he will be appointing U.S. attorney John Durham as a special prosecutor to investigate possible crimes committed by CIA interrogators who “went beyond the legal guidelines” for interrogations set out by the Bush administration.
Human Rights Watch responded to the announcement by imploring Holder to go further and investigate those who “planned, authorized, and facilitated the use of abusive methods.” As constitutional attorney and blogger Glenn Greenwald has noted, Holder’s investigation would effectively immunize interrogators who complied with the Bush administration’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) interrogation memos, which authorized brutal torture, and ensure that White House officials who authorized torture “will never be held to account.”
In an appearance today on Fox News’s “America’s Newsroom,” Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) echoed the concerns of these advocates. He told Fox’s Megyn Kelly that Holder should not “limit the investigation” to field interrogators and that he should also investigate the people who gave the orders that resulted in abuse and torture, including former Vice President Cheney:
NADLER: Now, the law says very clearly that it is the obligation of the Attorney General to investigate, to see whether crimes were committed, any time there was torture under American jurisdiction. He must do that. If he didn’t do that, he’d be breaking the law. My criticism of the Attorney General is that he should not limit the investigation to people in the field who may have committed the torture, but to people who may have ordered it, such as the Vice President, for example.
Watch it:
Nadler has been one of the most vociferous critics of the Bush administration’s interrogation policies and its record on civil liberties. In the past, he has said that Bush officials “clearly committed war crimes” and that the Obama administration would be “breaking the law” if it did not fully investigate the Bush administration’s complicity in torture. Most recently, he responded to Cheney’s comments opposing a torture probe by saying that his objections show that he “still fails to understand the law.”
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Let the evidence lead where it may.
September 1st, 2009 at 7:03 pmwho may have ordered it, such as the Vice President, for example
Fnally a real American speaking up…
But really, drop the ‘may’, Cheney admitted on National TV that he ordered it.
September 1st, 2009 at 7:04 pmtombaker says:
Let the evidence lead where it may.
Let the evidence that is there be shown the light of day.
September 1st, 2009 at 7:06 pmRep. Nadler Says Holder’s Torture Investigation Should Examine Cheney
– - It’ll never happen. Nev.Er. Democrats these days are easily intimidated by the “big, bad” GOP and can’t even convince a stupid public that it’s in THEIR best interests to reform health care.
September 1st, 2009 at 7:08 pmI think based on his own comments Mr. Cheney is idictable….at least. His behavior has clearly been illegal.
September 1st, 2009 at 7:12 pmCheney needs to hang.
September 1st, 2009 at 7:14 pmSen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) suggested that Holder’s probe should extend to Cheney
– - Suggested. Have some rocks fer crissakes and state unequivocally that Cheeeney should be indicted.
September 1st, 2009 at 7:18 pmDavid Addington and John Yoo are war criminals. Period.
Prosecute them all!
September 1st, 2009 at 7:23 pmLet’s follow the evidence and finally bring Cheney up on charges.
“Methink he doth protesteth too much!” – Shakespeare’s
September 1st, 2009 at 7:24 pmHEAR-FREAKING-HEAR!!!!!
September 1st, 2009 at 7:24 pmIt’s about time the Democrats start attacking. There is plenty of ammo out there. Get the Republican’s all in a tizzy over several things. Ramp up the pressure on them.
September 1st, 2009 at 7:25 pmSadly, I think Cheney’s response will be summed up in one word.
September 1st, 2009 at 7:33 pmI am surprised that Megyn Kelly let Nadler finish his comments. Fox does have a reputation for cutting off intelligent opposing views.
September 1st, 2009 at 7:34 pmYou know what really bugs Dick Cheeeney? Saying the phrase “cardiac arrest” around him. He’s not bothered by the cardiac part. It’s the word “arrest” that scares him.
September 1st, 2009 at 7:37 pmIt would be ironic to see Dick face the same fate as Saddam Hussein. Effing war criminal is an embarrassment to the Nation.
September 1st, 2009 at 7:37 pmNo matter what, they should still go ahead and impeach Dick Cheney. Try him, convict him (the evidence that he violated his constitutional oath is clear), and administer the full punishment. It’s not just removal from office, it’s also a permanent inability to hold any office of public trust under the United States again. And not just Cheney, but all of them (Bush, Gonzales, Yoo, Addington, Bybee, etc.). We have to make sure they can never find another job in government anywhere in the US again. This is the only way to stop them permanently.
September 1st, 2009 at 7:45 pmKeep up the good work, Congressman Nadler!
September 1st, 2009 at 7:50 pmI wish I could say this in font size 72
Y E s !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 1st, 2009 at 7:52 pmWayne S, short of dangling at the end of a noose at Den Hague, perhaps.
September 1st, 2009 at 7:53 pmWayne A. Schneider says:
No matter what, they should still go ahead and impeach Dick Cheney. Try him, convict him (the evidence that he violated his constitutional oath is clear), and administer the full punishment. It’s not just removal from office, it’s also a permanent inability to hold any office of public trust under the United States again. And not just Cheney, but all of them (Bush, Gonzales, Yoo, Addington, Bybee, etc.). We have to make sure they can never find another job in government anywhere in the US again. This is the only way to stop them permanently.
Strictly speaking, no one can (or must) impeach Cheney because he’s out of office. There is no reason, no any legal basis I think, for involving Congress at all. Prosecution is going to be difficult enough because so much evidence will be hidden behind executive privilege–invoked by Cheney and Bush, but I’m no longer confident that they won’t be supported in this by the current administration.
Executive power is more sacred to these people than Justice and will be jealously guarded.
September 1st, 2009 at 7:55 pmOn Law & Order the Prosecutors are usually so eager to the the person who hired the “hit man”, they’ll make a deal with the killer.
Surely ‘real life’ is like that, yes? :-)
September 1st, 2009 at 8:02 pmIt really shouldn’t be too hard since Cheney takes to the FAUX airwaves to regularly assert that he’s proud to have approved, if not ordered, gross violations of U.S. and international law.
But? It’s going to boil down to someone cracking like “Deep Throat”. And, in order for that to happen, deals will be made.
September 1st, 2009 at 8:04 pmIf the Democratic Party would demonstrate real Courage and Leadership, I believe a huge majority of Americans would follow them, vote for them, and so on.
Does the D Party know that? Perhaps. If they’re all in Thrall to International Mega-Corporations, its hopeless. But it would only take a few brave women & men to start the avalanche that will sweep the Republican’s away for a couple of generations.
September 1st, 2009 at 8:07 pmI’m all aboard on impeaching the old fcuk if it means his taxpayer-funded healthcare disappears. Then try him, convict him and hang him. At least I’d have the peace of mind that his family isn’t staying healthy on my dime. After they cut him down they should charge people to spit/piss on him(ala Mussolini). It could help fund universal healthcare so some good could finaly come put of Dick Cheney.
September 1st, 2009 at 8:09 pmI think it is happening, WillowOrchid, just not very fast. And that’s not unexpected when we are out to stop the momentum that brought us so far off the path to Reason. The analogy I like to use is a speeding car that misses a freeway exit.
A very impatient person would slam on the brakes, throw it in reverse and take the fastest path to the exit, regardless of risk. The patient person will go on to the next exit and decide whether to chart an alternate course or return to the missed exit and start from scratch.
I think that we, as a nation, realize we were on a horrendous course and recognized that we “missed some exits”. Now there is some confusion as to the best course from here and plenty of topics for argument and compromise. Plus, there are still so many emergency measures that some extra deliberation on sweeping reforms is only appropriate.
I still have a lot of faith in the strengths of our system and the wisdom of our people. The bleating of the Reichwhiners, during this recess, is maddening but there’s little sign they are swaying opinions. And I think it’s serving to demonstrate to smart legislators that they can simply ignore the bulk of the GOP and leave them out of future plans and deliberations.
