CONYERS TO YOO: Testify voluntarily or face subpoena

[kpete]

http://rawstory.com/images/other/042808%20to%20addington.pdf

Conyers to torture memo author: Testify voluntarily or face subpoena
Nick Juliano
Published: Monday April 28, 2008


House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers has threatened to subpoena several former officials in the Bush administration if they do not agree to testify about their roles in the preparation of the so-called "torture memos" that authorized severe interrogation tactics in the war on terror.

Conyers (D-MI) sent letters to former Deputy Assistant Attorney General John C. Yoo, Chief of Staff to the Vice President David Addington, and former Attorney General John Ashcroft.

In each of the letters, Conyers provides a May 2 deadline for response or, he says, "I will have no choice but to consider the use of compulsory process."

The three officials have offered various excuses as to why they are unable to testify, but Conyers said those excuses are not good enough.

"Today we face a severe national challenge over charges related to the allegedly harsh treatment of detainees in U.S. custody, reportedly done with legal authorization of the Department of Justice and explicit approval from the highest officials in our government," Conyers wrote to Addington (.pdf). "These are serious matters that substantially impact our national security, the safety and well-being of our troops around the world, and our nation's legal and moral standing. ... Multiple sources place you at the center of these momentous events."


more at:
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Conyers_to_torture_memo_author_Testify_0428.html

[Ichingcarpenter]

1. 'Inherent Contempt" 'Inherent Contempt" 'Inherent Contempt"

Nothing will happen unless he uses his Constitutional Powers
and sends in the Sergeant of Arms. Letters are worthless and he knows it.

[Warpy]

2. Yoo knows he can thumb his nose at a Congressional subpoena

and never face any consequences.

Even if they nail these bastards with inherent contempt and try them in Congress, Stupid will pardon the lot of them as his last nose thumb to America.

Their best bet is to do what they're doing, drag the whole thing out until Stupid no longer has pardon power. He will try a preemptive pardon, but I doubt that will stand up when no charges have ever been levied, not even with the Nixon precedent.

Chances are the Nixon precedent wouldn't have held up had Congress had the backbone to charge him, something that probably should have been done at the time, now that we have 34 years of hindsight.

[democrank]

3. But,,,but,,,

what about Rev. Wright?

[madrchsod]

4. yoo says fuck you conyers.... we do anything we want

and there is nothing you or anyone else can do about it

[bdamomma]

30. it is pure ARROGANCE.

I wish they would choke on the word.

[Richard Steele]

5. Big fat hairy deal deal. That naive "subpoena" idea is SOOO pre-coup.

Just more masturbation from a no-longer-relevant Congress.

[SpiralHawk]

21. "So pre coup? Hardly, Dude. The coup is, like, totally timeless." - Commander AWOL

[L. Coyote]

6. Getting closer to impeachment?

[VP505]

7. That ought to get

Yoo shaking in his boots and chewing his fingernails!.:sarcasm:.:sarcasm:.:sarcasm: Imagine being threatened with a "subpoena", and then what, another strongly worded letter? Makes me wonder if those making these kinds of threats have any clue how silly they appear when nothing ever happens in the way of accountability from it.

[Subdivisions]

8. [phone] n/t

[ColbertWatcher]

9. Well, here's why we're hearing so much about...

...pastorbating!

[dkofos]

10. Quit being such a wuss and just subpoena the dirtbags.

[malaise]

11. About time n/t

[Uncle Joe]

12. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, kpete.

[Winterblues]

13. Isn't there some way we can get Congress to up Iraq war spending instead?

Instead of wasting all this time on trying to hold anyone accoun table why can't we just spemd all of America's treasury on War? I am sure that would be a much better useage of Congress's time...:shrug:

[bushmeister0]

25. Yes there is: What about the troops and all the porn they're reading! Something must be done.

Congress must act NOW!

Congressman Paul Broun of Georgia introduces the Military Honor & Decency Act (H.R. 5821)

"I am deeply concerned for the welfare of our troops and their mission. Allowing the sale of pornography on military bases has harmed military men and women by escalating the number of violent, sexual crimes, feeding a base addiction, further eroding the family as the primary building block of society, and denigrating the moral standing of our troops both here and abroad."

http://fundiewatch.blogspot.com/2008/04/porn-doesnt-support-our-troops.html

Finally, somebody who gets it!

[ORDagnabbit]

14. oooooo conyers threatening to subpoena someone again....ooooo scary....

congress has no power anymore...

[Orsino]

15. Slow-walking it into 2009. n/t

[bluesmail]

16. Conyers is still building a heap of evidence of breaking the

rule of law. I do believe they have a plan and a plan B.

[jtrockville]

17. Let's hope "Plan B" isn't to kick the can down the road...

What's a congressional subpoena worth these days anyway? I bet Miers and Bolton can tell 'ya.

[crimsonblue]

22. Let me guess...

Plan A: Do nothing.
Plan B: Act like you care when the people notice.

[G_j]

18. subpoenas, no big deal

just ignore 'em.
nobody will do anything about it.

[warren pease]

19. But I'm sure the letters were strongly worded, and...

...full of words like "deplorable" and "unacceptable" and "unfortunate" and "disappointing" and so forth. Just the think to scare Yoo's felonious, war criminal ass onto the next non-stop to Dulles and hire himself a couple of really sharp criminal defense lawyers.

Either that or forward it to him care of Club Med, The Bahamas. Should reach him by the time Conyers decides to fold again.


wp

[Booster]

20. Threats with no spine attached = "big deal".

[Occulus]

23. Please pardon me, I need to vent...

WHY the FRAK is he TELEGRAPHING his NEXT MOVE??

"And, in other news, at 4AM tomorrow, five houses on the East Side will be raided for suspected drug activity, specifically cocaine. Police have reason to believe several hundred pounds of the drug are being stored between the five houses. Anyone within the abodes will be arrested and charged with drug crimes.

This has been your eleven o'clock nightly news. Goodnight."

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[L. Coyote]

24. K & R & Impeach two too

[HamdenRice]

26. What fucking compulsory process???

I respect Rep. Conyers, but hasn't he realized that under the Bush regime, anyone he issues a subpoena to can flip the bird to Congress and say fuck off, I'm not coming?

How is Woo going to be any different from Meirs or a host of other criminals who just don't show up when summoned to our toothless congress?

[bean fidhleir]

27. Wow, Conyers is so TOUGH! Except where it really matters.

Like when it comes to the BushCo Criminals-in-Chief.

[bdamomma]

28. stop with the letters, and subpoena these bastards.

and if they do not comply arrest them, enough is enough.

[spanone]

29. i'd like to think this is a step toward justice, but i'm all out of optimism

[SammyWinstonJack]

31. ...

:silly: Bet they are shaking in their boots! :evilgrin: