first? Fitz!!!

Fitz!

Darn– worth a try. Oh, well. :)

The Republicans view the law as an obstacle to be ignored, gamed, or worked around.

As opposed to, say, a solemn trust to be upheld.

If there’s one thing that churns my butter it’s the stealing of the election from Gore by Bush and the Supreme court. This matter riles me even more than Hillary. I need to calm down.

Put another way, government should never, *ever* have an adversarial relationship to the law and Constitution.

The Wikipedia entry on “The movement to impeach George W. Bush” has a lot of good material on Bush’s crimes.

I’ve always thought the “extraordinary renditions” should make the list.

Our whole legal system is based upon adversarial action (and money). Some argue, this is wrong.

Oklahoma kiddo @ 9

Our whole legal system is based upon adversarial action (and money).

Which is fine and good so long as it’s adversarial action between the branches of government while respectfully abiding by the constitutional duties given to them… it’s when a portion of the government gets adversarial with the constitution itself that things go pear-shaped.

Speaking as a scientist, I must say that they break Natural Law by their very existence. Impeachment cannot come soon enough.

Put another way, government should never, *ever* have an adversarial relationship to the law and Constitution.

I know what you mean and I agree with the sentiment, but from 1776 – 1865, slavery based on ethnicity was legal. From 1865 – 1960’s white supremacy was “legal.” Today we have a “law” called the “Military Commissions Act.” I am confident that there are a lot of other laws passed in the last six years, drafted by lobbyists, that have to be amended.

Who make the laws? Lawyers, mostly. Who enforce the laws? Lawyers. Who are the politicians? Pretty much lawyers. Who are the lobbyists? Lawyers for the most part. Who are the mouth pieces for corporate America?

Hello, Phoenix Woman!
is it Junta iwth an ‘a’?

CRIME # ___: The training and the encouragement of military troops, mercenary civilian soldiers and CIA, to practice torture. Torture is a criminal act that damages the victim and the perpetrator. It is a tool that sinks a culture into barbarism. It is a crime against humanity and traitorous to the American military.

Crime #___: Committing (and condoning in others) the theft of public funds while in office (you fill in the specifics, too much corruption to name)

Alberto’s lie was soooo off hand. SCREAMS Sociopath. Telling the truth didnt occur to him.

smapdi @ 16

Alberto’s lie was soooo off hand. SCREAMS Sociopath. Telling the truth didnt occur to him.

Probably afraid of falling into a bad (and unhealthy) habit.

Via the NYT, Mullah Obeidullah described as the No. 3 man in the Taliban was arrested in Quetta, Pakistan the day of Dick Cheney’s visit with Musharraf. What a Taliban leader caught in Quetta?! Who knew? And on the day of Darth’s visit? Wow, what a coincidence!

This is part of a recurring pattern. Pakistan comes under pressure from the US for harboring terrorists. They deny it, arrest a few and it’s back to business as usual. In other words, more of the wash, rinse, repeat as necessary.

Remember how the GOP/Media Complex staged a full-on freakout over Clinton’s pardoning Marc Rich, the guy who’d done oil deals with Iran during the 1980s Reagan years? Doris Kearns Plagiarist Goodwin actually said that pardoning Rich was worse than Reagan’s Iran-Contra scandal.

Well, a few months later, it came out that Halliburton — whose CEO was Dick Cheney — was doing oil deals with Iran throughout the 1980s and 1990s, even AFTER President Clinton had issued an executive order specifically forbidding such deals.

Kathryn in MA @ 14

Hello, Phoenix Woman!
is it Junta iwth an ‘a’?

Yup! (smacks forehead) Thanks!

Isn’t most of this journalism Josh Marshall’s as opposed to Atrios’s?

I think Atrios links to TPM.

Credit where credit is due.

John Casper @ 12

Put another way, government should never, *ever* have an adversarial relationship to the law and Constitution.

I know what you mean and I agree with the sentiment, but from 1776 – 1865, slavery based on ethnicity was legal. From 1865 – 1960’s white supremacy was “legal.” Today we have a “law” called the “Military Commissions Act.” I am confident that there are a lot of other laws passed in the last six years, drafted by lobbyists, that have to be amended.

Only one gender was allowed to vote in the US until 1920.

The Department of JUSTICE admits it LIED over the firing of Federal Proscecutors………

only could have under Bush’s watch.

Eli @
4

The Republicans view the law as an obstacle to be ignored, gamed, or worked around.

As opposed to, say, a solemn trust to be upheld.

Well, see, they’re RIGHT. Anything they have to do to win and dominate is OK because, like I said, they completely believe they are right. Their Christian belief system just adds to the sense of rightness in their minds. We are demons (daemons in case any of us are running Linux) who are trying to subvert the righteous from their rightful dominance.
It’s all so simple, isn’t it? More Vali*m, my dear?

Nixon was a lawyer. Libby is a lawyer.

Tannen @ 23

The Department of JUSTICE admits it LIED over the firing of Federal Proscecutors………

only could have under Bush’s watch.

Linky?

Time to start impeachment hearings

First Batter up:
Gonzales

I just recruited a woman from Planned Parenthood to our blog. We talked a long time about Lieberman and the Pukes, so I told her about firedoglake and I think she’s going to check us out!

And speaking of breaking the law, did you see Atrios’ link to Rep. George Miller trashing the Pukes in Congress for all their bribery scandals? He said “It’s pay to play, pay to play. I know it’s hard for you to change your stripes, and some of you will be wearing stripes…”. He was looking right at the Puke side of the aisle and practically yelling at them. It was awesome!

On June 6, 2003, less than three months after the invasion of Iraq, former White House Counsel and lifelong conservative John Dean wrote:

“President George W. Bush has got a very serious problem. Before asking Congress for a joint resolution authorizing the use of U.S. military forces in Iraq, he made a number of unequivocal statements about the reason the United States needed to pursue the most radical action any nation can undertake — acts of war against another nation.” [http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/06/06/findlaw.analysis.dean.wmd/]

Dean goes on to make the usual paleoconservative/libertarian/liberal charges that Bush lied to Congress, with lots of quotes. But Dean’s article was entitled “Is lying about the reason for a war an impeachable offense?”, and he never really engaged that question.

Well. Look what I found the other day in the Criminal Resource Manual from the U.S. Department of Justice: :

“923 18 U.S.C. § 371 — Conspiracy to Defraud the United States

The general conspiracy statute, 18 U.S.C. § 371, creates an offense “[i]f two or more persons conspire either to commit any offense against the United States, or to defraud the United States, or any agency thereof in any manner or for any purpose. (emphasis added). See Project, Tenth Annual Survey of White Collar Crime, 32 Am. Crim. L. Rev. 137, 379-406 (1995)(generally discussing § 371).

[…]

In summary, those activities which courts have held defraud the United States under 18 U.S.C. § 371 affect the government in at least one of three ways:
1. They cheat the government out of money or property;
2. They interfere or obstruct legitimate Government activity; or
3. They make wrongful use of a governmental instrumentality.”

Would deliberately deceiving Congress about the need for a war fall under category #2 or category #3?

Elizabeth de la Vega is a former federal prosecutor with more than 20 years of experience. She has written a book, “United States v. George W. Bush et al.,” a hypothetical grand jury hearing against GWB and friends on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States .

It’s perhaps ludicrous to imagine that such a hearing would ever occur. Nevertheless, Bush lawyered up (i.e., retained a criminal attorney) back in 2004. A president can’t be too careful.

Hugh @
18

Via the NYT, Mullah Obeidullah described as the No. 3 man in the Taliban was arrested in Quetta, Pakistan the day of Dick Cheney’s visit with Musharraf. What a Taliban leader caught in Quetta?! Who knew? And on the day of Darth’s visit? Wow, what a coincidence!

This is part of a recurring pattern. Pakistan comes under pressure from the US for harboring terrorists. They deny it, arrest a few and it’s back to business as usual. In other words, more of the wash, rinse, repeat as necessary.

yep– you hit the nail on the proverbial head!

