Eric Holder to Follow Law in Justice Department

Photo from source, TPM Muckraker

Gee, wouldn't that be novel? A Justice Department who attempts to, I dunno, dish out some justice? Change is a beautiful thing.

[Excerpt]

Holder: I'm No Gonzo -- And I'll Go After Corporate Crime

"It is incumbent upon those of us who lead the Department to ensure not only that the nation is safe but also that our laws and traditions are respected. There is not a tension between those two. We can and we must ensure that the American people remain secure and that the great constitutional guarantees that define us as a nation are truly valued. For example, working with Republicans and Democrats in Congress, should I be confirmed, we look forward to actually structuring policies that are both protective and consistent with who we are as a nation."

Read more at: TPM Muckraker

Department of Justice Scandal Overshadowed by Economy

Image from source, TruthOut

George W. Bush may be a lame duck, but he's also a lucky duck. Of the many scandals and outrages of his administration, most are either swept under the carpet, ignored, or simply missed because of other news stories. Here's another one.

[Excerpt]

Justice Department Scandal Almost Buried by Financial Crisis

At any other time, what happened in the U.S. Justice Department last week would have been big news. At any other time, when internal reports by Justice Department call for more investigation into a case of unethical, if not criminal, conduct on the part of lawmakers and the White House, the administration would have a lot of explaining to do. . .

Read more at: TruthOut

Thanks to Stupid Monkey Planet for the link.

Alberto Gonzales Finally in Hot Water?

Image from source, AOL News

One of the biggest (political) fears I and many other Democrats have is that the Bush administration will get away scot-free for their many breeches of justice, and abuses of the Constitution. Occasionally we get thrown a bone, and think maybe, just maybe somebody will be held accountable.

At least there are people looking into it, and when they do that, Americans get to see a little of the unsavory things they've been up to--and that blogs like this have been raving about.

[Excerpt]

Former AG Accused of Playing Politics with Justice

Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, now under investigation for allegedly politicizing the Justice Department, ousted a top lawyer for failing to adopt the administration's position on torture and then promised him a position as a U.S. attorney to placate him, highly placed sources tell ABC News. . .

Read more at: ABC News

Thanks to Stupid Monkey Planet for the link.

Bush's Top 10 Dumbest Legal Arguments

Photo from source, Slate

Here's another year-end "Top 10" list. And what fertile ground they have to work with! I mean, how could you possibly whittle it down to just ten?

[Excerpt]

Legal Fictions

The Bush administration's dumbest legal arguments of the year.

This time last year, I offered up a top 10 list of the most appalling civil-liberties violations by the Bush administration in 2006. The grim truth is, not much has changed. The Bush administration continues to limit our basic freedoms, conceal its own worst behavior, and insist that it does all this in order to make us more free. In that spirit, it seemed an opportune moment to commemorate the administration's worst legal justifications and arguments of the year. And so I humbly offer this new year's roundup: The Bush Administration's Top 10 Stupidest Legal Arguments of 2007. . .

Read the list at: Slate

Schumer, Feinstein to Support Mukasey

Photo from source, TPMMuckraker

President Bush may be incompetent at most things, but there is one thing he's good at. Like a spoiled brat who knows just what buttons to push to get Mommy to give him a treat, Bush knows how to play Congress to get whatever he wants. It doesn't seem to matter what the issue is, Bush wins, even when he has a losing hand.

In this case, the replacement of Bush's best bud, Alberto Gonzales as Attorney General, Bush didn't even have to try. Like a battered wife, Congress already knows what he'll do if they don't give him what he wants. Pathetic.

[Excerpt]

Schumer, Feinstein to Support Mukasey

Here's Schumer's explanation, via Roll Call (sub. req.):

“I deeply esteem those who believe the issue of torture is so paramount that Judge Mukasey’s views on it should be the sole determinant of our vote,” Schumer said in a statement. “But I must respectfully disagree.

“The Justice Department is a shambles: politicized and demoralized. The belief and hope [is] that Justice Mukasey, with his experience, independence and integrity, can restore the department motivates my vote.”

Read it at weep at: TPMMuckraker

Should Bush and Gonzales be Tortured?

Photo from source, RawStory.com

I'm gonna say. . .well, I'd better just shut up and get to the excerpt!

[Excerpt]

Post editor says Bush, Gonzales should be tortured

An associate editor and columnist for the Washington Post says that until George W. Bush and others in his administration endure the "harsh" treatment to which terrorism suspects are subjected, then Bush "will be remembered as the president who tried to justify torture."

Read the story at: RawStory.com

Gonzales Lied Right Up to the End

How do I know?

This:

A senior administration official said today that Mr. Gonzales, who was in Washington, had called the president in Crawford, Tex., on Friday to offer his resignation. The president rebuffed the offer, but said the two should talk face to face on Sunday.

Followed by this:

As late as Sunday afternoon, Mr. Gonzales himself was denying through his spokesman that he was quitting. The spokesman, Brian Roehrkasse, said Sunday that he telephoned the attorney general about the reports of his imminent resignation “and he said it wasn’t true — so I don’t know what more I can say.”

Both from: NYTimes.com

(Photo from source)

Musical Chairs on the Titanic: Chertoff and Johnson

I reported yesterday (before the news of Alberto Gonzales' resignation) that DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff was being floated as a possible replacement. There have now been rumors that Bush crony Clay Johnson may replace Chertoff at DHS. There is much scuttlebutt that these names are only being floated to make the ultimate choices seem better by comparison. We can only hope.

[Excerpt]

CNN: Bush Plans To Install Inexperienced, Bush Loyalist Clay Johnson At Homeland Security

This morning, CNN’s Suzanne Malveaux reported that “very senior level sources” inside the administration are telling her that Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff will replace Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

Additionally, these sources say Chertoff will be replaced at Homeland Security by Clay Johnson III, the Deputy Director for Management at the Office of Management and Budget. . .

