Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Bush officials lobbying Obama DOJ to ‘water down’ torture report.

Thinkprogress:

The Justice Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility is expected to release a long-awaited report that will reveal the conduct of senior Bush administration lawyers who authorized torture. Newsweek reported recently that the report is “causing anxiety among former Bush administration officials.”

Now, the Washington Post is reporting that Bush officials are lobbying the DOJ to weaken the report’s conclusions:

Former Bush administration officials are lobbying behind the scenes to push Justice Department leaders to water down an ethics report criticizing lawyers who blessed harsh detainee interrogation tactics, according to two sources familiar with the efforts.

In recent days, attorneys for the subjects of the ethics probe have encouraged senior Bush administration appointees to write and phone Justice Department officials, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the process is not complete.

Update: NPR says that the DOJ report "will refer former Justice officials to the bar for possible disciplinary action, which means they could be disbarred.

1 comment:

airJackie said...

All those who followed the idiot GW will lose their license because he didn't give a blanket pardon to protect them. Yes Judge Bybee will be looking for a job and others will write a tell all book to make a dime. Bush and Cheney will wish they had protected their army because the soldiers will now turn on the Commanders-in-Chiefs. The truth wont be beauty and many will deny they know Bush/Cheney in the end.

I read how New Yorkers want Spitzer back. Now I remember how many committed on his conduct as Govenor, while never knowing all were being used by the RNC. Yes we didn't demand that Vitter resign or Craig/Foley but Spitzer had to go. Now if those who lost millions in the Madoff scam had of waited to let Spitzer finish his work they would have not lost as much money. As for those who lost their life savings they too could have been saved. For the Christians who attacked Spitzer all I can say is God loved and forgave King David and he did much worse, so who are you to judge. Americans rally around to kick Spitzer out for hiring a prostitute, but do nothing as Bush/Cheney let our troops get killed for their greed, steal from the US Treasury and openly lie in our faces, that we can accept with no question but Spitze had to go.