I was formulating thoughts on the dems lack of spine to cut the funding for the war(s) and got EPU’d. To my mind, both wars are immoral and the Iraq war is illegal and both failed occupations are more than odious.

About the wars– how much more money should they be allowed to reap from the dead and their deadly policies? I mean, really. They have failed so far and the Congress is just gonna throw more money at it in the guise of “supporting the troops?”

The same troops that they lied into war and sent ill-equipped in oh so many ways and are still short shrifting upon their return.

puh-leeze. enough.

I wonder if the Iraqis and Afghans are spending 2 billion a week to fight their occupiers.
(no– they are desperately poor!)

2 billion a week (iirc) and almost zero progress wrt reconstruction, clean water, electricity, security or healthcare or peace and democracy. Just more dead, wounded and broken folks with a surplus of fear and despair.

Giving more money to this administration is an extension of the blank check that Congress so cavalierly handed to the administration with the AUMF and is like giving lighters, matches and lighter fluid to an arsonist.

Biggus Diggus @
21

Isn’t most of this journalism Josh Marshall’s as opposed to Atrios’s?

I think Atrios links to TPM.

Credit where credit is due.

But Atrios was the one who pointed out that this was… Breakin’ the LAW, as Judas Priest would say.

(And Josh was himself citing a Washington Post article.)

Oklahoma kiddo @ 5

If there’s one thing that churns my butter it’s the stealing of the election from Gore by Bush and the Supreme court. This matter riles me even more than Hillary. I need to calm down.

I agree

looseheadprop @ 25

Tannen @ 23

The Department of JUSTICE admits it LIED over the firing of Federal Proscecutors………

only could have under Bush’s watch.

Linky?

I don’t understand

OK Kiddo, I had a much lower opinion of lawyers before I came to FDL and met Christy, Mary, lhp, imm, scarecrow (who I believe does not practice) and many others who are a terrific credit to their profession. (apologies to all I have forgotten)

Tannen @ 32

Oklahoma kiddo @ 5

If there’s one thing that churns my butter it’s the stealing of the election from Gore by Bush and the Supreme court. This matter riles me even more than Hillary. I need to calm down.

I agree

The real beauty of it is that if the exact same situation recurred with the parties reversed, they would cheerfully rule in the opposite direction, since they explicitly said that it shouldn’t be considered a precedent.

We need to be a country of law. Not country of lawyers.

Tannen, do you have a link to your quote?

Link example

Tannen- LHP’s linky? means do you have a link (internet link) to the source of the info/ article.

So the Bush administration lied AGAIN. What’s going to come of it? Impeachment, it’s not just for blow jobs.

Remember the energy policy put together by Cheney behind closed doors and written by Ken Lay and Enron execs? That was a big deal until 9/11 happened, then it kind of vanished.

How about the no bid contracts to Halliburton in Iraq? Then there’s the usual suspects: torture, wiretapping, lying about Iraq, misleading the public, getting the church on the payroll, letting 9/11 happen and then disappearing when it did, and then using it as an excuse to abuse his power, promoting racism against the French, insulting the populations of our allies then freaking out when their leaders don’t get in line with your dumb ideas, convincing the American public that the news is just a left wing conspiracy, incompetence, Katrina.

It’s hard to understand why impeachment is off the table.

Valley Girl @ 38

Tannen- LHP’s linky? means do you have a link (internet link) to the source of the info/ article.

Wasn’t it the first link in PW’s post?

John Casper @ 34

OK Kiddo, I had a much lower opinion of lawyers before I came to FDL and met Christy, Mary, lhp, imm, scarecrow (who I believe does not practice) and many others who are a terrific credit to their profession. (apologies to all I have forgotten)

There are many exceptions, including the ones you mention. These are people I think who believe in justice. The folks you mention among others are GIANTS. Else I would not be here. ;0)

It’s hard to understand why impeachment is off the table.

The Dems WE put in the majority say that it is because it is about 2008. I wonder why they think that we and the world have that long to wait.

grrrrrrrrrrrr.

Oklahoma kiddo @ 41

John Casper @ 34

OK Kiddo, I had a much lower opinion of lawyers before I came to FDL and met Christy, Mary, lhp, imm, scarecrow (who I believe does not practice) and many others who are a terrific credit to their profession. (apologies to all I have forgotten)

There are many exceptions, including the ones you mention. These are people I think who believe in justice. The folks you mention among others are GIANTS. Else I would not be here. ;0)

It’s the lawyers who use their skills to find ways *around* the law, or ways to twist the law into configurations never intended, that are problematic.

Laws that constrain government power, that is – as opposed to laws that oppress individuals…

So I thought I’d devote this thread to the many ways in which BushCo has broken the law. Feel free to chime in with your own examples!

wouldn’t it be easier to catalog the few instances of moral, ethical, and law-abiding actions?

punaise @ 44

So I thought I’d devote this thread to the many ways in which BushCo has broken the law. Feel free to chime in with your own examples!

wouldn’t it be easier to catalog the few instances of moral, ethical, and law-abiding actions?

No, that would be impossible.

This works just as well as an anthem for them

Parental Guidance

Plus, it has the virtue of being the ONLY good Judas Priest song.

Our country is being run by high school republicans.

Eli @ 4

The Republicans view the law as an obstacle to be ignored, gamed, or worked around.

As opposed to, say, a solemn trust to be upheld.

John Casper @ 36

Tannen, do you have a link to your quote?

Link example

Yeah, here it is

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2….._0301.html

I haven’t noticed anything strange about building 7.

Well, lawyers across America are going to sleep better tonight.

In Arkansas Karl Roves good buddy Tim Griffin (the newly installed USDA) was interviewed on the radio this afternoon.
link here: U.S. Attorney admits job is political, but maintains he’s qualified

Arkansas Times Newspaper blog has been following this daily. BTW, They have all of the AR, dirt on Huckabee too.

Sorry, Wrong link

its the latest story here

Eli @ 46

punaise @ 44

So I thought I’d devote this thread to the many ways in which BushCo has broken the law. Feel free to chime in with your own examples!

wouldn’t it be easier to catalog the few instances of moral, ethical, and law-abiding actions?

No, that would be impossible.

because there are none? surely there are one or two instances. right? (*racking brain to find one*)

Evil Parallel Universe @ 47

This works just as well as an anthem for them

Parental Guidance

Plus, it has the virtue of being the ONLY good Judas Priest song.

As a long time Judas Priest fan, I respectfully disagree, your omniscience.

punaise @ 53

because there are none? surely there are one or two instances. right? (*racking brain to find one*)

Wake me up if you find anything…

LHP@26 – I think they were talking about Gonzales’ assistant’s congressional testimony that there were no political motivations involved being contradicted by the New Mexico allegations by Iglesias. Not aware of any direct admission. Ever.By.These.Crooks.

Bustednuckles @ 54

Evil Parallel Universe @ 47

This works just as well as an anthem for them

Parental Guidance

Plus, it has the virtue of being the ONLY good Judas Priest song.

As a long time Judas Priest fan, I respectfully disagree, your omniscience.

I have to concur with Bustednux.

Valley Girl or Mrs.K8 – if you will repost the critical info for Mrs. K8, I am happy to see how I can help.

George Simian @ 40

It’s hard to understand why impeachment is off the table.

Impeachment off the table
Defunding Iraq fiasco off the table
Bombing campaign and/or nuclear option with Iran on the table.

What’s wrong with this picture?

Hugh @ 59

George Simian @ 40

It’s hard to understand why impeachment is off the table.

Impeachment off the table
Defunding Iraq fiasco off the table
Bombing campaign and/or nuclear option with Iran on the table.

What’s wrong with this picture?

Very small table.

Busted – I would ask you to prove me wrong….BUT, I don’t want you putting links to the caterwauling trying to prove your point. Cause then, those lawyers who were going to sleep better tongiht, won’t.

Eli @ 61

Hugh @ 59

George Simian @ 40

It’s hard to understand why impeachment is off the table.

Impeachment off the table
Defunding Iraq fiasco off the table
Bombing campaign and/or nuclear option with Iran on the table.

What’s wrong with this picture?

Very small table.

notable. (hey you edited yours from “no table”)

I just want to say my daughter is a lawyer in the big apple, and has always been a little republican neocon, but
even she admitted to me that Cheney is guilty.
It was quite a moment for me

Evil Parallel Universe @ 62

Busted – I would ask you to prove me wrong….BUT, I don’t want you putting links to the caterwauling trying to prove your point. Cause then, those lawyers who were going to sleep better tongiht, won’t.

To each, their own.

bmaz @ 57

LHP@26 – I think they were talking about Gonzales’ assistant’s congressional testimony that there were no political motivations involved being contradicted by the New Mexico allegations by Iglesias. Not aware of any direct admission. Ever.By.These.Crooks.

I couldn’t give you a link but I saw a clip of Gonzales testifying recently where he insisted he would never fire US attorneys for political reasons.

punaise @ 62

notable. (hey you edited yours from “no table”)

Yeah, I just skimmed it the first time and didn’t notice that the table did have something on it.

Maybe it’s just the Democrats who don’t have a table. Or maybe they’re keeping it in storage with all that dry powder.

Tannen,
Maybe she’s not such a neocon anymore. :)

smapdi @ 67

Tannen,
Maybe she’s not such a neocon anymore. :)

Hopefully she’s becoming a postcon.

Valley Girl – never mind. Found your link on the other thread. This getting EPU’d thing is hard. Don’t know how EPU earned this moniker, but he works at warp speed compared to me.

Tannen – What does being a lawyer (or having a law degree if you don’t practice) have to do with her being a neocon? Do you think she wouldn’t be one if she had another profession?

Hey, would it be appropriate to call them “Cheneocons”?

I have to say the response to Katrina. Watching those people wait for days for just a little food & water was very telling of what this administration was to become.

bmaz – It was hard work turning my blogging persona into a neologism. Though I can’t take all the credit, I had a fair amount of help.

Oh Phoenix Woman! Silly girl, the laws are for YOU not for ME. I am above all that. I steal enough money to buy my way out of anything! Now go on and paint your nails or watch the news about Britney and stop bothering me.

The chimp has been a law breaker his entire life. Brought up that way by his parents. When you know there are no consequences, you know you can do anything. I WANT HIM HELD ACCOUNTABLE! FINALLY!

And I want Bush and Cheney to pay fines from their vast fortunes for what they have done to our country. Every day they are on TV they are saying F**K You to our faces. Nyahh, nyah you can’t touch me! C’mon Congress! Where is our constitutional hero??? Grow some balls and we will have your backs.

Evil Parallel Universe @ 73

bmaz – It was hard work turning my blogging persona into a neologism. Though I can’t take all the credit, I had a fair amount of help.

Do you think you would still be a neologism if you were (or weren’t) a lawyer?

One thing that has always riled me, maybe out of proportion to the actual offense, was the “mission Accomplished” deal. Not the speech, or the banner, or the codpiece, but the flight and carrier landing itself. Carrier landings are maybe the most difficult thing a human can be asked to do, and Bush was not qualified to be in that cpckpit. I know that there was a real pilot there, but there’s a reason for having two people in the plane, “Just in Case”
The worst thing that a mlitary commander can do in my book is expose his troops to unnecessary danger. Carrier landing are dangerous and if not required by the mission, are an abuse of authority.

Eli – Yeah. I was fated for greatness.

The recent decision to allow Mexican truck drivers to drive around in our country has to be on that list. Undocumentable hours behind the wheel is not a good thing.But hey, someone has to deliver all them there NAFTA goodies, right?

EPU@74 – My hat is off to you sir, trying to keep up is tough sledding. Freaking lowest grade I ever got in decades of school was in typing.

Lady of the Lake @ 74

And I want Bush and Cheney to pay fines from their vast fortunes for what they have done to our country.

Fines??? No prison?

Those had better be some hefty, pauperizing fines, and they better include some kind of serious garnisheeing so they can’t just rebuild their fortunes with speaking fees and “consulting”/lobbying.

Missed Schuster’s report on Hardball. Anything good?

(pant…pant…pant….)

finally caught up with the rest of you.

i read on a thread from yesterday that Marcy spoke to Fitzgerald, tres cool but did she give any details?
what was said?

bmaz @ 79

EPU@74 – My hat is off to you sir, trying to keep up is tough sledding. Freaking lowest grade I ever got in decades of school was in typing.

I *love* typing! But I hate writing.

Marcy Wheeler will attend a YearlyKos fundraiser in NYC on Saturday, March 10.

I hope to meet other firedoglakers there!

Here’s the info:

http://www.yearlykosconvention.org/node/62

YEARLYKOS CONVENTION FUNDRAISER
Saturday, March 10th – 6-9pm
The Tank @ C:U – 279 Church Street
Register here!

Join activists, organizers and on-lookers, as we drink, laugh and carouse liberally to celebrate the DailyKos community and prepare for the 2007 YearlyKos Convention.

With special guests Marcy Wheeler (”Emptywheel”), author of “Anatomy of Deceit” and Libby Trial blogger, the comedians of Laughing Liberally, the sweet eats of Eating Liberally, fellow Kossacks, bloggers & rabble-rousers.

Hosted by Living Liberally with Vaster Books, Young People For The American Way & the Kossack community of New York City.

Free food, cheap drinks, great gifts, lively conversation & progressive camaraderie!

Saturday, March 10th – 6-9pm
The Tank @ C:U – 279 Church Street
btw Franklin & White, just below Canal
A,C,E,J,M,N,Q,R,W,Z,6 to Canal; 1 to Franklin

$50 – YearlyKos Suggested Donation
$100 – YearlyKos Fundraiser Host
Register here.

All guests will receive gift bags. Hosts will receive recognition in invitations and complimentary copies of “Anatomy of Deceit”.

http://www.yearlykosconvention.org/node/62

Evil Parallel Universe @ 71

Tannen – What does being a lawyer (or having a law degree if you don’t practice) have to do with her being a neocon? Do you think she wouldn’t be one if she had another profession?

Didn’t mean it in that way. I’m as proud of her as I can be. Just lots of lawyers (that are liberals) here. I find it refreshing. I’m as nurse who adores all those here.

emptywheel is a rock star!

moi @ 83

(pant…pant…pant….)

finally caught up with the rest of you.

i read on a thread from yesterday that Marcy spoke to Fitzgerald, tres cool but did she give any details?
what was said?

I read somewhere she said “sorry for the food on your jacket”.

:)

“grrrrrrrrrrrr.” Would this be a metaphor, alliteration, both, or neither? I like it though. ;0)

Feingold has paid close attention to everything Abu has said when testifying before his committee. Even though Abu was not always under oath, isn’t it incumbent upon him to tell the truth no matter what as an “officer of the court” or as a member of the bar?

I’m sure there are lots of lies that he can be called on. As John Dean said, go after the low hanging fruit and work up the ladder. Impeach them one by one. Starting with the Atty. General.

It’s an onomatopoeia.

Lying to congress is considered a sort of right of passage for Republican appointees. It gains you rewards down the line and respect among your peers. Bush couldn’t appoint ex congressional perjurers fast enough when he took office.

ccmask @ 73

I have to say the response to Katrina. Watching those people wait for days for just a little food & water was very telling of what this administration was to become.

Walter Reed opens the festoring wounds for all to see. It’s inexcusable that are soldiers are treated with such disregard!

OK Kiddo, I just read this article in the local alternative weekly about a lawyer who considers the US model as “Vengeance as law”.

http://www.styleweekly.com/art…..icle=13921

George Simian @ 40

It’s hard to understand why impeachment is off the table.

This is exactly what Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi SHOULD say when reporters ask about impeachment:

“All options are on the table”

Now that’d be fucking lovely.

BTW the title of this blog post reminds me of a song by Pantera. Nothing like Pantera to get me pumped and ready to yell at my senators and reps for being slugs. Say one thing, do another. Schmucks. I should have voted for Mickey Mouse.

rapier @ 92

Lying to congress is considered a sort of right of passage for Republican appointees. It gains you rewards down the line and respect among your peers….

like gang-bangers or mob wannabes, they have to prove their chops via a criminal act

Arianna on Olbermann. Arianna. Arianna. Arianna.

