Leahy Demands Docs: "I expect real answers-or we’ll have testimony under oath until we get them"

[kpete]

Senate Democrats Revive Demand for Classified Data

By DAVID JOHNSTON
Published: November 24, 2006

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23 — Seeking information about detention of terrorism suspects, abuse of detainees and government secrecy, Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee are reviving dozens of demands for classified documents that until now have been rebuffed or ignored by the Justice Department and other agencies.

“I expect real answers, or we’ll have testimony under oath until we get them,” Senator Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont, who will head the committee beginning in January, said in an interview this week. “We’re entitled to know these answers, and in many instances we don’t get them because people are hiding their mistakes. And that’s no excuse.”

Mr. Leahy, who has said little about his plans for the committee, expressed hope for greater cooperation from the Bush administration, which he described as having been “obsessively secretive.” His aides have identified more than 65 requests he has made to the Justice Department or other agencies in recent years that have been rejected or permitted to languish without reply.

Now that they are about to control Congress, what he and other Democrats regard as a record of unresponsiveness has energized their renewal of longstanding requests for information about some of the administration’s most hidden and fiercely debated operations. In addition, other such requests by committee members deal with subjects like voter fraud, immigration and background inquiries on Supreme Court nominees.

more at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/24/washington/24documents.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[acmejack]

1. Go get them !

Their contempt of Congress has to end and this is the time. Senator Leahy has the chance to show the Dick why it is best keep your words sweet, just in case you have to eat them.

[maine_raptor]

2. LOL, Yea, but

you just wait...........before long the spin will be that Leahy is doing this to get back at Dick because of that "conversation".

I'd put money on that.

[Straight Shooter]

3. Well, I have to admit ...

... it did cross my mind to say, "Ha ha, go f*** yourself, Cheney." :7

[Norrin Radd]

28. My suggestion would be to say that it's beside the point,

justice is justice, but even still, it's the American way to retort. Who in this country would let someone get away with saying that to one's face without a reply?

[Sherman A1]

4. Excellent!

A few honest answers would be refershing for a change. Although one wonders if that will be possible for this rather wacky fun filled group?

[Lugnut]

5. All right!

It's way past time to pull back the curtain of secrecy.

[liberal N proud]

6. Testimony under OATH - PERIOD

That one has pissed me off since they allowed those bastards be "interviewed" by the congressional committee vs testifying.

[nealmhughes]

7. "National Security", rather than "patriotism" has become the last refuge of scoundrels.

Democracy is anathema to secrecy and vice versa.

How can the people elect representatives and an executive if the people and their representatives have no idea what is going on within the executive's employees' agencies?

The state as status quo is not nearly so important as the people who form the state.

Jefferson opined in the first basic document of the founding of the United States of America that "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."

Have we not suffered long enough? Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; to secure these rights, governments are insituted among men; just powers from the consent of the governed; disposed to suffer -- lofty ideals, great prose. Why do we negate it with a Congress that had bowed to the pressure of a small cadre of warmongers? Why did the Executive negate it with lies and jingos?

Perhaps the nation is awakening, and holding all accountable to the laws which we in Congress have established. Let us therefore go forth with hope that the truth be revealed, and if embarassment, harassment or even loss of position and honor result from the cadre that has led us into a most unsafe, unhappy and not free state, so be it.

The Republic must be restored.

[woodsgirl]

8. Leahy

makes me proud to be a democrat. I remember when the repubs.
were bound and determined to cut out overtime for nurses,
policemen and firefighters. Frist didn't want debate...He and
his family could have saved a lot of money in the hospital
biz. Leahy, Kennedy,Harkin and Durbin fought it like they
understood the devastation that would have resulted in that
weird idea.I was surprised it didn't come out in the '04
debates. It became clear after the election the fix was in. If
Kerry had hammered on that one issue, it would have made a big
difference in the election. Pretty much, the whole debacle was
hushed up.

[JDPriestly]

14. Your post is excellent. Thanks.

[nealmhughes]

30. Thanks, I like to emulate Jefferson as much as possible...

the real thanks is due the gentleman from Albemarle County.

[mzmolly]

9. I am lovin this!

Democrats with some POWER - YEAH!

[elehhhhna]

10. Cheny on testifying to COngress under oath: HELL NO! I WON'T GO!

He evidently has some principles, afterall.

WATERBOARD THEM. ON PPV. It's "legal" now.

[elehhhhna]

11. Cheny on testifying to COngress under oath: HELL NO! I WON'T GO!

He evidently has some principles, afterall.

WATERBOARD THEM. ON PPV. It's "legal" now.

[Rageneau]

12. Leahy will be swiftboated very soon. And vehemently.

[cali]

15. Nah, they can't do a fucking thing to Leahy.

He's been in the Senate for 32 years. His constituents love him. He's been doggedly going after repuke wrongdoers for decades, and has emerged from various attacks pretty unscathed. He hasn't become rich while in the Senate. He doesn't take money from questionable sources. He's been devotedly married for almost 40 years. There just isn't a whole lot they can do to him.

[LowPhreak]

21. Perhaps you've forgotten....

...the anthrax letters that were sent to Leahy (and Sen. Daschle) in late 2001, originated from the CIA/Army laboratories at Fort Detrick, Maryland just as the Democrats were questioning the details of the "Patriot" Act.

[wryter2000]

26. Welcome to DU

:hi:

[gratuitous]

13. Hide and learn, GOP Senators

There is something called "oversight," which has been sorely lacking from your governance, unless it involves the White House cat or where Bill Clinton is dunking his dickie. This will be a big surprise to you, but there are other things going on in this country, and some of them really are matters of life and death.

[bigtree]

16. kick

:kick:

[Initech]

17. So um, yeah, who was saying that we didn't have a plan?

Oh yeah - every fucking republican in the book! This immediately discredits that talking point.

[sce56]

18. Humm I just hope they have the mail secure Leahy was an Anthrax target in 01!

Humm Never did find the source of that attack now did they? CIA covert weapons program used against congress.

October 17, 2006,Will be remembered as the Enabling day of the 21st Century!
"The government will make use of these powers only insofar as they are essential for carrying out vitally necessary measures..."
~Adolf Hitler, March 23, 1933, before the German Parliament (Reichstag) as he urged them to pass his "Enabling Act"

Got Fascism Yet?


http://www.georgewalkerbush.net/bush-nazilinkconfirmed.htm



Fascism Accomplished!

[Joe Chi Minh]

19. It's important that the Democrats maintain the firm, no-nonsense,

authoritative tone they've been showing. As Hitler said of the Nazis: "They're either at your feet or at your throat."

[Morgana LaFey]

20. He REALLY needs to just start with under oath testimony and

be done with it. There's not reason NOT to and any and all claims to the contrary used in the past are rubbish.

[enough already]

22. Stop screwing around and just impeach the bastard

They aren't going to answer your questions. This charade of hearings is a waste of time.

[Stardust]

24. I'm always amazed when anyone assumes that "under oath" guarantees *they* will tell the truth.//

[The Doctor.]

27. LOL! ....... no.......

But it DOES guarantee leverage.

The current Congressional Republicans are cowards. Their lies will fall apart and they will take each-other down to save their own skins. Anyone remember how they all resorted right to pointing fingers when the Foley scandal came down? That's nothing.

They will lie, but it doesn't mean the truth won't come out.

:smoke:

[enough already]

31. We already have all the leverage we need

That's what elections are all about. Just impeach the prick. If you feel the need to explain the lack of "hearings", just tell the public you are trying to save tax dollars to pay for the Bush deficits.

[rgbecker]

23. First Step : CLOSE DOWN GITMO ON JAN 5th!

Salvage at least some of our relationships with the rest of the world. Apologize, then start paying for the damages.

[Warren DeMontague]

25. FUCKING A', BUBBA

:patriot: :patriot: :patriot:

[upi402]

29. Go fuck yourself...

Mr Cheney!

et al:evilgrin:

[Imagevision]

32. e must have oversight -- The investigations MUST begin in January!!