Perjury indictment may be the LEAST of Gonzo's problems

[kpete]

Perjury indictment may be the LEAST of Gonzo's problems
by SilentBob
Sun Jul 29, 2007

Several Senators questioned the Guide's emphasis on prosecuting small cases of fraudulent registration - which a recent study found to be miniscule events. But no one mentioned the possibility that a lot of people in the DoJ could be facing prosecution for crimes that carry 10-year sentences. I am talking about an organized conspiracy to violate Section 241 of Title 18, the civil rights conspiracy statute.

......................

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) questioned the attorney general about changes recently made to the Justice Department's election crimes manual. The new version http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/pin/docs/electbook-0507.pdf, which replaced the 1995 manual, lowers the bar in terms of voter fraud prosecutions -- no longer cautioning against pursuing isolated, individual cases of fraud and softening language that had all but prohibited pursuing such cases before an election. "Two and possibly three of the fired U.S. attorneys were fired because they didn't bring those small cases that might affect an election," she observed. "Something's rotten in Denmark."

Here is what the DoJ itself has to say in another section of its website about Section 241. It looks like a lot of 10-year sentences are on the table for a lot of people, including Gonzo himself. After you read it, ask yourself why haven't the Democrats on the panel pushed this, and why aren't we pushing it?

"Section 241 of Title 18 is the civil rights conspiracy statute. Section 241 makes it unlawful for two or more persons to agree together to injure, threaten, or intimidate a person in any state, territory or district in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him/her by the Constitution or the laws of the Unites States, (or because of his/her having exercised the same).

Unlike most conspiracy statutes, Section 241 does not require that one of the conspirators commit an overt act prior to the conspiracy becoming a crime.

The offense is punishable by a range of imprisonment up to a life term or the death penalty, depending upon the circumstances of the crime, and the resulting injury, if any.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/7/29/62234/0510
http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/civilrights/statutes.htm

[MADem]

1. That's a powerful point, and here's why. When you have UNDERLINGS facing ten year stretches, they

suddenly become "less loyal." Sure, Gonzo gets the pardon, if needed -- but what about THEM?

Sing, sing, sing, sing!! Everybody's gotta sing!!!

[whistle]

14. Unless they are true believers, then they will equate suffering with salvation

...ten years in prison to show loyalty to the to BushCo is worth an eternity of gratefulness and recognition from the neocon cabal. :hurts: :nopity:

[MADem]

17. There are a lot of careerists in Justice. They can't shut ALL of them up...! nt

[whistle]

19. I hope and wish you are right

[cui bono]

35. Especially those who aren't guilty and are sick of what they see going on. n/t

[rfranklin]

27. That has only been true in one case I recall; G. Gordon Liddy...

who went to prison and never ratted our his co-conspirators. But every other Republican I can remember is a pussy who spilled his or her guts at the prospect of a prison term.

[vssmith]

16. Try Gonzo after Bush is out of office

[liberalnurse]

20. A pardon will not prevent

him from being disbarred from law practice with license revoked. :smoke:

[MADem]

26. Like he's gonna practice law again? He'll get one of those bullshit jobs, a

"seat" on a board or three where he gets hefty pay for doing...well, nothing.

It's how they do it.

[liberalnurse]

30. What was I thinking????

He has no conscious as he is a narcocisstic sociopath! He has no shame like most beings of humanity......

I'ts just so very hard to adjust to this distorted time in America....:banghead:

Thank you for putting me back on the path. :yourock:

[formercia]

38. They all know there's a cushy job in some think tank waiting for them

as long as they keep their mouth shut. The boys also make examples of people like me who dare question their actions. It serves as a lesson to those who would waver in their loyalty.

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. That's it. That's the one we'll ram them with.

Balls to the wall, boys. Balls to the wall.

[formercia]

3. And every person they ever screwed with

and tried to deny them their rights.

Junior and Karl are always looking for ways to screw someone or other.

