Alberto Says, Bush “Has Got the Power”

[kerrygoddess]

Alberto Says, Bush “Has Got the Power”
January 20th, 2006

The Bush administration — via mouthpiece, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales — sent a 42-page white paper to Congress yesterday outlining their legal justifications that Bush “has got the power” under the Constitution to order warrantless eavesdropping on U.S. citizens. They’re trying to pass the buck on this one, but no one really seems to be buying. Even some leading conservatives are calling for extensive hearings on NSA surveillance.

The WaPo reports, all in the same breath, that the Justice Department’s report is “the administration’s most detailed legal defense to date of its surveillance program” and “the administration has offered many of the same arguments orally in defending the program since its existence was disclosed last month.” Glad to see they got this all down on paper…

For example, Gonzales asserted that the president’s power to protect the country with surveillance was reaffirmed when Congress passed a resolution in October 2001 that authorized the president to use military force against al Qaeda and to deter future terrorist attacks.

“The program was designed to be protective of civil liberties,” Steven G. Bradbury, acting assistant attorney general for the department’s Office of Legal Counsel, said yesterday in a briefing with reporters. “It’s not a blank check that says the president can do whatever he wants.” Bradbury said the president has a special role — and duty — to take whatever military action is needed to counter attacks on the United States, and those actions necessarily include intercepting telecommunications and e-mail.

MORE & LINKS - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=1705

[TaleWgnDg]

1. I wouldn't expect Gonzales to do anything less than to

draft a document supporting GWBush's legal stance regarding warrantless searches circumventing the FISA courts. After all, he was one of the authors of the executive branch's legal memo arguing that torture may be constitutional as to the president (as commander-in-chief) or to someone the president delegates, correct?

I'd love to read this new *gem* . . . the one about torture made no rational legal sense, how about this latest one?

How soon is 2008? I can hardly wait.

[KeepItReal]

2. Alito and Gonzales listened to too much of Snap's "I've Got The Power"

I mean it was a great song, but damn!!

[BlueIris]

9. "He could break my heart/He could break my heart apart..."

Ahem. Sorry. Damn I wish it were 1990 again, though. 41 would be SO much prefereable to 43...

[leftstreet]

3. Abu Gonzales is a paid operative

Worthless.

[EFerrari]

4. That's Torquemada to you.

It always surprises me when one of my brown guys believes that BFEE money can make him white, powerful and immune to the laws of gravity.

Caramba.

[driver8]

5. Oh, well...if Gonzales says it, it must be true.

I feel so much better now knowing that Alberto has set everyone straight. I would hate to see our hard working, decent, honest president get into any trouble.

Hell, he's busy saving 'Merka...and by God that's hard work!

Alberto is doin' a heckuva job.

[Neil Lisst]

6. Gonzalez has been Bush's flunky for ten years.

He's a lousy lawyer, too, his resume notwithstanding.

[cornermouse]

7. Gonzales thinks its all right to torture people.

I don't agree.

[xchrom]

8. gonzales would defend bush's right to yell ''fire''

in a crowded movie theatre.

[0007]

10. Cough cough 'Tis for the protection of OUR people

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales has the power?

[Vickers]

11. Tortureboy telling ME about civil rights and the Constitution?

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[kentuck]

12. We say, "He Does Not Got The Power"

We say no man is above the law - not George W Bush and not Alberto Gonzalez. We say they should be put in front of a criminal court.