ACLU: Key Player in Torture Scandal Nominated to No. 2 Post at Justice Dep

[sabra]

http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=19184&c=206

Key Player in Torture Scandal Nominated to No. 2 Post at Justice Department; ACLU Expresses Deep Concern With Embattled Appointee

WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today expressed deep concern that Timothy Flanigan, who served as deputy to then White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales, is being considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee to be deputy attorney general. The committee is scheduled to vote on his confirmation Thursday morning.

"Days after Private Lynndie England was convicted in the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse case, one of the principal architects of that scandal is up for a promotion," said Christopher Anders, an ACLU Legislative Counsel. "If Flanigan is confirmed, the nation’s top two law enforcement officials at the Justice Department will be lawyers who had major roles in creating the very scandal that they should be investigating."

At the White House, Flanigan was one of a handful of administration lawyers responsible for opening the door to abusive interrogation and detention policies in the war on terrorism. It was these interrogation policies, the ACLU said, that set the stage for the detainee abuse at Abu Ghraib prison and Guantanamo Bay.

For example, Flanigan is on record defending water-boarding, which simulates the sensation of drowning-as he told the American Prospect, "We did not want to leave permanent damage." In response to questions from Senate Judiciary Committee members, Flanigan said that he could not comment on whether mock executions, physical beatings or simulated drownings are inhumane.

[CountAllVotes]

1. how disgusting!

Is there not a way that WE THE PEOPLE can stop this kind of shit?

:puke:

Just what we need, another torturer with power!

:kick:

[rodeodance]

3. Gonzalus made it to the top with his record-nothing new.

[notadmblnd]

2. maybe some of his methods should be tried out on him

and then he'll be able to answer the question?

[lala_rawraw]

4. Okay this happened during Katrina... already said this over and over

[AZBlue]

5. Just like Randi Rhodes says....

...do their dirty work and break laws for them, get promoted.

:banghead:

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

6. "We did not want to leave permanent damage."

What he really meant was that they didn't want to leave physical evidence of torture. Never have so many, who so desperately deserve to be in prison, been appointed to such high positions in government---Bushco's signature. A bunch of fascist criminals, nothing more.

[Solly Mack]

7. it's not just the Torture Czar - it's the Torture Roundtable

Knights of Torture...

[SpiralHawk]

8. They need him in place so when the start torturing US citizens

here in the "homeland" (shudder) they will be perfectly "ethical" and "legal" according to their "standards."