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N.Y. Times Calls for Impeachment of Federal Judge

Posted by satijournal • 4/19/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: bush, obama, politics, rove

Jay Bybee, [formerly] an assistant attorney general and now a federal judge, wrote admiringly about a contraption for waterboarding that would lurch a prisoner upright if he stopped breathing while water was poured over his face. He praised the Central Intelligence Agency for having doctors ready to perform an emergency tracheotomy if necessary.

[The] memos [recently released to the public] are not an honest attempt to set the legal limits on interrogations, which was the authors’ statutory obligation. They were written to provide legal immunity for acts that are clearly illegal, immoral and a violation of this country’s most basic values.

These memos make it clear that Mr. Bybee is unfit for a job that requires legal judgment and a respect for the Constitution. Congress should impeach him. And if the administration will not conduct a thorough investigation of these issues, then Congress has a constitutional duty to hold the executive branch accountable. If that means putting Donald Rumsfeld and Alberto Gonzales on the stand, even Dick Cheney, we are sure Americans can handle it.
www.nytimes.com/2009/04/19/opinion/19sun1.html

Obama recently said he wants to look forward -- not dwell on the past. A lot of people are suffering now because of what happened in the past. And we have a right to know the truth about our elected officials. After all, we pay their salaries.

Impeaching Bybee would be one small step in the right direction.

Thoughts?

User Comments

4/19/09

Anok

I couldn't help but think to myself, while reading the first paragraph you quoted, "So....if I provide a clean needle and an emergency responder kit in case of overdose, I get to deal heroin and not be charged with it because I offered and provided safeguards during the illegal act?"

I'd sure like to use an excuse like that in front of a judge, right? "Well I did run the stoplight, judge, but I administered first aid to the lady I hit...." I was driving drunk, but I..." well, you get the idea.

I'm not trilled that Obama has half assed the investigations/allegations however....he did not indicate that it was all said and done, and he is releasing seriously damaging information right now.

I will wait patiently, for a little while, until the economy and other immediate needs are addressed fully before he turns to this. There is no statue of limitation son war crimes, torture, etc...

[reply]
1. 4/19/09
  
  satijournal
  
  Good analogy, Anok. With all these reports being made public, after a while, groups are going to put enough pressure on Congress to take some action. Maybe. We're still waiting for Karl Rove to testify.
  
  Have you seen the movie Battle in Seattle? I watched it this evening and thought of you. It's pretty good movie about the WTO protests back in the mid 90s in Seattle.
2. 4/19/09
  
  Anok
  
  Oh, no I haven't seen it.
  
  Yet another movie on my "to watch list". I'd be able to watch a lot more of them if I could just get off BC....
3. 4/20/09
  
  Agit8r
  
  if you watch it you wind up on the DHS "left" watch list though... falls under "antiglobalism"
  
  Big Brother is Watching o_O
4. 4/20/09
  
  Anok
  
  I'm pretty sure I'm already on that list
5. 4/20/09
  
  Agit8r
  
  lol, With all the crap I talk, I'm probably on both lists
4/19/09

satijournal

Khalid Shaikh Mohammed was water boarded 183 times.

www.nytimes.com/2009/04/20/world/20detain.html

[reply]
4/20/09

Agit8r

Yeah, impeach the sleeze. He doesn't belong in the legal system of a free country

[reply]