September 1st, 2009 at 8:24 pmMegyn had to stop him, he was making sense on the Fixed News Station.
September 1st, 2009 at 8:31 pmPerhaps we should ‘Examine’ Cheney with a barbed wire colonoscopy, sans anesthetic.
September 1st, 2009 at 8:32 pmAFter all, he may have committed crimes, and torture’s OK, right, five deferment cowardly PukeDick?
Every time I hear or read Sheldon Whitehouse, I wish he was my senator instead of Fat Cat DiFi.
September 1st, 2009 at 8:33 pmSheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) suggested that Holder’s probe should extend to Cheney, his counsel David Addington, OLC lawyer John Yoo and other top administration officials because “it borders on unethical for a prosecutor to refuse to investigate . .
I thought breaking the law was a good reason.
September 1st, 2009 at 8:35 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Cheney / Palin 2012.
Done pooping your pants yet?
Heres why this investigation is taking so long: Obama isn’t going to waste his political capitol NOW when he can drag his feet and smear the Republicans just in time for the november elections. Don’t forget, he is the chess master and Rahm is the white knight.
September 1st, 2009 at 8:43 pmHigrowaspine
September 1st, 2009 at 8:46 pmAre you by chance one of those fake ass fortune tellers that does the carny circuit? If not can you at least provide some evidences for your prophesies?
Thanks so much…
The three bills that will be taken up by the returning House committees as their first order of business would support an argument that the stupid troll is dishonest and/or hopelessly ignorant.
September 1st, 2009 at 8:49 pmpete, my money is on the and
September 1st, 2009 at 8:49 pmAre you phuquing crazy?
GayronTEED! If Obama prosecutes any big-time Busheviks, he’ll be facing prison time from the GOPuke Congress of ‘12 or (unlikely) ‘16.
Nagahappun, sweetcakes…
September 1st, 2009 at 8:50 pmgrowaspine
Put your money where your mouth is! If you seriously think there is NO chance that healthcare reform will happen, invest in all those big health insurance companies that stocks dropped on the news of healthcare reform. Because if it gets defeated they WILL go back up. Are you going to? Or are you actually not so sure after all?
September 1st, 2009 at 8:51 pmgrowaspine:”It is too little too late.
Obama cannot deliver change.”
Isn’t it a little early for that kind of prognosis? We’re not even to the end game on this thing so I’d try to temper my hysteria if I were you. This isn’t close to over.
September 1st, 2009 at 8:51 pmAaron: “Heres why this investigation is taking so long: Obama isn’t going to waste his political capitol NOW when he can drag his feet and smear the Republicans just in time for the november elections. Don’t forget, he is the chess master and Rahm is the white knight.”
I really hope your correct about that. Because that would also mean he’s playing a great game of rope-a-dope with the Repubs making sure that they demonstrate their true intentions on health care reform before congress goes back into session.
September 1st, 2009 at 8:52 pmIf the economy’s bad enough, a Huckabee/Palin ticket could win.
There is NO evidence that the economy will be good enough to to forestall that ticket.
Remember: In really DIRE times, the proles turn to “faith.”
September 1st, 2009 at 8:53 pmI fear you’re right, RUC. But one can always hope they are simply misinformed and open to being educated. Though I seldom have the patience to try with the usual, garden variety, stupid troll.
September 1st, 2009 at 8:53 pmgrowaspine might need to grow a pair because I am happy to wait them out..Let’s go Miss Chloe…
September 1st, 2009 at 8:55 pmtokin librul: “If the economy’s bad enough, a Huckabee/Palin ticket could win.”
How do you figure? By insuring that all-important conservative born-again christian vote? I don’t think they can win with that mix anymore and I think there will be surging employment by 2011. We’ve already got the makings of a Bush-style “jobless recovery,” but I don’t think these guys will let it remain jobless for very long like Repubs do.
September 1st, 2009 at 8:57 pmAll of this is consistent. Obama nominated an Attorney General who was clearly on the record as believing that crimes of any and all kinds should be investigated. Obama doesn’t believe in politicizing the Department of Justice as the Bush administration did, so there will be no tampering with Holder or his agenda. Obama can say he’s simply following the rules – that he doesn’t investigate crimes, the Justice Dept. does.
And, who knows, maybe there is a wink and a nod between Holder and Obama, but it’s irrelevant. This is the way the process is supposed to work and Obama, a constitutional law professor, has always been well aware of that.
September 1st, 2009 at 9:01 pmIt appears that we have another troll who’s confused in his mythology and behaving like a harpy. A harpy, for those who are confused about their mythology, is a foul bird that craps on the dinner table of a blind man and flies away as soon as it’s noticed. A proper troll, though stupid, has a basic cunning and some measure of persistence.
September 1st, 2009 at 9:02 pmI have to say that it would almost be better to see the gruesome David Addington standing in the docket than tired old Dick Cheney. Addington is just so outwardly hostile to congress and civil government in general that it would be great to see him dressed down and facing a prison sentence.
September 1st, 2009 at 9:05 pmAaron: “If you seriously think there is NO chance that healthcare reform will happen, invest in all those big health insurance companies that stocks dropped on the news of healthcare reform.”
I thought it was interesting that the Monday Insurance stocks went up because of weekend talk of no public option, the entire rest of the market tanked in three figures. That should show everyone something important: there is only one industry that actually stands to lose with a public option. Everyone else including all other businesses win.
September 1st, 2009 at 9:07 pm***
this thread is being
spammed by concern trolls.
:)
September 1st, 2009 at 9:15 pmpeople of any political strip that are over confident in their ability to forecast future events bore me. Arrogance and narcissism…
September 1st, 2009 at 9:15 pmcan’t we have dickhead cheney be on the receiving end of rendition for once, the final destination the hague? let’s see if his nuthuggers from faux follow him that far.
September 1st, 2009 at 9:19 pmgo rachel!
i was interrupted too many times, but i’m pretty sure she hit a home run…
September 1st, 2009 at 9:45 pmin pure respectable impeccable rachel style…
she had ridge on there for at least 3 segments! good conversation…
i did notice that, at the beginning, he had trouble looking her in the eye
when he spoke to her… she soon set him at ease…
OT
September 1st, 2009 at 9:45 pmIf you can catch the repeat of the Rachel Maddow show, it will be worth your time to see the lengthy interview she had with Tom Ridge.
She is a treasure for the liberals, making us proud every day with her cogent, obviously researched comments and interviews.
Actually, what they need to be saying is forget about the little guys who thought they were obeying the law, that’s a distraction. We need to be going after the policy makers.
September 1st, 2009 at 9:46 pmha!
September 1st, 2009 at 9:47 pmyay marie!
I am going to enjoy the theatre Obama is going to provide us. I just hope the end of this story includes justice for Cheney.
September 1st, 2009 at 10:00 pmLimit the investigation? Why? That wound needs to be thoroughly cleaned.
If you’ve done nothing wrong, you don’t have to worry.
Maybe Charles Manson isn’t such a bad guy and should be paroled.
September 1st, 2009 at 10:05 pmWhile I realize it is taking a comment out of context, I can’t help but to think of what Beavis and Butthead would say about Cheney opposing a torture probe.
September 1st, 2009 at 10:06 pmKaty, I noticed the same thing about Ridge’s lack of eye contact. Rachel is the best at politely discussing issues and facts. Ridge himself noted that at the end.
September 1st, 2009 at 10:10 pmCheney’s behavior indicates he thinks he is untouchable.
September 1st, 2009 at 10:26 pmObama has done nothing to dispel that notion.
How do you prosecute someone for committing illegal acts in the course of executing illegal orders?
September 1st, 2009 at 10:31 pmDuh!
September 1st, 2009 at 10:50 pmSimple to say,
Yes, Yes, YES!
September 1st, 2009 at 11:07 pmgrowaspine says:
Grow a brain. Stop being an ignorant brainwashed sheeple moron
September 1st, 2009 at 11:16 pmAlthough I fully agree that the persons ordering torture should be investigated (as well as those giving obviously sham legal opinions as a cover-up)
I really wonder if an investigation of the top can happen before an investigation of the lower ranks provides an overwhelming mountain of evidence against the top.
September 1st, 2009 at 11:56 pmThe only thing that bugs me about going after Cheney -Is No One Is Talking About Going After Bush!
September 2nd, 2009 at 12:42 amGet his stupid as* in the docket next to uber evil Cheney.
Well I se Blackwater just received a new contract from the Obama addmistration. Might as well start the investigations of Obama right along with the rest of this batch of lying, cheating, warmongers.
September 2nd, 2009 at 12:59 amI’ve not read anything but the posted article here, but I should think that it’s obvious that the investigation cannot be impeded by some limit on how high or low an office can or cannot be investigated. Any responsible official, right up to whoever* was sitting at POTUS’s desk in the Oval Office, is in the chain of responsibility for this one; several of them have said so quite publicly.
*I’m pretty sure Cheney occupied the President’s chair most of the time, but who knows, he might have let Shrub make a practice decision or two.
September 2nd, 2009 at 12:59 amThere’s no other choice but prosecuting Bush and Cheney. Leave the low level individuals who carried it out alone. Let their conscience deal with it, if they have one.
September 2nd, 2009 at 1:04 amI agree, Rich H.
It seems like we get an opinion about everything from everybody,
except the person that should be held accountable, George W.
Of course, cowards aren’t so much into accountability.
September 2nd, 2009 at 1:04 amThat’s why they surround themselves with incompetents to take the fall.
.
Any true examination looks at ALL players.
.
September 2nd, 2009 at 1:32 am.
Of course it’s NOT Highway robbery when…
… The Sheriff holds up the Stage Coach, is it?
.
September 2nd, 2009 at 1:55 amYES—HOLDER SHOULD INVESTIGATE CHENEY’S MISCONDUCT.
AND HOLDER SHOULD PURSUE PROSECUTION AGAINST GEORGE W. BUSH.
BUSH IS SEVERELY MENTALLY ILL (DR. JUSTIN FRANK, AN OUTSTANDING PSYCHIATRIST, WROTE A BOOK ABOUT BUSH’S MENTAL ILLNESS).
_____________________
SCANDALS! SCANDALS! SCANDALS!
DANGER! DANGER! DANGER!
GEORGE W. BUSH IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CRIMINAL STALKER AND SERIAL KILLER!
George W. Bush continuously criminally stalked Margie Schoedinger to the point that she could not get away from it, and she committed suicide in desperation to escape: he murdered her.
“In her suit, Margie Schoedinger states that George W. Bush committed sexual crimes against her, organized harassment and moral pressure on her, her family members and close relatives and friends. As Schoedinger said, she was strongly recommended to keep her mouth shut. . . . Furthermore, she alleges that George Bush ordered to show pressure on her to the point, when she commits suicide” (go to Google, type “blog of drizzten Margie Schoedinger,” and hit “Enter”).
“George [Bush is personally complicit] in the death (murder to be precise) of my friend Margie Schoedinger in September of 2003. Determining the exact whereabouts and contacts of . . . George Bush on September 21 thru 22, 2003, should be entirely lacking in difficulty” (Leola McConnell—Nevada Progressive Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate in 2010).
McConnell is correct: Bush applying pressure (continuously criminally stalking Margie Schoedinger) purposefully to force Schoedinger to commit suicide does in fact constitute murder where it culminated in her death.
Bush’s method of murdering Schoedinger cannot exist in a vacuum: he must have murdered other people in the same way.