[formercia]

4. Title 18 U.S.C. Section 241

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/civilrights/statutes.htm

Title 18, U.S.C., Section 241
Conspiracy Against Rights

This statute makes it unlawful for two or more persons to conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person of any state, territory or district in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him/her by the Constitution or the laws of the United States, (or because of his/her having exercised the same).

It further makes it unlawful for two or more persons to go in disguise on the highway or on the premises of another with the intent to prevent or hinder his/her free exercise or enjoyment of any rights so secured.

Punishment varies from a fine or imprisonment of up to ten years, or both; and if death results, or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for any term of years, or for life, or may be sentenced to death.

[mod mom]

5. Face the Nation had Leahy & Specter but of course this wasn't mentioned.

[salin]

6. first it could be called obstruction of justice, then corruption of justice, now:

subversion of justice.

Prosecute! But wait ... who prosecutes federal crimes... why its the department of subversion of justice itself.

What this administration has done to our govt is obscene.

[KoKo]

7. Feinsteins revealing the changes in the Justice Dept Manual got almost NO coverage...

and I did wonder why. But, Leahy and the others know and that might be a "card" they are holding off the table now....but could be important later. :shrug: That's my hope, at least. I don't think she would have focused her questions on it...if the Committee hadn't felt it was important.

[Subdivisions]

8. I'm with you on that one. Question is, is that "card" an ace in the

hole or just another dead end?

[malaise]

10. That did surprise me

K & R
KO needs to see this and DiFi's testimony.

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

37. Here.....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/documents/gonzalez_transcript_072407.html

FEINSTEIN: All right. Let me go to something else. You, of course, recognize these books, "The Federal Prosecution of Election Offenses." In prior hearings, we had the 1995 edition.

FEINSTEIN: Since May of this year, there is now a new edition. I'd like to read to you what has been dropped from the earlier edition.

The first thing that's been removed is this: "The Justice Department generally does not favor prosecution of isolated fraudulent voting transactions. This is based in part on constitutional issues that arise when federal jurisdiction is asserted in matters having only a minimal impact on the integrity of the voting process." This was removed in this new edition.

The second thing: "The Justice Department must refrain from any conduct which has the possibility of affecting the election itself." This is weakened on page 92. This language is removed. "Federal prosecutors and investigators should be extremely careful to not conduct overt investigations during the pre-election period of while the election is under way." Removed.

Then a sentence that's underlined in the '95 edition, which states thus: "Most, if not all, investigations of an alleged election crime must await the end of the election to which the allegation relates." It was removed in this new edition.

Weakened was this language: "It should also be kept in mind that any investigation undertaken during the final stages of a political contest may cause the investigation itself to become a campaign issue."

Why was it necessary to remove this language in this new edition in the Federal Prosecution of Election Offenses rules?

GONZALES: Senator, I don't -- sitting here today, I don't know the answer to that question. I would like to find out, because I am certainly committed to ensuring that we're smart in the way that we do investigations and prosecutions and we do in a way that doesn't intimidate voters, that doesn't chill potential voters from coming out and voting on Election Day.

So I would like the opportunity to look into this and respond back to you.

FEINSTEIN: Appreciate it. It becomes more relevant because two and possibly three of the fired U.S. attorneys were fired because they didn't bring those small cases that might affect an election.

And therefore, when one looks at this book now, sees a new book coming out in May '07 that deletes the very things that these U.S. attorneys were told to follow, something's rotten in Denmark.

GONZALES: Thank you for the opportunity for me to look into that.

FEINSTEIN: I appreciate that.

Thank you very much. My time is up

[YvonneCa]

23. And this timely...

...segment on PBS 'Now" program: http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/330/video.html

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1465368

[Frustratedlady]

9. I wondered why Diane brought that up, but now I see.

I wonder how many other "updates" they made to the language that would change the meaning to cover their butts?

