What does the Smart Money say about the verdict?

Terrific coveragee by firedoglake.

Jim Turner, three hours behind in Bellevue WA.

You are a shining beacon of light in the midst of the Republican darkness that has descended on our great nation. And as each day passes, your vigilant light shines away even more of the Republican darkness, giving all of us hope. Thank you.

Then there is this from Think Progress

Gonzales is ‘too busy.’

From Bob Novak’s column today: “Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has indicated he is too busy to answer letters from Democratic congressional leaders about his firing seven U.S. attorneys involved in probes of public corruption, though a lower-level Justice Department official rejected their proposals.”

I feel like our Congress really isnt doing enough. How many supoenas will it take to show that Bushco is corrupt and has broken the law.
Shouldnt there be a price to pay?

Apparently Abu Bin Gon Zalis isn’t too busy to suddenly show up at McGeorge Law School…but flash=protestors showed up to give him a piece of the First Amendment…if he remembers what that is!

http://sacramentofordemocracy……/view/5108

http://cbs13.com/topstories/lo…..20309.html

Contempt of Congress anyone?

Gonzales said: “I think that the American people lose if I spend all my time worrying about congressional requests for information, if I spend all my time responding to subpoenas.”

Isn’t this rat bastard the highest judicial officer of the country? WTF?

“request”? No, idiot, it’s a subpoena, not a request.

Do not pass ‘Go’, do not collect $200, do not stay in office.

They may not be avid readers of TPM Muckracker, so perhaps they need to be encouraged.

jeannefisk @
18

Wouldn’t it be nice if all of these subpoenas lead to trials of the Bush administration and Republicans? Christy, Jane, Marcy, Pach et al, could spend the rest of thier days liveblogging trials.

*Doink!*

Um, we need to get back to a regular rythm. This trial experience has been awesome, but we need a bit of a rest, and we also have more organizing to do.

I’m sympathetic, but we need the same kind of continuing coverage. Could we get a B team lined up and ready to go? Or maybe a larger pool for rotation? Do we need to up the ante on Paypal, etc. to pay more of your expenses?

Bob in HI

http://link.brightcove.com/ser…..d537018586

I think this will have legs, but I expect this maladministration to juggle several shiny objects to distract the media. . .

Like, war with Iran?

Bob in HI

Let the subpoenas begin! Did I read the word “avalanche?” Oh, goody!

Don’t get excited. The devil is in the details.
What I want to know is what the Judiciary’s subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Rights is doing. So I went to their website and here’s what they’re doing:

SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE CONSTITUTION, CIVIL RIGHTS, AND CIVIL LIBERTIES

I. Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Issues. The Subcommittee expects to review a variety of civil rights and civil liberties issues, which may include: implementation of the Justice for All Act of 2004; oversight of the work of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights; the enforcement record, priorities, and authorization request of the Civil Rights Division; the operation of the Community Relations Service; the doctrine of free exercise of religion in the wake of recent court decisions; constitutional issues associated with the war on terrorism; constitutional issues associated with the implementation of various DNA database programs; oversight of the enforcement of the FACE Act; gender discrimination; the Flag of the United States; marriage and civil unions; and protection of property rights.

II. Office of Government Ethics and Lobby Disclosure. The Subcommittee plans to consider the priorities and operation of the Office of Government Ethics, including current financial disclosure requirements and the operation of the Lobby Disclosure Act.

III. Pigford v. Glickman. The Subcommittee expects to examine the status of the implementation of this civil rights settlement between the United States Department of Agriculture and certain Black farmers.

IV. Americans with Disabilities Act. The Subcommittee expects to examine the current state of the law and enforcement of it by governmental and non-governmental action.

Excuse me? These issues are important, but what about, just for starters,

“George W. Bush versus the U.S. Constitution: The Downing Street Memos and Deception, Manipulation, Torture, Retribution, and Cover-ups in the Iraq War and Illegal Domestic Spying,” by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee Democratic Staff, a book that not only collects the evidence but also tells us what Congressman John Conyers, the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, was thinking (the full text, minus a new introduction by Joseph Wilson, is available here) only last year.

Information from the website continues,

The Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties shall have jurisdiction over the following subject matters: constitutional amendments, constitutional rights, federal civil rights, ethics in government, other appropriate matters as referred by the Chairman, and relevant oversight

Hon. Nadler, Chairman, (D) New York, 8th
Hon. Davis (D) Alabama , 7th
Hon. Wasserman Schultz (D) Florida, 20th
Hon. Ellison (D) Minnesota, 5th
Hon. Conyers Jr. (D) Michigan, 14th
Hon. Scott (D) Virginia, 3rd
Hon. Watt (D) North Carolina, 12th
Hon. Cohen (D) Tennessee, 9th
Hon. Franks, Ranking Member, (R) Arizona, 2nd
Hon. Pence (R) Indiana, 6th
Hon. Issa (R) California, 49th
Hon. King (R) Iowa, 5th
Hon. Jordan (R) Ohio, 4th

No Latest news items for this Subcommittee

Currently there is no legislative business for this committee.

The next hearing:
3/7/2007 Hearing: “Protecting the Right to Vote: Election Deception and Irregularities in Recent Federal Elections”

That, too, is an important issue, but this should be one of the busiest and most active subcommittees in all of congress. Why isn’t it?

Conyers could change this any day if he wanted to. So why isn’t he doing his sworn duty to protect the Constitution? He professed worry on Democracy Now a week or so ago that if Congress got into impeachment, they wouldn’t be able to get any other important work done. Well, excuse me, but what is more important than defending the Constitution, which he is sworn to do?

If any of these congresspersons represent your district, please write to them and let them know that you care.

Bob in HI
Just a wee bit upset

Christy…. in AZ CD-01 Rick Renzi race, there was information that the Justice Dept was investigating Renzi for unquestionable and possible illegal land deals just prior to the Nov election. Implied there were two separate investigations. They would not release any info about the scope of the investigations. I am wondering if this was one US Attorney who did fold from pressure???

The Repug wingnuts flooded the local press that it was Ellen Simon’s campaign who was MSU (making shit up) and ya know how those America hating ACLU Lawyers are…

Have not heard one word since then.

That one was disgusting. I lived in that district for 17 years, and Renzi is one of the worst of the worst. The district is one of the largest in the country, so there are progressive pockets in places like Flagstaff, surrounded by miles and miles of cowboy country and Indian reservations. Withholding of this information was, or should have been, illegal.

Bob in HI