Lady of the Lake @ 75

I WANT HIM HELD ACCOUNTABLE! FINALLY!

I’d like to see Bush held accountable, but I doubt that’s in the cards. Really, what I hope is that the Republican Party continues to shrink in a steep decline and that Bush/Cheney are held historically to be responsible and viewed contemptibly.

And, of course, the missing W’s from the white house keyboards.

Arianna. A giant among giants.

Rather than EPU myself, I’ll note here my response to the “Oyez, Oyez” thread.

Out of personal interest, I’ve spent the last 40 minutes or so listening through the arguments in Lawrence v. Texas. My my my, but J. Scalia sure didn’t base his vile dissent on the strength of the State’s argument. Even Scalia is tearing up Rosenthal (the state prosecutor). In particular, he’s having some real trouble wrapping his head around Rosenthal’s argument that Texas’s same-sex sodomy law didn’t unfairly discriminate against homosexuals, because hey, it also makes it illegal for heterosexuals to engage in homosexual acts.

I mean, that’s like arguing that segregation laws don’t discriminate because they forbade whites from drinking from blacks only water fountains, too.

All in all, a rollicking good listen.

For those looking for a good overview — well, that’s hardly a good description — of jurisprudence on separation of church and state, I highly recommend The Constitution and Religion. It’s a compilation of most of the decisions and dissents in major Supreme Court establishment and exercise cases.

RevDeb @ 90

Feingold has paid close attention to everything Abu has said when testifying before his committee. Even though Abu was not always under oath, isn’t it incumbent upon him to tell the truth no matter what as an “officer of the court” or as a member of the bar?

I’m sure there are lots of lies that he can be called on. As John Dean said, go after the low hanging fruit and work up the ladder. Impeach them one by one. Starting with the Atty. General.

Hear! Hear!

Ding! Ding!

Eli @ 71

Hey, would it be appropriate to call them “Cheneocons”?

or Cheney of fools.

What about refusing to send help to NOLA because the governor didn’t fill out the proper papers? There must be some was to turn that into a dereliction charge.

bmaz @ 59

Valley Girl or Mrs.K8 – if you will repost the critical info for Mrs. K8, I am happy to see how I can help.

Check earlier thread Oyez- I left you a message there.

Bush’s ratings are so low. Cheney’s are even lower. Why can’t the Democrats get it together? It’s not like anyone would blame them, especially when all the evidence came up.

Maybe when Libby goes down, they’ll go after Cheney at least.

Does the next President get to put Bush and Cheney in jail once he gets access to all their secret papers?

Valley Girl – see #70 above

Yeah, good question George Simiam,

These secrets are not going to die with this administration. What are they preparing so that they are not all busted immediately after inauguration????

Dru @ 94

OK Kiddo, I just read this article in the local alternative weekly about a lawyer who considers the US model as “Vengeance as law”.

http://www.styleweekly.com/art…..icle=13921

Just read this. Quantum physics and stuff. Sylvia Clute, lawyer, etc. is an interesting person. Thanks. ;0)

George Simian @ 106

Bush’s ratings are so low. Cheney’s are even lower. Why can’t the Democrats get it together? It’s not like anyone would blame them, especially when all the evidence came up.

Maybe when Libby goes down, they’ll go after Cheney at least.

Does the next President get to put Bush and Cheney in jail once he gets access to all their secret papers?

Shrub signed an exec. order as soon as he was sworn in relegating presidential papers back before his daddy’s days to the classified bin. There is no way he’s going to let his papers be looked at by anyone but the right wing think tanks so that they can recreate history for him. That’s why the Methodist bishops are fighting to keep his library from being at SMU. Why should they host and raise money for a pres. library that will only be used by select propagandists?

OT again

I don’t have cable and have no interest in getting it. When I do catch a little of CNN or MSNBC, it’s like watching an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. You can’t take what they do as news. It’s infotainment masquerading as news. And it’s only purpose is as a target of snarky coments.

So I did catch a few minutes of Tucker Calrson today, both he and his guests I think they were Gene Robinson and Frank Donatelli, Democratic and Republican strategists, respectively. All three repeated the line that John Murtha had torpedoed his plan to tie funding for Iraq to readiness and other measures by putting it out on Moveon.org. The problem is this never happened. Arianna Huffington pointed this out back on Feb. 26. Murtha announced his plan on MoveCongress, a site unrelated to Moveon.org. It does receive support from Huffpo, the Nation, and TalkingPointsMemo.

http://www.movecongress.org/content/index.php

How lazy are these people that 3 days after this story has been blown out of the water even the “Democrat” on Carlson is still repeating it? OK, that’s a rhetorical question.

KO reporting on the bathroom leaks at Scooter’s trial!

No cookies.

The little pre 9-11 incident where the CIA briefer warned Bush of an attack and Bush said, “okay you’ve covered your arse”, violates everything holy in the office of the president and should be repeated every single day in the congress. Impearch!

RevDeb @ 112

KO reporting on the bathroom leaks at Scooter’s trial!

No cookies.

Bush immediately promised that anyone involved in the leak would be fired, right?

Let’s don’t forget about warrantless wiretaps. They claim they have “fixed” the problem, but they still broke the law for 5 years or so before that and who knows what they are doing under the fixed version.

Hugh @ 110–

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer

Just fill your basket full of sandwiches and weenies
Then lock the house up, now you’re set
And on the beach you’ll see the girls in their bikinis
As cute as ever but they never get ’em wet

RIP, Nat King Cole.

Hugh @ 113

RevDeb @ 112

KO reporting on the bathroom leaks at Scooter’s trial!

No cookies.

Bush immediately promised that anyone involved in the leak would be fired, right?

I think he quickly backtracked to something more like if someone was convicted…

re the plumbers work to fix the piping:

I support the solders.

bmaz @ 107

Valley Girl – see #70 above

thanks. Public disclaimer. I used to be a moderator at FDL. I still pitch in from time to time, and today seemed like one of the times that I should do so. So, I am double tasking at the moment- working behind the scenes, while also trying to keep up with comments. The regular crew is exhausted btw, and they are working longer hours than I ever did, with 10x- 100x the traffic.

A huge tip of the bald spot for our moderators!!!!!

Bustednuckles @ 119

A huge tip of the bald spot for our moderators!!!!!

Nod to the mods.

punaise @
118

re the plumbers work to fix the piping:

I support the solders.

707!

Oklahoma kiddo @
25

Nixon was a lawyer. Libby is a lawyer.

one of the female Dem candidates is a lawyer…
oh, you knew???

And see how that disclosure thingy works there, Victoria?

Sidney Blumenthal mentioned in his book How bush Rules that some funds (many millions) were diverted from Afghanistan to Iraq before congress approved any funding of Iraq war. He suggested that might be an impeachable offense.

The list of reasons for impeachment are legion.
GET ON WIDDIT!

punaise @ 117

re the plumbers work to fix the piping:

I support the solders.

roto rooter? weld done.

Eli @ 35

Tannen @ 32

Oklahoma kiddo @ 5

If there’s one thing that churns my butter it’s the stealing of the election from Gore by Bush and the Supreme court. This matter riles me even more than Hillary. I need to calm down.

I agree

The real beauty of it is that if the exact same situation recurred with the parties reversed, they would cheerfully rule in the opposite direction, since they explicitly said that it shouldn’t be considered a precedent.

Scalia reasoned that the ballot count could cause Bush “irreparable harm … by casting a cloud upon what he claims to be the legitimacy of his election.” But he didn’t have an election until Scalia and company stopped the recount. In other words, Scalia created fact and then used it to justify his creation — a second-class truth created by a second-class mind.

njr @ 123

Oklahoma kiddo @
25

Nixon was a lawyer. Libby is a lawyer.

one of the female Dem candidates is a lawyer…
oh, you knew???

