Bush White House ordered to produce wiretap memos

[ColbertWatcher]

Judge orders White House to produce wiretap memos
By JOAN LOWY, Associated Press Reporter Joan Lowy, Associated Press Reporter – 33 mins ago

WASHINGTON – A judge has ordered the Justice Department to produce White House memos that provide the legal basis for the Bush administration's post-Sept. 11 warrantless wiretapping program.

U.S. District Judge Henry Kennedy Jr. signed an order Friday requiring the department to produce the memos by the White House legal counsel's office by Nov. 17. He said he will review the memos in private to determine if any information can be released publicly without violating attorney-client privilege or jeopardizing national security.

Kennedy issued his order in response to lawsuits by civil liberties groups in 2005 after news reports disclosed the wiretapping.

The department had argued that the memos were protected attorney-client communications and contain classified information.

(more)
--http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081102/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/warrantless_wiretapping Yahoo! News>

[aquart]

1. They will. As confetti on inauguration day.

On edit: I would prefer to see George leave the White House in handcuffs. And leg irons.

[ColbertWatcher]

2. Me too. But this is good news, isn't it? n/t

[tom_paine]

3. Hate to be a party pooper, but we've had this kind of "good news" before.

Want me to write the "next week's headlines" with only a minor exaggeration for effect?

Here we go:

Bush White House Refuses to Turn Over Wiretapping Memos on Basis of National Security.

Loyal Bushie Lawyers "discover" legal loophole that allows them to defy judge. "Mumbo and Jumbo," said Loyal Bushies, "Plausible Deniability. You are not seeing what your eyes tell you, you are seeing."

Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats send a strongly worded letter insisting on the release of the wiretapping memos.

Bush White House Wipes Its Ass on Letter, Laughs Hysterically. "Mumbo and Jumbo, Liberal Weaklings," sneered Dick Cheney, "Plausible Deniability for the Idiots."

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/tom_paine/29

[ColbertWatcher]

4. Well, I'm hoping you're wrong. n/t

[tom_paine]

5. I hope so, too. n/t

[annabanana]

12. Nontheless. .

There is pavement being laid here. Whether the next administration decides to drive on it is kind of up to us.

[tom_paine]

13. Not sure I yet believe THAT, even in an Obama Administration...but I'd like to.

We shall see.

At the very least, an Obama Presidency will represent at least 4 years of rest from being vampirized by the Bushies. Even that would be a-OK by me. And I think it's very possible that an Obama Administration will be much better that the "very least".

But if you are thinking that Obama is going to open up criminal prosecutions of the Loyal Bushies, I think you have shifted gears to the "very most" we could expect from Obama. It would be great, and do more to save America than when FDR and Smedley Butler hlped foil the 1930s Bushies when they tried to overthrow the nation and bring us into alliance with the Nazis.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/document/document_20070723.shtml

And I can't believe the "very most" until I see it start to happen.

[annabanana]

21. Like everything else in this country...

It will not happen unless there is a demand from below. We have all seen how corpomedia can be shamed into coverage of stuff that is uncomfortable for the owners. If everyone knows something and it is NOT "on TV". . it shows up on the comedy shows...

[goforit]

18. A little LATE though.

[LaPera]

6. Surprise,surprise & republican McCain pretends he's not a republican though with the same

corporate fascist republican ideology as is Bush......McCain is a fucking republican!

[ColbertWatcher]

8. And all the current secrecy will benefit Admiral McCombover. n/t

[Edweird]

7. It's nice to hear, but post #3 has a good bead on the reality.

I'd love to see them all arrested by the FBI HRT team and hauled off. But that isn't the least bit likely.

[ColbertWatcher]

9. I know, but I'm glad to see someone hasn't given up. n/t

[tom_paine]

14. Hey! I'm not advocating giving up! We have to try, regardless.

If I was advocating giving up, I would have made several hundred phone calls fopr Obama in the past months. Got better things to do with my time.

I am just advocating having no illusions.

But giving up? NEVER!

Hell, some of my heroes are the Jewish Warsaw Ghetto Uprisers of 1943. Doomed before they started plotting the whole thing. So what?

Let history show that even if we lose, and the Bushie/Putinist/Chinese model of Inverted Totalitarianism spreads it's dark shadow over the world, that we tried the best we could to stop it.

[bvar22]

15. There is another option beyond Obama & The Democrats.

Lets stop depending on government, and privatize the effort!


I will donate $500 to ANY organization that will place a Bounty on Bush/Cheney to be paid to anyone who provides concrete evidence that leads to their indictment or arrest.

A small, transparent trust located in a neutral country like Switzerland could administer the fund. If the BOUNTY is promoted internationally, it would quickly grow to Mega-Millions.

The fund would also be tasked with running full page Wanted For War Crimes ads in major Global newspapers every 3 months until the Bounty is awarded or depleted.

I believe that such a fund would be wildly popular worldwide, and provide the administrators an opportunity to make a little money.
I have neither the resources or skills to institute such a fund, but like I said above, I am willing to donate $500. I also believe that there are at least a million more worldwide (extreme minimum) who would also be willing to donate....that adds up to some serious money.

Wanted
for
WAR CRIMES


A $500 Million Dollar Reward will be paid to any individual, organization, or country that provides concrete information leading to the arrest, or the issuance of an Internal Arrest Warrant for War Crimes committed by George Bush, Dick Cheney, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, or Donald Rumsfeld.

It is clear that the Opposition Party (Democratic Party) and the US Justice Department will do NOTHING to hold the criminals accountable.
A private organization representing Citizens of the World would have better results.
After observing the response to Michele Bachmann's appearance on MSNBC, I have no doubt that such a fund a HUGE success.

Even if Bush/Cheney are never arrested, a Mega-Million Dollar International Bounty would certainly keep them looking over their shoulders, curtail retirement travel plans, AND serve as a warning to future "Unitary Executives".

It would also put a nice ribbon around the Bush Legacy.

[tom_paine]

20. Wow, that's a great idea and worth it's own OP. Definitely.

[malaise]

10. This is good news

You know I'm actually glad Congress has not gone after Rove, Miers et al yet. They have not been charged yet so they cannot be pardoned. After January 20th, lots of people will be worried and I expect more than a few to be sent to prison. There will be no clean up of the mess left by Bush unless the criminals are sent to jail.

[DemoTex]

11. Bu$h to judge:

[SammyWinstonJack]

17. Bingo!

[jtrockville]

16. Why not focus on the PRE-911 warrentless wiretapping program?

[TahitiNut]

19. The White House is NOT the 'client' of Justice Department attorneys!

There is NO privilege between them! :grr:

[eowyn_of_rohan]

22. Good luck. Doubt they have survived

or that they will be available for review:mad: