Charles Pierce: Eric Holder must go

[cali]

What in the several hundred names of god do these people think they're doing?

In all, the government seized the records for more than 20 separate telephone lines assigned to AP and its journalists in April and May of 2012. The exact number of journalists who used the phone lines during that period is unknown, but more than 100 journalists work in the offices where phone records were targeted, on a wide array of stories about government and other matters. In a letter of protest sent to Attorney General Eric Holder on Monday, AP President and Chief Executive Officer Gary Pruitt said the government sought and obtained information far beyond anything that could be justified by any specific investigation. He demanded the return of the phone records and destruction of all copies. "There can be no possible justification for such an overbroad collection of the telephone communications of The Associated Press and its reporters. These records potentially reveal communications with confidential sources across all of the newsgathering activities undertaken by the AP during a two-month period, provide a road map to AP's newsgathering operations and disclose information about AP's activities and operations that the government has no conceivable right to know," Pruitt said.

Yes, the Bush people wiretapped without warrants. Yes, they trod upon the rule of law. Yes, they set all manner of horrible precedents for future presidents to follow. Yes, the phone companies rolled over, the way they all rolled over, and doesn't the president's reversal on telecom immunity back during the 2008 campaign look even more interesting now? And, no, none of that matters.

<snip>

This isn't hard. This is what made Egil (Bud) Krogh famous. This is what got people sent to jail in the mid-1970s. This is the Plumbers, all over again, except slightly more formal this time, and laundered, disgracefully, even more directly through the Department Of Justice. And of course, this is not nearly good enough. And even if you point out, as you should, that the AP is hyping this story a little — The government "secretly" obtained the records? Doesn't that imply that nobody knew the records had been seized? Wasn't there a subpoena? The phone companies knew. — the ignoble clumsiness of this more than obviates those particular quibbles.

<snip>

That is all my arse. At the least, this was a counter-terrorism operation. (Why else would Brennan have been questioned already?). Which puts the whole business inside the White House. And you'd have to be a toddler or a fool to believe that Eric Holder could go off on his own and take as politically volatile a step as this. But, let us take the White House at its word. Eric Holder did this by himself. He should be gone. This moment. Not only is this constitutionally abhorrent, it is politically moronic. Nobody likes the press, I will grant you that, but the administration is soft if it thinks the public distrusts the press that much. And to have this genuinely chilling revelation emerge simultaneously with the Benghazi, Benghazi!, BENGHAZI! mummery and the IRS dumbassery is pretty much a full broadside below the water line of this administration's credibility. Good god, this is going to be one long-ass summer.

http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/The_DOJ_And_The_AP?src=rss

[graham4anything]

1. The haters would love getting rid of Holder and having anarchy reign.

[NightWatcher]

5. no, you see when one official is removed from office, they pick a replacement

In the meantime his underlings would still do the work. They'd just do it under different leadership.

Holder sucks and has done so for a long time.

[graham4anything]

12. The NRA hates him. I love him! Big hugs to Eric! He should be on SCOTUS.

the haters would love to see him fired though.

I don't give in to the NRA. Sorry.

[NightWatcher]

15. SCOTUS, umm please no. I hate him based on his medical marijuana stance

Ordering or allowing the DEA to harass sick and elderly medical marijuana users is shameful and mean. These people are sick and suffering not living in mansions like Scarface

[graham4anything]

17. I don't hate anybody. Liberals aren't taught how to hate.

That is the difference I think between a liberal and a progressive.

Hate is just so opposite what the Summer of Love was.

I don't even hate Ralph Nader, in fact, if he were a democratic candidate, I would have voted for him but I do hate that he sold himself out and short.

[Blue_Tires]

19. I'm now thinking the ONLY reason Holder has kept his job this long

Is because Obama knows the repubs will indefinitely block/hold/stall the confirmation process for any replacement...

[NightWatcher]

21. and that makes me sick. I wish he could recess appoint the whole lot of them

One Monday when Congress comes back they'd see a bunch of moving trucks as the Appointees just showed up and started working.

[graham4anything]

13. I think you mean this reply to the OP not me. I am on Eric Holder's side. He is cool with me.

[John2]

22. It seems funny to me.

Let me get this straight now. The article is arguing Eric Holder who reclused himself from this investigation snould be fired for it? It seems like the same argument about Rice and the CIA who was responsible. So people are trying to tag Obama. My thinking is by Holder reclusing himself, the DOJ was acting independently of the White House so as not to make it look political. Are all the people working for the DOJ Democrats or career lawyers?

[geek tragedy]

2. you Better Believe It!

Which puts the whole business inside the White House. And you'd have to be a toddler or a fool to believe that Eric Holder could go off on his own and take as politically volatile a step as this. But, let us take the White House at its word. Eric Holder did this by himself. He should be gone.

Never mind that Holder didn't do it at all, having recused himself from the case.

By the way, when do we get your apology for accusing Sherry West of being in on the murder of her baby?

[cali]

8. As i never accused her, you will never get an apology, dear.

I said I was suspicious of her. When it became evident that those suspicions were unfounded, I said so. that's all you get

And sorry, but I was suspicious of the woman in Nebraska who claimed that she suffered a homophobic attack. Turned out she did it to herself. I was suspicious of the Jewish kid who claimed falsely that he was beaten for being Jewish. Sometimes suspicions turn out to be correct. Sadly, people are involved in horrible things that they blame on others.

And sorry, I'm not buying what Holder's selling. Neither does Pierce and you're going to hear that from many more- including elected dems. Holder is where the buck stops at the DoJ.

[geek tragedy]

14. "when it became evident that those suspicions were

unfounded, I said so."

False memory, I'm afraid. Unless by "I said so" you mean "I stopped talking about the subject."

http://www.google.com/search?q=cali+sherry+west&sitesearch=democraticunderground.com&safe=active

You're more than welcome to claim that Holder is lying about having recused himself. You and Darrel Issa.

[cali]

18. nope. I said so

furthermore, this is hardly an accusation:

The other day, someone on DU who I like and respect, pm'd me, asking why I didn't just admit that I was wrong in finding the mother, Sherry West to be suspicious. Couldn't I just publicly admit that I was wrong, the DUer asked? I responded that I still wasn't entirely comfortable with the mother's story. Now, maybe I am a hundred percent wrong and if so, I will publicly admit to that, but I'm not there yet. There have been too many stories in the past that haunt me where people wrongly accuse others of something they perpetrated. Now clearly I'm not saying that West actually shot herself and the baby but she could have been behind it.


That is not an accusation and I later did say I was wrong to be suspicious, but do keep making up dog shit. It's so.... ooh, I know, Darrel Issa of you. And do keep cheering on any abuse so long as it's dem approved. It's so loyal puppy of you. And loyal puppies are just so cute.

[geek tragedy]

20. You said you were wrong to be suspicious?

I'm gonna go waayyyyy out on a limb and suggest you can't find a link stating that.

When the police said she was "not a suspect" your reply was "hardly clearing her."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2571487

Lie to yourself if you must, but don't lie to us.

[randome]

3. I like the blithe conclusion that the White House is involved. I mean, it's so obvious!

[hr]
[font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font]
[hr]

[geek tragedy]

4. Never mind that not even Holder was involved.

Fact-free conspiracy mongering--for irresponsible voices on the left too!

Lots of people have more in common with Darrel Issa than they realize.

[MjolnirTime]

7. Holder will remain AG. And you will continue to bash him, I'm sure.

Who wins?

[ProSense]

9. This is what happens

Yes, the Bush people wiretapped without warrants. Yes, they trod upon the rule of law. Yes, they set all manner of horrible precedents for future presidents to follow. Yes, the phone companies rolled over, the way they all rolled over, and doesn't the president's reversal on telecom immunity back during the 2008 campaign look even more interesting now? And, no, none of that matters.

<...>

That is all my arse. At the least, this was a counter-terrorism operation. (Why else would Brennan have been questioned already?). Which puts the whole business inside the White House. And you'd have to be a toddler or a fool to believe that Eric Holder could go off on his own and take as politically volatile a step as this. But, let us take the White House at its word. Eric Holder did this by himself. He should be gone. This moment. Not only is this constitutionally abhorrent, it is politically moronic. Nobody likes the press, I will grant you that, but the administration is soft if it thinks the public distrusts the press that much. And to have this genuinely chilling revelation emerge simultaneously with the Benghazi, Benghazi!, BENGHAZI! mummery and the IRS dumbassery is pretty much a full broadside below the water line of this administration's credibility. Good god, this is going to be one long-ass summer.

...when you keep reacting to and posting information based on the initial reports. People were demanding the facts in Benghazi, but somehow want to draw conclusions on the AP report, which is by the way their version of what happened to them. It also led to a lot of flawed conclusions, giving the impression that AP was the target.

Holder: ‘This Was A Very Serious Leak’
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022842283

DOJ Defends Subpoenas To AP: We’re Enforcing The Law
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022842962

[MetasticTwine]

10. What a load of stinking garbage

Pierce is completely off base on this article.

My opinion of the man is greatly diminished after reading his uninformed piece of tripe.

[Hamlette]

11. Pierce is usually better than this

I don't have enough facts to start lynching people, I suspect Pierce doesn't either.

[graham4anything]

16. Charlie Pierce a sportswriter is a Teddy Kennedy hater from day one.

more than that one don't need to know about him.

[apples and oranges]

23. So what's YOUR opinion? You're just gonna cut and paste some BS with no comment?

[MineralMan]

24. Yes. You have it, exactly.