Will Bush Pardon Cheney on Christmas Eve?

Will Bush Pardon Cheney on Christmas Eve?

On Christmas Eve 1992, defeated President George H.W. Bush pardoned Caspar Weinberger, Elliott Abrams, Duane Clarridge, Alan Fiers, Clair George, and Robert McFarlane for their Iran-Contra crimes. Not one served a single day in jail; Weinberger was about to go on trial and would have tied Bush himself to the scandal.

Will George W. Bush follow his father’s precedent and pardon Dick Cheney and his other criminal co-conspirators this Wednesday on Christmas Eve?

Last week, Cheney was all over TV setting the stage for pardons. He admitted he personally approved torture, but insisted it destroyed Al Qaeda and saved American lives.

According to a powerful article by David Rose in Vanity Fair, the Bush-Cheney torture regime accomplished exactly the opposite. The torture photos from Abu Ghraib helped Al Qaeda’s recruitment soar. U.S. officers in Iraq say torture-inspired attacks on U.S. soldiers were the #1 and #2 cause of soldiers’ deaths. CIA analysts say the “intelligence” produced by torture was worthless.

On November 20, Rep. Jerrold Nadler introduced H.Res. 1531 to urge Bush not to pardon his criminal co-conspirators. Nadler’s bill has 9 co-sponsors but we need every Representative (and Senator) to speak out against corrupt self-pardons.

If you haven’t signed our petition to Congress, please join over 48,000 who have:
http://democrats.com/nadler-pardons

Discuss this here:
http://www.democrats.com/will-bush-pardon-cheney-on-christmas-eve

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Urge Eric Holder to Appoint a Special Prosecutor for Bush War Crimes

Last week three important Democrats – Rep. Jerrold Nadler, Sen. Carl Levin, and VP-elect Joe Biden – independently urged the Attorney General to investigate Dick Cheney’s torture confession. A growing chorus of newspapers (NY Times) and legal scholars (John Dean, Glenn Greenwald) agrees.

Prosecution of those responsible for torture is not optional – it is required by our obligations under the Geneva Conventions.

So we’ve joined forces with buhdydharma and the Docudharma community to petition Obama’s AG nominee, Eric Holder, to appoint a Special Prosecutor.

Holder replied after receiving a few hundred emails: “Enough folks. I hear you.” That’s a start, but we’ve asked for a formal statement. And we’re collecting additional signatures to deliver when Holder goes before the Senate for confirmation hearings in January.

Please sign and spread the word!
http://democrats.com/special-prosecutor-for-bush-war-crimes

 

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To subscribe, create a free Democrats.com account here:
http://www.democrats.com/user/register

 

There is much to celebrate, as there is only 33 days until George W. Bush leaves the White House.  In addition, Congressman Nadler, Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Constitution, recently introduced a resolution expressing staunch opposition to any potential preemptive pardons of members of his Administration and the need for an Independent commission or select committee to “investigate, and, where appropriate, prosecute illegal acts by senior officials of the administration of President George W. Bush.”

I fully support this resolution and I have signed on as a co-sponsor.

The issue of preemptive and/or blanket pardons has been a subject of much debate and frustration. There is great concern that Bush will abuse his pardon power and further cover up wrongdoing by his Administration. 

However, as citizens, we have a responsibility to reject any abuse of the presidential pardon power to shield or manipulate investigations.

Regardless of the legality of potential pardons, there needs to be a full accounting of this Administration’s abuses.  No doubt many of the players in the Administration will seek future positions or public office.  The public deserves a full accounting of what they have done, and the law, in my opinion, requires it.

Many felt that President-elect Obama’s victory might free members of Congress to move forward with Impeachment Hearings.  However, the weeks since the election have been largely consumed with trying to formulate a balanced and thoughtful response to the economic crisis, which, no doubt, is affecting many of you.

The struggles of the American auto industry, and the ongoing banking and credit crisis, skyrocketing unemployment, and our exploding budget deficit have taken center stage. 

Some of our most critical issues – universal healthcare, Medicare and social security funding, alternative energy investment, and education improvements are all threatened by this crisis.  Although I am committed as ever to holding this Administration accountable, we are facing a historic crisis in this nation that Congress and President-elect Obama must work together to solve.

Obama’s victory gives us a window to accomplish vital tasks that will have very direct impact on you and your family. 

I thoroughly believe that President-elect Obama will return us to a government that respects the rights of its citizens and the rule of law.  I look forward to working closely with his Administration to not only repair the damage, but bring forth a renewed sense that government is, in fact, responsible and answerable to the people.

With great respect and admiration,

Robert Wexler

Congressman Robert Wexler  contact@wexlerforcongress.com

The only thing I know for certain is that these are bad people……

 

Video

Taxi to the Darkside

http://www.moviesfoundonline.com/taxi_to_the_darkside.php

 

 

 

The only thing I know for certain is that these are bad people……

 

The above statement, uttered by George W. Bush regarding the 80,000 Afghani’s, Iraqi’s and others, seized as prisoners and held by US forces in various locations, would have been more aptly applied to himself and his entire administration.  Under the direction of the worst president ever in our history, people such as Cheney, Rumsfeld, Gonzales, Ashcroft, Rice and Hadley and too many others to name here, conducted some of the most horrendous situations and events in US history, all the while wrapping them selves in the flag and proclaiming their Christian morality.

 

Under Bush’s direction, torture and imprisonment even of children, numbering in the thousands has been conducted through the twisting and contorting of international laws and treaties and in direct violation of our own constitution culminating in the 2007 John Warner Military Commissions Act in which Bush pardons himself, his cabinet and operatives in advance for the crimes they have committed against humanity.  Not one of those cases involving extraordinary rendition to countries such as Egypt for torture, not one of those held in Gitmo have been brought to trial. 

 

In the three known instances where legal action was taken, Hamdan sued the government, Zarkawi was tortured into confessing to things he may or may not have known about, and Padilla was convicted with his defense unable to mount a valid defense on his behalf.

 

Of the 5,000 Arabs rounded up by John Ashcroft immediately following 9/11 for no other reason than they were Arabic, only one case ever made it to court…..and was thrown out for lack of evidence.   

 

We have training centers in Arizona and Georgia which teach torture techniques.  We have a government that has systematically resorted to activities known to be futile in the collection of verifiable information, and condemned globally as inhumane.  And, for the most part, we stood by and cheered on those who have perpetrated these crimes against humanity.  Why?  What happened to us as a society, as supposedly the most advanced country in the world?  Why were we so willing to accept becoming what we claimed to despise in others?

 

 

The only thing I know for certain is that these are bad people……and it looks like they are going to walk away from all the human misery they have caused with their lies and manipulations; their outright deception, and live happily ever after. 

 

We can only hope that the International Court will charge them each and every one, with war crimes and crimes against humanity.  God knows there is no one in our government willing to bring this bunch of chicken hawks to justice.

 

If you haven’t seen this video you need to take the time to view it.  Put yourself in the place of these people.  What has happened to them could just as easily happen to you.  Just because Bush is leaving office doesn’t mean this nightmare is over. 

 

 (C) 2008 Marti Oakley