Follow on TwitterFormer Justice Dept. Chief: Obama Gave Bush Officials ‘A Get Out of Jail Free Card’
In an exclusive interview with Brad Jacobson for The Raw Story, a former acting Justice Department chief J. Gerald Hebert (who served the DOJ in various positions between 1973 and 1994), had this to say about the Obama Administration’s failure to hold public officials to account:
“It’s one thing to want to appear like you’re above the political fray and your cases aren’t motivated by politics,” Hebert pointed out. “But it’s another to not hold people accountable and to not bring justice.”
He also said that running the Justice Department in such a manner sets a “dangerous precedent.”
“Bush and Cheney are not above the law,” Hebert concluded. “Whether it’s the president, the vice president or any federal office holder who violates the Constitution or federal law, or there are serious allegations suggesting that such violations may have existed, then the Department of Justice has a duty and an obligation to fully investigate that.
“And if there are no consequences to any of the actions that violated the federal law in the last administration, then why would anybody think that they would ever be prosecuted for doing it in the future?”
The entire article can be read HERE.
Fox News Legal Analyst, Napolitano, Says Bush And Cheney Should Be Indicted
Ralph Nader appeared on C-Span2′s Book TV with Fox News senior judicial analyst, Andrew Napolitano, to discuss his new book, “Lies the Government Told You”.
For all the differences between ‘Naderism’ and Ron Paul’s brand of conservatism — which Napolitano subscribes to — they are clearly on the same page when it comes to government accountability. In this exchange, Nader and Napolitano discuss Bush and Cheney’s violations of Habeas Corpus:
Napolitano: … What President Bush did with the suspension of habeas corpus, with the whole concept of Guantanamo Bay, with the whole idea he could avoid and evade federal laws, treaties, federal judges, and the constitution was blatantly unconstitutional, and in some cases criminal.
Nader: What’s the sanction for President Bush and Vice President Cheney?
Napolitano: There has been no sanction except for what history will say about them.
Nader: What should be the sanction?
Napolitano: They should have been indicted. They absolutely should have been indicted. For torturing, for spying, for arresting without warrant. I’d like to say they should be indicted for lying, but believe it or not, unless you’re under oath, lying is not a crime — at least an indictable crime. It’s a moral crime.
Nader: So you think George W. Bush and Dick Cheney should — even though they’ve left office — they haven’t escaped the criminal laws. They should be indicted and prosecuted.
Napolitano: [...] the evidence … is overwhelming, when you compare it to the level of evidence required for a normal indictment, that George W. Bush, as President, and Dick Cheney, as Vice President, participated in criminal conspiracies to violate the federal law, the guaranteed civil liberties of hundreds, maybe thousands, of human beings.
It’s rather encouraging to hear this coming from a guy who often fills in for wing-nut Glenn Beck, when the host is away.
SEE THE CLIP: 
Ann Coulter’s Favorite Democrat, Harold Ford, For New York Senate?
I’ve been watching former Tennessee Congressman and bank executive Harold Ford Jr. as a contributor on MSNBC for some time, and this guy has always struck me as the typical finger-to-the-wind beltway insider. You know, the status-quo politician — always looking to spew the beltway establishment talking points, proud to be far to the right of his most Conservative colleagues; puts entrenched interests above those of the electorate.
He recently announced that he intends to make a run in the NY Democratic primary for US Senator. He moved to New York City a year ago.
Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) said to Politico’s Jonathan Martin of Ford’s intentions:
“If he thinks that its an appealing argument to position yourself as being somebody who will stand up to Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer, well I don’t think we need another Joe Lieberman.”
Ouch! I suspect that sort of sentiment will be a favorite talking point of his opponent, Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.
Brave New Films has put together a scathing new compilation of video clips showing Harold Ford, in his own words, stating he’s pro-gun, anti-choice (here he advocates outlawing abortions); boasting that he supported Bush’s tax cuts for the rich, is in favor of NSA warrantless wiretapping, wants the 10 Commandments posted in courtrooms across the state, favors school prayer, wants an anti-flag burning constitutional amendment, and opposes same-sex marriage. Ann Coulter states that Harold Ford is her favorite Democrat, which speaks volumes.
WATCH:
Here’s Harold Ford on Chris Matthews parroting Dick Cheney talking points, while trying to make the case that torture should not be investigated:
FORD: … So in this sense I think having the conversation about what happened and whether or not at Guantanamo Bay, and I’m not as outraged as some are about it because as much as I think some of those techniques were enhanced and might have risen to a level of torture you have to remember when this was occurring.
This is 2002, 2003. The country was in a different place, in a different space. And if you were to say to me, as an American, put aside my partisanship, that we have an opportunity to gain information that would prevent the destruction of an American city, to prevent killings in American cities, and we have to use certain techniques, I’m one of those Americans that would have voted a certain way, Chris. And that polling said it might have been torture, but I’m not as outraged.
MATTHEWS: You are veering into Cheney country here. The destruction of an American city. What evidence did you ever have that the enemy had a nuclear weapon that could blow up an American city? Where’d that..that’s Cheney talk. That is..that’s what he uses to justify torture. We have no evidence that any enemy of ours had a nuclear weapon.
And this guy’s running for the Senate seat in the liberal state of New York?
My guess is he’s hoping NY Republicans and conservative Democrats, alike, will fully back him since the GOP has been unable to find a contender of their own to face off against Gillibrand.
Republicans have had plenty of help from Blue Dogs over this last year in obstructing all progressive initiatives. After the recent health care debacle (courtesy of Ben Nelson, Joe Lieberman, and the other Blue Dogs), it appears to be a promising ‘Trojan Horse’ strategy for a failed GOP.
Obama’s Betrayal Of The Left Spells Problems For The Democratic Party
Back when Candidate Obama was working the campaign trail across the country, his message of hope — of overcoming entrenched interests in pursuit of meaningful and necessary change — inspired and stirred a nation. He marketed his message in an ingenious mantra, “Yes we can,” that conjured up the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr.; [...]
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