Read the rest, and watch the clip at: ThinkProgress.org

Swapping Gonzales with Chertoff?

Chertoff, everybody's favorite Bush lackey, is rumored to be replacing Alberto Gonzales. Will we notice a difference?

[Entire article--it's short]

Maybe Trading Up Soon at Justice
August 24, 2007 06:02 PM ET

The buzz among top Bushies is that beleaguered Attorney General Alberto Gonzales finally plans to depart and will be replaced by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. Why Chertoff? Officials say he's got fans on Capitol Hill, is untouched by the Justice prosecutor scandal, and has more experience than Gonzales did, having served as a federal judge and assistant attorney general.

Source: US News and World Report

More Greg Palast: On Data Mining

Greg Palast is overdue to burst through to the public consciousness. If you haven't read his stuff yet, do so now.

[Excerpt]

Busted & Crimes of The Times
Published August 1st, 2007 in Articles
By Greg Palast

Cutely buried in the 18th paragraph in a story about Alberto Gonzales on Sunday was a slyly-worded updated confession by the New York Times that, in 2004, the Bush Administration leaned on its editors to spike a story about illegal invasions of citizens’ private records (”data mining”). The Times editors smothered the story. They finally ran it - a year later - after Bush was safely re-elected.

As a journalist, this makes me want to throw up.

For two reasons:

To find out the reasons, you must visit: GregPalast.com

Strike That Last Post! Cheney Loves Alberto!

The very next thing I clicked on after writing that post, no joke.

Cheney defends embattled US attorney general

[Excerpt]

Cheney, asked in an interview with CBS radio whether Gonzales should keep his job, replied: "I do. I'm a big fan of Al's."

Read all about it at: RawStory.com

Gonzogate: Nobody Loves Alberto

How bad is it, when you go on the White House's favorite "News" channel, you have one of the most prominent neo-cons on, and you still can't get any support for Alberto Gonzales? Republicans were even asked to come to his defense, and, well, "Bueller? Bueller?" Nope, not even Ben Stein.

Watch this clip of FOX "News" Sunday to see what I mean:

The Bush Hits the Fan

Photo collage from source, HuffingtonPost.com

It's often said that this Congress was elected in November to end the war in Iraq. That's part of it. For me, another big part was two magic words: subpoena power.

Even the most hard-core right-winger would have to admit that during the previous years of the Bush Administration, there was precious little oversight. Congress ceased to be a separate but equal division of government--they were just a rubber stamp for anything the President wanted. When Democrats in the last Congress thought something was awry, they had absolutely no power to do anything about it. They couldn't even hold hearings in the Capitol, unless it was in a friggin' storage room in the basement.

So yes, a big part of the appeal of a Democratic Congress was the return of subpoena power. And that power is finally bearing fruit, or at least the promise of fruit. Tony Snow can rant and rave all he wants, this was overdue, and it is the "people's business."

My hope is that Congress remains steadfast, and builds upon this good start. Don't drop it, don't worry that the public isn't supporting you. Take these things to their conclusions, let the actual crimes and misdeeds be laid open. If you do that, you don't have to worry about public support. Once the string is pulled on this interconnected web of deceit, it will finally unravel, and it will not be difficult to attain that support. End of rant.

For a good rundown of some of what's going on right now, click here: Bush Crisis: Rove Subpoenaed, Senators Want Gonzales Perjury Probe, Contempt Of Congress at HuffingtonPost.com.

Docs Contradict Gonzales Sworn Testimony

Photo from source, HuffingtonPost.com

A great report from Keith Olbermann on MSNBC's Countdown program this evening, outlines clearly that Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez has committed perjury. Will my fears be borne out? Will they just let him skate?

[Excerpt]

Docs contradict Gonzales sworn testimony.

The "Gang of Eight", prominent congressional leaders of both parties, were briefed about the President's terrorist surveillance program immediately before it's intended expiration date, documents just exposed reveal.

The documents directly contradict the sworn testimony of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, heightening the questions of his credibility and fueling the rumours of perjury charges.

"A Gonzales spokesman maintained Wednesday that the attorney general stands by his testimony." according to the Associate Press.

More of this story, the complete AP story, and video from MSNBC available at: RawStory.com

UPDATE: More, from Huffington Post: Senators Consider Gonzales Perjury Investigation

Tuesday Night Roundup

Tonight was another night of entertaining, so I'm again short on posting time. Here are some of the stories you may have missed. I haven't watched the cable "news" shows, but I can assume they were wall-to-wall Lindsay Lohan. Here's what else happened today.

Alberto Gonzales had to appear before Congress again, and continued his "not recalling," "not knowing," and basically lying. Amazingly, Congress actually seems to be calling him on it: Special Prosecutor Weighed for Gonzales

Last night's YouTube Democratic Presidential Debate seems to have been a success, and has caused speculation that subsequent debates may seem boring by comparison. It has also spurred some actual sniping between candidates: Clinton, Obama Clash Over Diplomacy

My Senator, Harry Reid, continues to speak out loudly, clearly and truthfully about the Bush Administration. Like him or not, you have to admire his willingness to talk plainly and call them as he sees them: Reid: Bush's comments on Qaeda and Iraq are 'misguided and dangerous'.

Reid is also being used as a campaign fundraising target by the RNC. Thing is, that approach might backfire: GOP launches attack on Harry Reid for telling the truth.

And finally, Dear Leader just won't stop with the Iraq/9-11 conflation. Just give it up, already, we're not buying it anymore: Bush says Iraq war about al-Qaeda.