Bush also used this sort of modus operandi to intimidate or terrorize people: it is physically impossible for it to have been otherwise insofar as he could implement such a modus operandi at all. Thus, sometimes Bush continuously criminally stalked people to terrify them by inflicting organized harassment against them, their family members, relatives, and friends—and furthermore—possibly their employers and/or contacts otherwise. Some of Bush’s victims were so scared and realized that the worst thing that could happen to them was that they would ultimately be murdered by him—for example—like Schoedinger. So it might have behooved any number of them to step down to whatever arbitrary and capricious demands of Bush or else he might have ordered to show pressure on them all the way to the point—when they commit suicide.
(There are thousands of copies of the information above on the Internet. Please feel free to go to any major search engine, type “GEORGE W. BUSH IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CRIMINAL STALKER AND SERIAL KILLER” or “George W. Bush continuously criminally stalked Margie Schoedinger to the point that she could not get away from it, and she committed suicide in desperation to escape: he murdered her” or “George W. Bush applying pressure (continuously criminally stalking Margie Schoedinger) purposefully to force Schoedinger to commit suicide does in fact constitute murder where it culminated in her death” or “George W. Bush continuously criminally stalked people to terrify them by inflicting organized harassment against them, their family members, relatives, and friends—and furthermore—possibly their employers and/or contacts otherwise,” hit “Enter,” and readily find hundreds of copies.)
(Please feel free to go to Google, type “GEORGE W. BUSH IS THE WORST PRESIDENT IN U.S. HISTORY blog of Andrew Wang,” and hit “Enter.”)
September 2nd, 2009 at 2:07 am_____________________
Andrew Wang
(a.k.a. “THE DISSEMINATING MACHINE”)
B.S., Summa Cum Laude, 1996
Messiah College, Grantham, PA
Lower Merion High School, Ardmore, PA, 1993
SlappyMORON
What is the point. No matter how much you beg us to pity you your posts will just get sent to the sewer where they belong. Post them late at night they last longer but no one sees them. As soon as they do they are gone. You are pathetic. You are stupid. Begging us constantly to pity you for BEING stupid and pathetic is just sad. Get some dignity and self respect for God sake
September 2nd, 2009 at 3:39 amYou are stupid. Blackwater does not exists, except in on going investigations. They changed the company name and you don’t even know that you slap-stupid b@stard.
September 2nd, 2009 at 4:45 am.
Wow. Jerry looks good. Last time I saw him, he had to go through the freight entrance to Zabar’s. I told him, “Jerry, next time you walk to Zabars, keep walking.” I guess he did.
He’s a real mensch, one of the few in Congress today. Of course, it’s not as hard if your district is the West Side of Manhattan. But still, he has been a pitbull in defending the Constitution and the rule of law.
Maybe it’s because he grew up seeing those numbers tattooed on people’s arms in those Jewish deli’s, as I did as a kid. Reading up on them was the beginning of my political education.
That’s how I know it’s the 70th anniversary of the Von Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact that ultimately led to WWII and a permanent split between the Socie’s & the Commie’s, even on the Upper West Side. They’re commemorating it in Poland this week, sadly. Show the article to your conservative friends. A little history will do them good. It might do us all some good, next time they propose a blitzkrieg or a concentration camp.
So, nu, it couldn’t hurt… Never again?
September 2nd, 2009 at 7:06 am.
.
Cheney is daring the DOJ to investigate and make more public his war crimes. Cheney’s only defense will, “I made you all safe by torturing other human beings.” All you really need to know about a guy like this is the fact he sends his daughter out to defend his torture decisions.
September 2nd, 2009 at 7:26 amBoth George Bush and Dick Cheney have publicly confessed to ordering the torture of detainees, which makes them guilty of conspiracy to commit torture under federal law. For the Attorney General to ignore this is simply mind-blowing.
September 2nd, 2009 at 11:49 amA three veterinarian team should examine Cheney because he is ,after all, a big horse’s ass.
September 2nd, 2009 at 1:04 pmExamine Cheney’s link to torture?
He ordered it thus he is a war criminal. Period.
September 2nd, 2009 at 5:15 pmvery thanks for article!
September 4th, 2009 at 10:52 am