;0)

jeffreyw @ 88

moi @ 83

(pant…pant…pant….)

finally caught up with the rest of you.

i read on a thread from yesterday that Marcy spoke to Fitzgerald, tres cool but did she give any details?
what was said?

I read somewhere she said “sorry for the food on your jacket”.

:)

lucky Marcy

Bustednuckles @ 120

A huge tip of the bald spot for our moderators!!!!!

yes- and the only reason I am mentioning that I was/ am a mod is that Jane outed me as such way back. I wouldn’t have done it myself, and have advised subsequent mods to keep their id quiet. Just because, once you are known to be a mod, it starts to mean that you can’t participate in FDL conversation in a normal way. If for example, I were to say “fuck you” to someone, as a moderator this would be seen as a reflection on FDL. If I were to say “fuck you” to someone, and I was just a regular commenter, the comment would be seen in a different light, if you know what I mean.

Rep. George Miller rips the Repugs a new one on C&L:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/…..-its-done/

Rick Santorum to join Fox News. Why am I even talking about this. I must be losing it.

.Oklahoma kiddo @ 133

Rick Santorum to join Fox News. Why am I even talking about this. I must be losing it.

Two bucks says he wears a yellow tie.

Hugh @ 114

RevDeb @ 112

KO reporting on the bathroom leaks at Scooter’s trial!

No cookies.

Bush immediately promised that anyone involved in the leak would be fired, right?

He said that they “would be taken care of.”

RevDeb @
110

George Simian @ 106

Bush’s ratings are so low. Cheney’s are even lower. Why can’t the Democrats get it together? It’s not like anyone would blame them, especially when all the evidence came up.

Maybe when Libby goes down, they’ll go after Cheney at least.

Does the next President get to put Bush and Cheney in jail once he gets access to all their secret papers?

Shrub signed an exec. order as soon as he was sworn in relegating presidential papers back before his daddy’s days to the classified bin. There is no way he’s going to let his papers be looked at by anyone but the right wing think tanks so that they can recreate history for him. That’s why the Methodist bishops are fighting to keep his library from being at SMU. Why should they host and raise money for a pres. library that will only be used by select propagandists?

RevDeb – please look at this excerpt from Executive Order 13292:

Sec. 1.7. Classification Prohibitions and Limitations.

(a) In no case shall information be classified in order to:

(1) conceal violations of law, inefficiency, or administrative error;

(2) prevent embarrassment to a person, organization, or agency;

(3) restrain competition; or

(4) prevent or delay the release of information that does not require protection in the interest of the national security.

not that I have been wanting to say that much recently….

Bustednuckles @ 134

.Oklahoma kiddo @ 133

Rick Santorum to join Fox News. Why am I even talking about this. I must be losing it.

Two bucks says he wears a yellow tie.

They should get Katherine Harris while they’re at it.

Santorum and Faux are made for each other. Eeeshhh….

Democrats send out first round of subpoenas
By Susan Crabtree

A House Judiciary subcommittee approved today the first in what is expected to be an avalanche of subpoenas to Bush administration officials. They will likely explore corruption and mismanagement allegations on everything from pre-war Iraq intelligence to the mishandling of the response to Hurricane Katrina.

The first round of subpoenas concern the recent controversial firings by the Bush administration of seven U.S. attorneys, some of whom were pursuing public corruption cases against Republican members of Congress.

The House Judiciary subcommittee on commercial and administrative law, chaired by Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.), approved subpoenas requiring four former U.S. attorneys to appear at a subcommittee hearing next Tuesday. The former U.S. attorneys include Carol Lam of California, David Iglesias of New Mexico, H.E. Cummins III of Arkansas, and John McKay of Washington state. The subcommittee approved the subpoenas by voice vote; no Republican lawmakers were present.

http://www.hillnews.com/thehil…..oenas.html

No Republican lawmakers are clean.
-

Oklahoma kiddo @ 133

Rick Santorum to join Fox News. Why am I even talking about this. I must be losing it.

Well, red-faced, bloviating, hatred-filled, xenophobic trash is what they are known for, eh?

Doesn’t firepup Bobby G have a list compiled with thousands of impeachable offenses?

Valley Girl @ 137

not that I have been wanting to say that much recently….

hey, Valley Girl! that sounds like a familiar refrain….

“fuck you”

3200K

5200K

etc.

viewed is not couched.

Speaking of plumbers,
Valley Girl, did you ever get that damn toilet fixed?

Hi, can someone enlighten me a bit? I managed to get on first on this thread. What have I accomplished? And could you translate EPU and the signature “g”. Thanks — and it is nice to meet “you’ll” — (no, I’m in the Chicago area).

*g* = grin.

Valley Girl @ 131

Bustednuckles @ 120

A huge tip of the bald spot for our moderators!!!!!

yes- and the only reason I am mentioning that I was/ am a mod is that Jane outed me as such way back. I wouldn’t have done it myself, and have advised subsequent mods to keep their id quiet. Just because, once you are known to be a mod, it starts to mean that you can’t participate in FDL conversation in a normal way. If for example, I were to say “fuck you” to someone, as a moderator this would be seen as a reflection on FDL. If I were to say “fuck you” to someone, and I was just a regular commenter, the comment would be seen in a different light, if you know what I mean.

Feel free to say “Fuck You” to me any time I earn it.

Valley Girl@131 – I have some thoughts for Mrs. K8, but don’t really want to engage in that in a public comment section. One of us needs to get the other’s email so we can contact each other and relay the info (also maybe the intermediary bit discussed previously). Suggestions?

WASHINGTON – Republican presidential contender John McCain, facing criticism from Democrats, on Thursday said he regretted using the word “wasted” to describe the more than 3,100 U.S. lives lost in the Iraq war.

Johnny… ‘I hardly want to know ye’.

punaise @ 143

Valley Girl @ 137

not that I have been wanting to say that much recently….

hey, Valley Girl! that sounds like a familiar refrain….

It’s different now, punaise. ;) I am not doing the heavy lifting any more. But those who are have much more to deal with than I ever did. And, thus, I really bite my tongue in the comments section out of respect for them. I know if I say something equivalent to FU in a public comment, this is likely to lead to a mess that has to be cleaned up.

George W. Bush is the guy who tried to kill my dad.

Bustednuckles @ 145

Speaking of plumbers,
Valley Girl, did you ever get that damn toilet fixed?

no I did not. I have to clean up the place before I can let in the plumbers. I have tried every do-it-yourself measure I can think of, but to no avail.

Valley Girl @ 151

punaise @ 143

Valley Girl @ 137

not that I have been wanting to say that much recently….

hey, Valley Girl! that sounds like a familiar refrain….

It’s different now, punaise. ;) I am not doing the heavy lifting any more. But those who are have much more to deal with than I ever did. And, thus, I really bite my tongue in the comments section out of respect for them. I know if I say something equivalent to FU in a public comment, this is likely to lead to a mess that has to be cleaned up.

best mind your p’s and q’s as well as your fu’s… :~)

EPU is Evil Parallel Universe who no doubt can explain better than I how he became a verb. Basically, it describes getting caught making a comment just as a new thread starts. he would leave something insightful and there would be no one to read it.

also “s” sigh

Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 136

RevDeb @
110

George Simian @ 106

Bush’s ratings are so low. Cheney’s are even lower. Why can’t the Democrats get it together? It’s not like anyone would blame them, especially when all the evidence came up.

Maybe when Libby goes down, they’ll go after Cheney at least.

Does the next President get to put Bush and Cheney in jail once he gets access to all their secret papers?

Shrub signed an exec. order as soon as he was sworn in relegating presidential papers back before his daddy’s days to the classified bin. There is no way he’s going to let his papers be looked at by anyone but the right wing think tanks so that they can recreate history for him. That’s why the Methodist bishops are fighting to keep his library from being at SMU. Why should they host and raise money for a pres. library that will only be used by select propagandists?

RevDeb – please look at this excerpt from Executive Order 13292:

Sec. 1.7. Classification Prohibitions and Limitations.

