White House not likely to pardon torture officials, claims torture memos make pardons ‘unnecessary.’

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/11/25/torture-pardons-unlikely/

White House not likely to pardon torture officials, claims torture memos make pardons ‘unnecessary.’»

The Wall Street Journal reports today that the White House “isn’t inclined to grant sweeping pardons for former administration officials involved in harsh interrogations and detentions of terror suspects.” White House officials believe that the Justice Department’s torture memos make such pardons “unnecessary”:

Some Republicans have been pushing for President George W. Bush to grant pre-emptive clemency to officials who fear being investigated by Democratic critics. White House officials have countered that such pardons are unnecessary, these people say. The officials point to Justice Department legal opinions that supported the administration’s methods of detaining and interrogating terror suspects. <…>

Some former Bush administration officials have argued against a blanket pardon for post-9/11 activities, saying it would be tantamount to an admission that the Bush policies weren’t legal.

President-elect Barack Obama is reportedly unlikely to pursue criminal cases against officials responsible for authorizing and executing the Bush administration’s torture policies, but some Obama advisers are said to be in favor of “setting up a 9/11-style commission that would investigate counterterrorism policies and make public as many details as possible.”

[annabanana]

1. Those excuses to torture can't possibly hold up,. .

cna they? Shouldn't John Yoo be really really worried about now?

[UTUSN]

2. Fantastic, so let's go to the WRITERS and SIGNERS of the memos!1 n/t

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

3. Please, not a 9-11-style commission.

Anything but that.

Is Earl Warren still alive?

[librechik]

4. let the coverup continue!

:sarcasm:

[hootinholler]

5. Good News.

No pardons for the war crimes. I hope they stick to it. Following bad legal advice does not absolve one from a crime.

-Hoot

[babylonsister]

6. I think it's good news, too. I hope they stick to their guns. nt

[Winterblues]

7. If there are to be prosecutions or civil suits it will have to come from the people

Elected democrats are not about to rock the boat. They are still running very scared from the 1994 debacle..