ABA slams Bush for abuse of signing statements

[Seabiscuit]

A bipartisan panel of legal scholars and lawyers assembled by the American Bar Association is sharply criticizing the use of "signing statements" by President Bush that he applies as a means of ignoring or not enforcing laws passed by Congress.

In a report to be issued today, the ABA task force said Bush has lodged more challenges to provisions of laws than all previous presidents combined.

The panel members described the development as a serious threat to the Constitution's system of checks and balances, and they urged Congress to pass legislation permitting court review of such statements.

"The president is indicating that he will not either enforce part or the entirety of congressional bills," said ABA President Michael Greco, a Massachusetts attorney. "We will be close to a constitutional crisis if this issue, the president's use of signing statements, is left unchecked."

The report seemed likely to fuel the controversy over signing statements, which Bush has used to challenge laws ranging from a congressional ban on torture and a request for data on the Patriot Act, to whistle-blower protections and the banning of U.S. troops in fighting rebels in Colombia.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/07/24/MNGTLK4A401.DTL

[unhappycamper]

1. Here's a link to the Task Force & its report:

http://www.abanet.org/op/signingstatements/

[Seabiscuit]

3. Thank you! n/t

[RufusEarl]

2. Finally

I've been posting here again and again, that we needed some smart people in this country to stand up and complain about this admin.

Well imho it finally happened, the ABA stood up! These very smart people took a stand, and have warned the powers that be that if we don't put a stop to this admin, we're going to lose our republic.

I listened while the ABA laid out the problems how this admin through signing statements have created a constitutional crisis in this country. Now we have to wait and see if the media will inform the people of our country.

If the media fails to do their job, and this very important information doesn't get the attention it deserves, then imho our country will be lost to history.

[Seabiscuit]

4. I doubt the Faux/Limpballs media will talk about it.

I found it on Google News. So it will make its rounds on the 'net but whether or not anyone will mention it anywhere on Cable or Network TV news remains to be seen.

Air America should run some stories about it, but I doubt other radio talk shows will.

It is a hopeful sign, however, that when all of the institutions of government, including the fourth estate, the media, fail us, at least the most prominent attorneys in the country, the leaders in the ABA, are still willing to speak up about this administration's trashing of the law and the Constitution.

[RufusEarl]

5. The NYT did a story on it, i don't have a script to the Times.

I heard about the story here on DU, but it was positive.

[reprat]

6. King George

Mark my words!!! Bushlite will send out his attack dogs, Cheney&Rove to not only discredit the ABA but to inform the rest of us that all members are not only unpatriotic but probably support terrorism! If that doesn't work, watch out for the terrorist alert colors to change from yellow to red!!!

[Seabiscuit]

7. I know they're stupid but if they do that then they're truly brain dead.

Such a wingnut strategy could only backfire - I can't imagine any judge in this country that could tolerate such an idiotic attack on an institution, the ABA, as close to a "sacred cow" in this country as any is with just about everyone.

[hamsterjill]

8. Bush Supreme Court Appointees

Are they not members of the ABA?

I cannot imagine anything more negative for this administration than having the most recognized national legal association condemn what Bush is doing, but I think the posts here are correct in that it's not getting much press. And, goodness knows, I wish it would.

I have despised George Bush since the day he stole the election, but today, my daughter's boyfriend, who is a pilot in the air force, was shipped off to Iraq, so I am particularly despising of Bushie today. And I know there are a lot of other parents and family members of other young people being shipped off who feel just as I do.

God, I hope the people of this country WAKE UP before the next election.

[Seabiscuit]

9. Membership in the ABA is voluntary.

I don't know if the Bush appointees are members. They certainly don't stand out in their field, however, the way the ABA leaders do.

I've noticed on Google News that there are over 500 news articles about it, including all the major US newspapers, and groups such as ABC, CBS, etc. However, whether it even makes Network news is another thing, and although Lou Dobbs is devoting part of his program on it on CNN, I can't see it getting much play on FOX, MSNBC, or CNN in general, if at all, beyond the Dobbs bit.

I can't imagine what it would be like to have a family member shipped off to Iraq.