(a) In no case shall information be classified in order to:

(1) conceal violations of law, inefficiency, or administrative error;

(2) prevent embarrassment to a person, organization, or agency;

(3) restrain competition; or

(4) prevent or delay the release of information that does not require protection in the interest of the national security.

The one I’m referring to has to do with presidential papers.

“. . . .Then, on Nov. 1, President Bush issued an executive order that gives himself — as well as former presidents — the right to veto requests to open any presidential records. Even if a former president wants his records to be released, the executive order permits Bush to exercise executive privilege. It also gives him and former presidents an indefinite amount of time to ponder any requests.
Bush’s executive order openly violates the Presidential Records Act passed by Congress in 1978.
In defending the executive order, the White House has argued that these new restrictions balance public access with “national security concerns.”

bmaz @ 149

Valley Girl@131 – I have some thoughts for Mrs. K8, but don’t really want to engage in that in a public comment section. One of us needs to get the other’s email so we can contact each other and relay the info (also maybe the intermediary bit discussed previously). Suggestions?

I have a temp addy that I use for FDL communications… I can give you that as a first step. First let me go check if it is still functional.

Too long for a comment here, I have written up my views on the Walter Reed scandal from the perspective of one with decades of experience with hospital finances, from Boston’s Mass General to Children’s Hospital in Russia.

Your reactions welcome. I don’t pretend to know everything. At least not at this moment in my bipolar manic-depression world :)

The Iglesias story, as reported in NM, seems to imply that perhaps Sen. Dominici and Rep. Wilson each/both contacted Iglesias prior to the Nov. elections to tell him to speed up some investigation that might name prominent Democrats in corruption. His failure to answer their demands were what led to his dismissal.

Both elected people deny they called. I guess we will find out something from Linda Sanchez’ committee hearings.

Iglesias is known as Mr. Clean. A lot of people, including Democrats in NM, are upset about his firing.

recoveringlurker @ 146

Hi, can someone enlighten me a bit? I managed to get on first on this thread. What have I accomplished? And could you translate EPU and the signature “g”. Thanks — and it is nice to meet “you’ll” — (no, I’m in the Chicago area).

As for getting the zed(sorry) I mean the first post, look to the right and see the numbered posts. If you are first, there should be a zero next to your post. You are the only one who can see that zero.
EPU is a long time poster ( with whom I am having a disagreement with about certain music tastes) (;-) who used to have very well thought out posts that were generally posted near the end of a thread. A new thread would come and everyone would jump to it missing his often profound thoughts.
EPU ( Always in large caps) = Evil Parallel Universe.

bg @ 159

The Iglesias story, as reported in NM, seems to imply that perhaps Sen. Dominici and Rep. Wilson each/both contacted Iglesias prior to the Nov. elections to tell him to speed up some investigation that might name prominent Democrats in corruption. His failure to answer their demands were what led to his dismissal.

Both elected people deny they called. I guess we will find out something from Linda Sanchez’ committee hearings.

Iglesias is known as Mr. Clean. A lot of people, including Democrats in NM, are upset about his firing.

In the immotal words of Natalie Maines -I’m aashamed those two are from the state of NM

People who leave interesting comments at the end of a thread in which no one is participating in any more. They feel like they are in an evil parallel universe (because of course, FDL is about interaction). Having no one respond to good wholesome comments is like being in an EPU.

And the poster Evil Parallel Universe is apt at doing this. Thus, the usage.

Also, I am shocked, but it’s defined here: http://www.URBANDICTIONARY.com

Iglesias is the son of a Baptist minister. I think that gives him some extra backbone dealing with this slime.

Are there any pending lawsuits relating to Bush’s use of “signing statements”? Given how many he has issued, it would seem ripe for a challenge.

todd @ 165

Are there any pending lawsuits relating to Bush’s use of “signing statements”? Given how many he has issued, it would seem ripe for a challenge.

Who has standing? My understanding is that there is no legal weight that the statements carry, so I would have to wonder…

RevDeb @
112

KO reporting on the bathroom leaks at Scooter’s trial!

No cookies.

Marcy thinks we are having a good influence on Shuster.

We’re at Plame House, we had a nice dinner and we’re kicking back. It’s friggin’ EXHAUSTING sitting around doing nothing all day.

The one law Bush and the cabal can not break –

The law of Karma.

I predict it will come back to bite them big time.

While we are still waiting for Fitzmas, it is pretty much gift time all day every day WRT the W dirt these days. Let the sun shine!

Valley Girl@163 – If you’ll show me yours, I will send you mine! Oh, stop it the rest of you.

Trouble with karma and Bush is, he’s so rich and well connected that I won’t be around to savor his ‘reward’.

Jane Hamsher @
167

RevDeb @
112

KO reporting on the bathroom leaks at Scooter’s trial!

No cookies.

Marcy thinks we are having a good influence on Shuster.

We’re at Plame House, we had a nice dinner and we’re kicking back. It’s friggin’ EXHAUSTING sitting around doing nothing all day.

Thank you Ms. Jane for making this happen and thanks to Marcy, Pach, and Christy and RBG and everybody for making it all work so beautifully.

Thanks also to the IT geniuses behind the curtains!

Y’all rest well now.

Hugh – I’m not merely a verb. I’m also a noun – the “EPU Zone,” “EPI Land,” etc. I’m also soon going to push to be an adjective – “I can’t believe you missed the concert dude, it was totally EPU.”

Originally EPU’d meant to post a longish, thoughtfulish post after the thread has moved on – and you were late for those reasons. My omniscience (or, claim of omniscience if the outright assertion makes you uncomfortable), is an important part of the definition too – remember, accuracy is important.

Also happy to have you as part of the “news” is “entertainment” club.

Oklahoma kiddo @ 171

Trouble with karma and Bush is, he’s so rich and well connected that I won’t be around to savor his ‘reward’.

I am saving pennies.
If I outlive the bastard I plan on cashing them in so I can go piss on his grave.

Valley Girl @ 151

It’s different now, punaise. ;) I am not doing the heavy lifting any more. But those who are have much more to deal with than I ever did. And, thus, I really bite my tongue in the comments section out of respect for them. I know if I say something equivalent to FU in a public comment, this is likely to lead to a mess that has to be cleaned up.

VG, if you feel the need to say something roughly equivalent to FU in a public comment, it is likely that there is ALREADY a mess that has to be cleaned up.

(lifting a cup)

To the mods — past and present and yet to come!

angie @ 172

Jane Hamsher @
167

RevDeb @
112

KO reporting on the bathroom leaks at Scooter’s trial!

No cookies.

Marcy thinks we are having a good influence on Shuster.

We’re at Plame House, we had a nice dinner and we’re kicking back. It’s friggin’ EXHAUSTING sitting around doing nothing all day.

Thank you Ms. Jane for making this happen and thanks to Marcy, Pach, and Christy and RBG and everybody for making it all work so beautifully.

Thanks also to the IT geniuses behind the curtains!

Y’all rest well now.

Amen to that, coming from a former serial lurker. The FDL crew kicks some serious ass

Perhaps when Bush leaves office, his family can buy him a seat on the stock exchange. To sort of round out his successful business and political career.

Bustednuckles @ 173

Oklahoma kiddo @ 171

Trouble with karma and Bush is, he’s so rich and well connected that I won’t be around to savor his ‘reward’.

I am saving pennies.
If I outlive the bastard I plan on cashing them in so I can go piss on his grave.

;0)

Bustednuckles @ 172

Oklahoma kiddo @ 171

Trouble with karma and Bush is, he’s so rich and well connected that I won’t be around to savor his ‘reward’.

I am saving pennies.
If I outlive the bastard I plan on cashing them in so I can go piss on his grave.

There’s always cryogenics…

Jane Hamsher @ 167

RevDeb @
112

KO reporting on the bathroom leaks at Scooter’s trial!

No cookies.

Marcy thinks we are having a good influence on Shuster.

We’re at Plame House, we had a nice dinner and we’re kicking back. It’s friggin’ EXHAUSTING sitting around doing nothing all day.

Maybe you can get Schuster to join you on an episode of politics TV. Something to do while you are waiting.

Yes, it must be exhausting. The anticipation, the fits and starts of adrenaline, trying to psych out every move and statement . . . We cannot thank you enough for doing this. Team FDL deserves a Pulitzer just as much as anyone or team.

Thank you Jane, Marcy, Christy, Pach and all the others who have helped out. The country may not know what a service you are doing for it now, but some day it will.

egregious @ 158

Too long for a comment here, I have written up my views on the Walter Reed scandal from the perspective of one with decades of experience with hospital finances, from Boston’s Mass General to Children’s Hospital in Russia.

Read your post and I agree about lack of resources and inertia. Walter Reed btw is part of the DOD system. The VA is for veterans.

Hugh – Most days I regret having satellite / cable but today CNN actually showed Bob Ney being escorted into prison..) (no orange jumpsuit, no frog march but the facial expression was priceless)

Eureka Springs, AR @ 182

Hugh – Most days I regret having sattelite / cable but today CNN actually showed Bob Ney being escorted into prison..) (no orange jumpsuit, no frog march but the facial expression was priceless)

Please please please let C&L have video tomorrow.

there’s a new thread in town

The inability of the Dems, especially in the Senate, to do what a overwhelming majority of the country wants done astounds and outrages me. Are they afraid David Broder will say they’re “partisan”? Are they afraid Repubs will say they’re not supporting the troops? Is it worse than we imagine, in that they really do not want to end the war?

When 65% of the nation wants something done, when well over 50% think Dems should stop the funding for the occupation what is the possible blowback? What is wrong with these people???

If these things, and impeachment, are “off the table” I’m beginning to think primary challenges should be “on the table.” It did wonders for Jane Harman. Reid is a huge disappointment and seems to be suffering from Senate minority Stockholm syndrome. It’s past time to hold his feet to the fire.

If Rethugs want to stall legislation, he should make them actually filibuster, not just threaten. Make them get up and talk for hours, bring the Senate to a halt (since it’s not doing much anyway, what’s the loss?) and make sure the media hears about it. Instead he just quietly fades away. Reid is so colorless that when he appears on TV I swear he looks like he’s in black and white.

Peterr!!! So funny, and true.

VG@183 – got it, you can delete that now if you wish

bg @ 159

The Iglesias story, as reported in NM, seems to imply that perhaps Sen. Dominici and Rep. Wilson each/both contacted Iglesias prior to the Nov. elections to tell him to speed up some investigation that might name prominent Democrats in corruption. His failure to answer their demands were what led to his dismissal.

Both elected people deny they called. I guess we will find out something from Linda Sanchez’ committee hearings.

Iglesias is known as Mr. Clean. A lot of people, including Democrats in NM, are upset about his firing.

I heard Iglesias interviewed on NPR tonight and I was riveted. He certainly sounded clean; he admitted that he regreted not calling his superiors at the DOJ when he recieved the phone calls from Wilson and Domenici the 2 members of the NM congressional delegation. He said he was in a state of shock that it even happened. The interview is well worth listening to via podcast.

*xyz @ 85

Marcy Wheeler will attend a YearlyKos fundraiser in NYC on Saturday, March 10.

I hope to meet other firedoglakers there!

Here’s the info:

http://www.yearlykosconvention.org/node/62

YEARLYKOS CONVENTION FUNDRAISER
Saturday, March 10th – 6-9pm
The Tank @ C:U – 279 Church Street
Register here!

Join activists, organizers and on-lookers, as we drink, laugh and carouse liberally to celebrate the DailyKos community and prepare for the 2007 YearlyKos Convention.

With special guests Marcy Wheeler (”Emptywheel”), author of “Anatomy of Deceit” and Libby Trial blogger, the comedians of Laughing Liberally, the sweet eats of Eating Liberally, fellow Kossacks, bloggers & rabble-rousers.

Hosted by Living Liberally with Vaster Books, Young People For The American Way & the Kossack community of New York City.

Free food, cheap drinks, great gifts, lively conversation & progressive camaraderie!

Saturday, March 10th – 6-9pm
The Tank @ C:U – 279 Church Street
btw Franklin & White, just below Canal
A,C,E,J,M,N,Q,R,W,Z,6 to Canal; 1 to Franklin

$50 – YearlyKos Suggested Donation
$100 – YearlyKos Fundraiser Host
Register here.

All guests will receive gift bags. Hosts will receive recognition in invitations and complimentary copies of “Anatomy of Deceit”.

http://www.yearlykosconvention.org/node/62

xyz – I live in CT but just might attend. Would love to find out who else will be there

moi @83 Neither Jane nor Marcy gave any details on the Fitz encounter although so many of us WANTED TO KNOW

Jane Hamsher @ 166

RevDeb @
112

KO reporting on the bathroom leaks at Scooter’s trial!

No cookies.

Marcy thinks we are having a good influence on Shuster.

We’re at Plame House, we had a nice dinner and we’re kicking back. It’s friggin’ EXHAUSTING sitting around doing nothing all day.

Tell us about it!

PS: I think Shuster has good instincts.

Morris Sheppard @ 185

The inability of the Dems, especially in the Senate, to do what a overwhelming majority of the country wants done astounds and outrages me. Are they afraid David Broder will say they’re “partisan”? Are they afraid Repubs will say they’re not supporting the troops? Is it worse than we imagine, in that they really do not want to end the war?

When 65% of the nation wants something done, when well over 50% think Dems should stop the funding for the occupation what is the possible blowback? What is wrong with these people???

If these things, and impeachment, are “off the table” I’m beginning to think primary challenges should be “on the table.” It did wonders for Jane Harman. Reid is a huge disappointment and seems to be suffering from Senate minority Stockholm syndrome. It’s past time to hold his feet to the fire.

If Rethugs want to stall legislation, he should make them actually filibuster, not just threaten. Make them get up and talk for hours, bring the Senate to a halt (since it’s not doing much anyway, what’s the loss?) and make sure the media hears about it. Instead he just quietly fades away. Reid is so colorless that when he appears on TV I swear he looks like he’s in black and white.

I was just writing something along the same lines, yours is better and much more succint.

Did they not hear us on November 7th, and why are they not taking advantage of the numbers?

sheesh.

I may just have to move.

Reportedly whenever Fitz said “Hi” her mouth was full of food. She never elaborated in spited of recurrent pleas and outright groveling for details. sigh

EPU’d

But anyway, on topic … not what they’ve done, but why

Sara @ Orcinus

Geez, nobody here commented on my witty reference to Beavis and Butt-Head’s mocking a Judas Priest video! Waaaah!

Looks like we got new sheets! Off to the new thread!

Back to the topic at hand, Bush et al should be impeached for failing to honor the sacred oaths they swore, to uphold the Constitution. Real military people take this oath very seriously, and the Commander in Chief should be held to a standard that is at least as high.

many ways in which BushCo has broken the law

hmmm. how about the worst instance of false flag terror in American history? that is, to use the language of Nuremburg, the Supreme Crime, because it contained the seed of all the others.

“Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta on 23 May 2003 appeared in the public hearings of the Congressional 9/11 Commission. He was questioned regarding the events in the Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC) underneath the East Wing of the White House. He recited hearing the following:

There was a young man who had come in and said to the vice president, “The plane is 50 miles out. The plane is 30 miles out.” And when it got down to, “The plane is 10 miles out, “the young man also said to the vice president, “Do the orders still stand?” And the vice president turned and whipped his neck around and said, “Of course the orders still stand. Have you heard anything to the contrary? [i]”

Eureka Springs, AR @ 113

The little pre 9-11 incident where the CIA briefer warned Bush of an attack and Bush said, “okay you’ve covered your arse”, violates everything holy in the office of the president and should be repeated every single day in the congress. Impearch!

To me this is the smoking gun, if it can be verified as a statement by the pResident. If that exchange did in fact happen, it clearly demonstrates treasonous behaviour by the Pretender. So bring on the impeachments, bring on the courts-martial!

An omen? A quirk? A poke in the eye with a sharp stick? No, it’s Joementum!

