Obama Administration Seeks To Keep Torture Victims From Having Day In Court

[Hissyspit]

Source: ACLU

Obama Administration Seeks To Keep Torture Victims From Having Day In Court (6/12/2009)

Justice Department Asks Court For Rehearing In Extraordinary Rendition Lawsuit Against Boeing Subsidiary

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NEW YORK – The Justice Department today argued that the victims of the "extraordinary rendition" program should not have their day in court, asking a federal appeals court to block a landmark case the court had earlier ruled could go forward. In April, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit against Boeing subsidiary, Jeppesen DataPlan Inc., for its role in the Bush administration's unlawful "extraordinary rendition" program could proceed, but today the government asked the appeals court's full panel of judges to rehear that decision.

"The Obama administration has now fully embraced the Bush administration's shameful effort to immunize torturers and their enablers from any legal consequences for their actions," said Ben Wizner, staff attorney with the ACLU National Security Project, who argued the case for the plaintiffs. "The CIA's rendition and torture program is not a 'state secret;' it's an international scandal. If the Obama administration has its way, no torture victim will ever have his day in court, and future administrations will be free to pursue torture policies without any fear of liability."

In April, the appeals court reversed a lower court dismissal of the lawsuit, brought on behalf of five men who were kidnapped, forcibly disappeared and secretly transferred to U.S.-run prisons or foreign intelligence agencies overseas where they were interrogated under torture. The Bush administration had intervened, improperly asserting the "state secrets" privilege to have the case thrown out. The appeals court ruled, as the ACLU has argued, that the government must invoke the "state secrets" privilege with respect to specific evidence, not to dismiss the entire suit.

"The extraordinary rendition program is well known throughout the world. The only place it hasn't been discussed is where it most cries out for examination – in a U.S. court of law," said Steven Watt, a staff attorney with the ACLU Human Rights Program. "Attempts to keep this case from moving forward fly in the face of Obama's promise to reaffirm our commitment to domestic and international human rights law and restore an America we can be proud of. Victims of extraordinary rendition deserve their day in court."

Read more: http://www.aclu.org/safefree/torture/39843prs20090612.html

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Headline is from ACLU.

[Solly Mack]

1. K&R

[ddiver]

2. At what point is Obama responsible for the Justice Dept?

There have been a few JD arguments recently that seem to be counter to what I would have expected.

[No Elephants]

6. Depends. Are we talking reality or the mythology that gets posted here?

[lib2DaBone]

3. I don't understand..(sorry) Obama doesn't have ANY influence over the Justice Department?

..seriously..just asking. I would think the Executive could make their feelings known? Maybe not direct control....?

[No Elephants]

5. How much control does the guy who hired you and can fire you have over how you perform your work?

[jody]

7. None if you believe BO apologists. Be quiet and drink the kool-aid. n/t

[jody]

4. Doesn't the Atty. Gen. serve at the pleasure of the President? If so, Obama can fire him and

therefore is Obama de facto responsible until he acts.

Did Obama join Feinstein et al in demanding Bush fire Attorney General Alberto Gonzales?

[pleah]

8. K&R

[Senator]

9. K&R

[choie]

10. K&R

[chill_wind]

11. Holder and his top brass are proving to be very disappointing

in this case. I thought Kagan and Lederman for example would be much more influential in restoring a little more sanity and respect for human rights law and principle to a very badly effed up branch of government.

[glitch]

12. K & R. nt

[G_j]

13. K&R