I want our 3 candidates to be asked, tonight "If elected will U prosecute Bush/Cheney for Iraq War?"

[randys1]

[PADemD]

1. Me, too.

[MADem]

2. Don't hold your breath. That question will likely not be answered.

That's because it's likely to the point of certainty that the question you formulated will not be asked.

These candidates are running for POTUS, not Attorney General.

And though the POTUS picks the AG, the AG is an entirely INDEPENDENT entity once they are sworn into the job. They aren't an arm of the White House when it comes to upholding the nation's laws. I don't see an AG reaching back in time to bother with trying to formulate a case against a POTUS that was signed off on by Congress.

Presidents are given a fair amount of latitude--BY CONGRESS--in terms of conducting military actions overseas. Congress would be the ones to sanction those fellows, via the impeachment process, and they would have needed to do it while they were still in office.

I think the horse has left the barn. We came through a bad patch with awful leaders, and they'll be judged by history. We're not going to have the opportunity to take a bite out of their asses in a judicial setting for their conduct--history will have to do that, in virtual fashion.

[JoePhilly]

3. Well stated.

I'm continually amazed at how many folks on the left don't get this.

[randys1]

9. So the president doesnt nominate cabinet members who will fulfill their wishes and philosophy?

Of course they do and we cant ask the AG to do this, so we ask the President to do it.

I get it, I get that some may want to provide cover for a president, which is ridiculous


These responses are really depressing..
OF COURSE it is the AG who actually does it, AFTER the president asks them to...

[R B Garr]

5. Excellent post. You nailed it.

Thank you.

[randys1]

8. Thanks for answering without the insult. But we both know the AG will do whatever the prez asks

Last edited Sat Nov 14, 2015, 09:19 PM - Edit history (1)

them to do even if it is just to investigate.

I agree it will never happen, but EVERYONE here knows that the president has tremendous influence with the people he or she nominates.

A president who wants a prosecution or investigation WILL ABSOLUTELY make it clear to whoever is nominated.

We both know that.

So yes, the question is will you nominate an AG who will look into investigating and possibly prosecuting, of course that is how it works

And if the president wants them to and they wont do it, they will be asked to hand in their resignations..

If a prez wanted it they would nominate someone who they know would do it

I should NOT have to make this clear, this is obvious.


Using your logic, we cant ask the President what his foreign policy will be since it is the Scty of State who carries out or implements most of the foreign policy.

Right?

[MADem]

10. That's just not accurate--if the AG is bullied by the POTUS, the POTUS faces impeachment.

Janet Reno was ENTIRELY unhelpful to Bill Clinton. That's very recent history, too.

And people seem to forget, so easily, this bumper sticker:



The whole reason for "Borking" was because it was Justice Bork who did the firing--for political reasons--when Nixon got in trouble with the Attorney General, tried to boss him around, and the AG wouldn't "play ball."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/watergate/articles/102173-2.htm

Nixon Forces Firing of Cox; Richardson, Ruckelshaus Quit
President Abolishes Prosecutor's Office; FBI Seals Records

By Carroll Kilpatrick
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, October 21, 1973; Page A01

In the most traumatic government upheaval of the Watergate crisis, President Nixon yesterday discharged Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox and accepted the resignations of Attorney General Elliot L. Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William D. Ruckelshaus.

The President also abolished the office of the special prosecutor and turned over to the Justice Department the entire responsibility for further investigation and prosecution of suspects and defendants in Watergate and related cases.

Shortly after the White House announcement, FBI agents sealed off the offices of Richardson and Ruckelshaus in the Justice Department and at Cox's headquarters in an office building on K Street NW.

An FBI spokesman said the agents moved in "at the request of the White House."

Agents told staff members in Cox's office they would be allowed to take out only personal papers. A Justice Department official said the FBI agents and building guards at Richardson's and Ruckelshaus' offices were there "to be sure that nothing was taken out."

Richardson resigned when Mr. Nixon instructed him to fire Cox and Richardson refused. When the President then asked Ruckelshaus to dismiss Cox, he refused, White House spokesman Ronald L. Ziegler said, and he was fired. Ruckelshaus said he resigned.

Finally, the President turned to Solicitor General Robert H. Bork, who by law becomes acting Attorney General when the Attorney General and deputy attorney general are absent, and he carried out the President's order to fire Cox. The letter from the President to Bork also said Ruckelshaus resigned.

These dramatic developments were announced at the White House at 8:25 p.m. after Cox had refused to accept or comply with the terms of an agreement worked out by the President and the Senate Watergate committee under which summarized material from the White House Watergate tapes would be turned over to Cox and the Senate committee.....

That was one of many insurmountable problems that would have been brought up in Nixon's articles of impeachment, had he not resigned to escape charges.

[Bread and Circus]

4. I have always wondered why Obama didn't when he clearly had the chance.

[MineralMan]

6. Presidents can't prosecute anyone for anything.

That's not within their powers.

They can direct the Attorney General to investigate, but that's all. The lack of knowledge about the powers Presidents have and do not have in this country is shocking.

[randys1]

7. Ridiculous comment, AG's do what the president tell them to do and you know it

I could insult you, as you did me, for making such an absurd statement.

But I wont, I wont forget your insult either.

[MohRokTah]

12. That is completely false.

AGs are completely independent of the president.

[BootinUp]

11. Keep dreaming...