The Dems must have a whole bunch of issues waiting to be exposed. They are dribbling and dribbling them out to us. Imagine how full the bucket will be when this cabal finally hollers "Uncle!" :popcorn: I'm stocked for the duration. Long time coming.

[Sam Ervin jret]

11. If they were organizing to deprive a group of people from say the right of free association or..

or the right to be free from illegal search. Was there not a law against the US collecting it's own data and using it against the people after the Nixon years? Didn't the Bush administration collect data from AT&T during the "Bomb" threat in Vegas? Didn't the U.S. Government take a program from one of the casino out there and use it to interpret ( it makes connections between people who might have been together at some time or have some other connection between them) data? Would this not be considered a conspiracy. Ho did they get AT&T to let them into their lines and how did they get the casino to give them that software?

Election fraud is #1 Get power

SPYING, DATA MINING #2 keep power

Perjury #3 Last desperate effort to keep power, or hand it down to the "right" people
which of course brings us right back to #1

[dickbearton]

12. K&R

[AntiFascist]

24. How deep does the conspiracy go?

Check out this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1462970&mesg_id=1467111

[codepinkdc]

13. Impeach him!

Finally someone is questioning Gonzales about something other than the obviously political firing of US Attorneys and realize that he is violating our constitution in so many ways!! The Justice Department's support of torture at Guantanamo Bay alone is cause to question Gonzales' adherence to the Constitution!

[liberaltrucker]

15. Link send to Rep Robert Aderholt (R-AL4)

Maybe it'll do some good. He's my Rep and is
getting pressure. AL-4, believe it or not, isn't
as conservative as CW would lead one to think.
:)

[AntiFascist]

18. K&R n/t

[Disturbed]

21. Many Rethugs in Congress are begging Gonzo to resign now.

I guess they think that if he is out of the spot light that the crimes of the Regime will be ignored.

[peacetalksforall]

22. I'm curious about the timing of the change. They were concerned

about the 2004 and 2006 elections. The 'manual' she held up said 1975. She said 1975. What are the timings of this change that omits this section (is section the right word to use?)? Wouldn't a manual of changes be fluid - loose leaf to show all the dates at the bottom or top? Wouldn't the dates of the change be determined, whether or not they bound the manual and dated it 1975? Did they change it it '73? Are they permitted to take something out? Who's in charge here and when did it all happen? Relative?

[mike6640]

28. I believe she said 1995

The book has been published since 1975. The 1995 version had the language and was the most recent version. A new version with softened or deleted rules was published in May of 2007.

[ocd liberal]

25. Major K & R!

[tom_paine]

29. We need someone with the guts to PROSECUTE

and not be afraid of the retaliation that will come. For nothing is more dangerous than a cornered Royal Bushie, and people die when that happens, at the very least people are destroyed, if not literally killed.

[KAT119]

31. K&R n/t

[Tab]

32. Well, hey, you don't have to commit an overt crime to be held indefinitely as an enemy combatant...

so that would be poetic justice, no?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

33. Congressmen who are aiding and abetting those in the DOJ should go down too

Anyone who is seen supporting or even 'turning a blind eye' to this scandal/tyranny should also be prosecuted. The majority of GOP Congressmen have so far supported Gonzales but if they are told they are accessories to the crime(s) then see how fast Gonzales will be 'out the door' and they will say of course 'who would ever had thought'.....'who could have imagined'

Even Arlen Spector is kind of coming round:popcorn: (don't take my popcorn away!!!!)

[MasonJar]

34. Can someone who knows how please e-mail this to Leahy and

Spector and Feinstein?

[defendandprotect]

36. All legislation must be followed as to the "spirit and intent of Congress" --- and

that would include, I presume, any publications which would deal with the spirit and intent of the laws passed by Congress.

Of course, THE DEMOCRATS HAVE DONE NOTHING YET ABOUT THE SIGNING STATEMENTS -- 1,000 OF THEM?????