CNN – WTF?

go to this page and click on the photo of Bob Ney and see what happens (hint- Joementum)

http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/bl…..ewell.html

Wil @ 161

In the immotal words of Natalie Maines -I’m aashamed those two are from the state of NM

Actually, I’m betting that Pearce lied about contacting Iglesias, and that Pearce’s name will come up if Iglesias is subpoenaed by Sanchez’s committee.

Eli @ 72

Hey, would it be appropriate to call them “Cheneocons”?

Actually, they are the Che-neo-conned.

Eli @
81

Lady of the Lake @ 74

And I want Bush and Cheney to pay fines from their vast fortunes for what they have done to our country.

Fines??? No prison?

Those had better be some hefty, pauperizing fines, and they better include some kind of serious garnisheeing so they can’t just rebuild their fortunes with speaking fees and “consulting”/lobbying.

Oh, Eli! Of course I would like nothing more than to see their priveledged asses land in prison, but you know as well as I do that the pardons will fly first. Our country does not have enough experience with facism to want to see our leaders in prison or hanged. But make no mistake, I think this neocon cabal has committed high treason and deserves to be hanged. It just won’t happen. Too many people are afraid of reality and truth.

I haven’t read all the comments so I’ll say this and hope for the best.

For me the biggest crime is the terrible fog of cruelty and disregard for life this administration has spread over this country. The Torture committed elsewhere has a way of seeping into society, we cannot escape it, they shamed us, by doing what should never be done ever, like some tinhorn punk dictator.

All of their actions, and I mean everyone, have nothing to do with the welfare of our country or its citizenry, and everything to do with lining pockets of those thats got. They are like a group of school yard bullies that spread fear, and hopelessness in a school, only in this instance they have cast a pall over a whole nation, my country and yours, the one many of us have served, given our lives for, and they have cheapened it-I have never disliked any group of people more in my life. And what they deserve the least is respect, they should be arrested now for their obvious crimes, we need to stop this nightmare before it is too late.

“As Atrios notes, lying to Congress is a crime.” Apparently some laws are honored in the breach, while others are simply never enforced.

Phoenix Woman, I’m here in St Paul and I can’t get out my back mf door! This sux! I’ll try the front tomorrow. My brother’s in HI and his cats need “sitting.” I gave my snopance to Animal Ark!

I heard that lying to congress was umm, bad. like in the nineties. wuzzup with that?

ps. I gave my snow pants away because I’m moving to Phoenix AZ.

EPU @ 172

[Also happy to have you as part of the “news” is “entertainment” club]

entertain- derivation: ex Latin ‘tenir’ to hold; to hold the interest of and amuse, divert.

Essentially, to grab and hold the attention for some purpose. Describes what “news” has become.

maddy @
202

I haven’t read all the comments so I’ll say this and hope for the best.

For me the biggest crime is the terrible fog of cruelty and disregard for life this administration has spread over this country. The Torture committed elsewhere has a way of seeping into society, we cannot escape it, they shamed us, by doing what should never be done ever, like some tinhorn punk dictator.

All of their actions, and I mean everyone, have nothing to do with the welfare of our country or its citizenry, and everything to do with lining pockets of those thats got. They are like a group of school yard bullies that spread fear, and hopelessness in a school, only in this instance they have cast a pall over a whole nation, my country and yours, the one many of us have served, given our lives for, and they have cheapened it-I have never disliked any group of people more in my life. And what they deserve the least is respect, they should be arrested now for their obvious crimes, we need to stop this nightmare before it is too late.

Well said, Maddy.

Lady of the Lake @ 201: All the more reason to insist that they be tried for treason. I may not get what I want, but I insist. And I will keep insisting. Impeach. Try. Convict. Sentence.

Morris Sheppard @ 184

The inability of the Dems, especially in the Senate, to do what a overwhelming majority of the country wants done astounds and outrages me. Are they afraid David Broder will say they’re “partisan”? Are they afraid Repubs will say they’re not supporting the troops? Is it worse than we imagine, in that they really do not want to end the war?

When 65% of the nation wants something done, when well over 50% think Dems should stop the funding for the occupation what is the possible blowback? What is wrong with these people???

If these things, and impeachment, are “off the table” I’m beginning to think primary challenges should be “on the table.” It did wonders for Jane Harman. Reid is a huge disappointment and seems to be suffering from Senate minority Stockholm syndrome. It’s past time to hold his feet to the fire.

If Rethugs want to stall legislation, he should make them actually filibuster, not just threaten. Make them get up and talk for hours, bring the Senate to a halt (since it’s not doing much anyway, what’s the loss?) and make sure the media hears about it. Instead he just quietly fades away. Reid is so colorless that when he appears on TV I swear he looks like he’s in black and white.

I agree let them blow long and hard…and people will realize that the real work is being done in the Committees…

Let the Tubthumlichauns filibuster ’til they burst. It’ll keep them out of the Investigative Committees!

There’s a proverb that’s at least three thousand years old that states,”The Rule of Law is like the spider’s web, formidable only to those who are so small and powerless as to become ensnared in it, while the great and powerful tear through it’s feeble bonds and brush it away as a mere nuisance.

Just thought I’d remind people of a project of MoveOn.org that it gave up on after the elections in 2004 called the Daily Mislead. The daily missives have been archived, and many of those “misleads” are probably connected with breaking the law in one way or another.

Maybe we ought to start a new version called the “Daily crime”?

Bob in HI

tbsa @
39

. . . Impeachment, it’s not just for blow jobs.

Hey! Sounds like a good bumper sticker!!!

Bob in HI

cinnamonape @
209

Morris Sheppard @ 184

The inability of the Dems, especially in the Senate, to do what a overwhelming majority of the country wants done astounds and outrages me. Are they afraid David Broder will say they’re “partisan”? Are they afraid Repubs will say they’re not supporting the troops? Is it worse than we imagine, in that they really do not want to end the war?

When 65% of the nation wants something done, when well over 50% think Dems should stop the funding for the occupation what is the possible blowback? What is wrong with these people???

If these things, and impeachment, are “off the table” I’m beginning to think primary challenges should be “on the table.” It did wonders for Jane Harman. Reid is a huge disappointment and seems to be suffering from Senate minority Stockholm syndrome. It’s past time to hold his feet to the fire.

If Rethugs want to stall legislation, he should make them actually filibuster, not just threaten. Make them get up and talk for hours, bring the Senate to a halt (since it’s not doing much anyway, what’s the loss?) and make sure the media hears about it. Instead he just quietly fades away. Reid is so colorless that when he appears on TV I swear he looks like he’s in black and white.

I agree let them blow long and hard…and people will realize that the real work is being done in the Committees…

Let the Tubthumlichauns filibuster ’til they burst. It’ll keep them out of the Investigative Committees!

A big part of the problems is that, unlike the rethuglicans, the dems are not largely united and there are far too many of them who are nearly rethug’s themselves. We need to see this as a long term project and work not only to clean house of the rethugs but also the dems who almost might as well be with them. Orgs like MoveOn, that focus on electing progressive dems need our active support if we are going to start to see any real change.

Here’s a good article by Chalmers Johnson explaining the conflict between democracy and empire. We can’t have both, and we’re rapidly walking away from democracy.

It’s later than you think .. torture, state-sponsored assasination, wars of aggression, plunder of Iraq, immoral, illegal, massive pollution, military spending to the tune of 50% of the world’s total outlay, an executive branch that behaves like royalty, openly lying and apparently not even ashamed when exposed, a government that considers citizens as commodities to be pimped out for raping to the highest-paying corporation, corrupt secret services including the CIA (torture), NSA (spies on Americans), FBI (massive cover-ups of incompetence), an attorney general who gives the executive advice on how to avoid arrest for war crimes. Arrogant Fascists. They won’t be stopped by polite protests or ineffectual democrats. They will only respond to a severe smackdown such as indictment, trial, and imprisonment. If that is not happening, massive civil disobedience is in order; if that is not effective, outright rebellion.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/013107H.shtml

The Bush Administration In One Sentence

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/022807J.shtml

I, as well as many others, fear the broken laws we DON’T even know about yet!