Leahy Would Investigate Democrats, Too

[kpete]

Leahy Would Investigate Democrats, Too
By Daphne Eviatar 2/22/09 12:10 PM

In The New York Times’ Sunday piece on the “Truth Commission” proposed by Sen. Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) , which I wrote about last week, reporter Scott Shane notes that during an interview, Leahy said that any commission investigating abuse of detainees under the Bush administration should also investigate the role of Democrats in Congress who approved of the Bush policies.

While such investigations would be key to the legitimacy of any such commission, they may also be what dooms the idea from the start.

Despite the growing number of congressional Democrats who have come out in support of some sort of commission to investigate alleged Bush administration lawbreaking over the last eight years, it’s notable, though perhaps not surprising , that none of the Democrats who reportedly were briefed on the CIA’s abusive interrogation policies — including waterboarding — have signed on to Rep. John Conyers’ (D-Mich.) proposed legislation to investigate the Bush administration and Congress, or made any public statements favoring Leahy’s proposal.

more:
http://washingtonindependent.com/30926/leahy-would-investigate-democrats-too
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who acknowledges she was briefed on CIA tactics, recently grabbed headlines when she told Rolling Stone that she forsees prosecutions of Bush administration officials. However, she went on to specify that she’s interested in prosecuting former Bush administration officials such as White House Counsel Harriet Miers, Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and adviser Karl Rove for defying Congressional subpoenas — but not former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Vice President Dick Cheney, Office of Legal Counsel attorney John Yoo or others for devising and approving policies that encouraged the torture and abuse of terror suspects. Pelosi also said she wants an investigation into the politicization of the Justice Department. But she has never publicly supported, so far as I can tell, an investigation into the legality of the Bush administration’s abuse, torture and humiliation of detainees. (Glenn Greenwald at Salon has done a thorough job tracking various Democrats’ knowledge and potential complicity in those tactics.)

[Donnachaidh]

1. And he's absolutely RIGHT in doing that, too.

The enablers are just as bad as the ones who lied us into wars and the crapping on the Constitution that was done. WORSE, in fact - because we will always wonder if they could not have STOPPED the bullshit that went on.

[elocs]

2. What's the cry you always hear at DU? " Criminals must be held accountable".

That has to apply to everyone.

[rateyes]

3. That's the very reason Pelosi took impeachment off the table. She's complicit.

Don't forget that the room set up for warrantless wiretapping is in her friggin' district. She gets a TON of campaign contributions from AT&T. She signed on to torture and warrantless wiretapping, IMO. She's as guilty as Bush.

[fascisthunter]

4. I Would Hope So

I'm a Democrat and have been one since I started voting, because the ideals preached in this party are ideals I share. But when some opportunist ego-tripping creep abuses their power to enrich themselves, or propel their own careers, I want to see them held accountable.

[baldguy]

5. Do you think Blagojevich is the last crooked Democrat?