Andrew Sullivan makes an eloquent argument in favor of civil trials of terrorists. Read the whole thing, but here is an excerpt: When you listen to the Fox News right speak about this, they reveal amazing levels of fear. They have been truly spooked by these men with long beards and chilling eyes. They are [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Holder’
Andrew Sullivan on a fearless President
Posted: 17th November 2009 by Brant in politicsTags: civil liberties, Holder, justice, Obama, republicans, Sullivan, terror
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Terrorism prosecutions: a report from the DOJ
Posted: 15th November 2009 by Brant in politicsTags: civil liberties, DOJ, Holder, justice, Obama administration
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For those concerned about the likelihood of success in the upcoming 9/11 prosecutions in New York, you should understand that the DOJ believes it can be successful. For example, the United States Department of Justice, in a June, 2006, report, outlined its overwhelming success in prosecuting terrorism suspects in the United States courts. I would [...]
9/11 trial: American justice restored
Posted: 14th November 2009 by Brant in politicsTags: civil liberties, Gitmo, Holder, justice, Obama administration, terror
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Hold the trial of alleged 9/11 plotters in civil court, using American standards for criminal justice, and in New York, a scene of the attack, is an opportunity to show the world that our criminal justice system can handle the hardest cases, and at the same time provide defendants with fairness and openness. The complexity [...]
Gonzales backs Holder torture investigation
Posted: 1st September 2009 by Brant in politicsTags: Bush administration, Gonzales, Holder, torture
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Chalk this one up to a real surprise. Alberto “Whatever the President Wants” Gonzales comes out in favor of Attorney General Eric Holder’s decision to investigate a limited number of torture accusations. Sort of. We worked very hard to establish ground rules and parameters about how to deal with terrorists. And if people go beyond [...]
Criminal torture investigation increasingly likely
Posted: 9th August 2009 by Brant in politicsTags: Bush administration, Holder, justice, Obama administration, torture, Yoo
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This may be good news. According to the Los Angeles Times, Attorney General Eric Holder appears increasingly likely to approve a criminal investigation of torture allegations. But the description of the investigation in the article appears troublesome to me. Basically, the article states that the investigation would be limited to investigation of personnel who conducted [...]
Holder considering special prosecutor for torture (updated x2)
Posted: 12th July 2009 by Brant in politicsTags: Bush administration, Cheney, Holder, Obama administration, torture
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Finally. According to the Washington Post, Eric Holder is seriously considering appointing a special prosecutor to investigation whether US personnel tortured terrorism suspects in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. The leak of his consideration is likely a trial ballon to test the political waters. Hopefully, the Obama administration will stand tough on this [...]
Investigate the Siegleman case…now
Posted: 24th May 2009 by Brant in politicsTags: Bush administration, DOJ, Holder, justice, republicans
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One of the messes transferred to the Obama administration from George Bush’s DOJ is the misbehavior of federal prosecutors in the Siegelman case in Alabama. Scott Horton reports for Harpers: U.W. Clemon, formerly Alabama’s most senior federal judge, has written a scorching letter to Attorney General Eric Holder itemizing gross misconduct by federal prosecutors involved [...]
The torture memos are out…
Posted: 16th April 2009 by Brant in politicsTags: Bush, Bush administration, Cheney, DOJ, Holder, torture
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… and they are available here. They should be required reading. More to come on this as I am still reading them. But from what I have read so far, I think Andrew Sullivan summarizes it very effectively: Perhaps you are reading these documents alongside me. I’ve only read the Bybee memo, as chilling an [...]
Holy hell
Posted: 4th April 2009 by Brant in politicsTags: Bush administration, Gitmo, Holder, torture
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Newsweek is reporting that there is a major battle going on between Attorney General Eric Holder and CIA representatives over the possible release of the Bush-era memos written in the Justice Department that apparently gave legal cover to illegal methods of torture. Legal decisions should be public, especially when related to major issues involving the [...]
Ted Stevens conviction to be vacated
Posted: 1st April 2009 by Brant in politicsTags: Holder, justice, Obama administration
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This according to NPR, among other sources. In a move first reported by NPR, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said he has decided to drop the case against Stevens rather than continue to defend the conviction in the face of persistent problems stemming from the actions of prosecutors. “After careful review, I have concluded that [...]
Medical marijuana
Posted: 28th February 2009 by Brant in culture, politicsTags: civil liberties, Holder, Obama administration
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Good news from the Obama administration on medical marijuana. Unlike the Bush administration, it now appears clear that the Feds will no longer raid facilities for dispensing medical marijuana in states where it is legal. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is sending strong signals that President Obama – who as a candidate said states should [...]
Holder: Waterboarding is torture
Posted: 15th January 2009 by Brant in politicsTags: Holder, torture
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This is a dramatic change from Gonzales and Mukasey’s refusal to answer a direct question. In his nomination testimony, Eric Holder says flatly that waterboarding is torture. This is a major step in the rehabilitation of the country’s world-wide image and a step toward fundamental decency. Attorney General-nominee Eric Holder Jr. forcefully broke from the [...]
DOJ IG nails Bradley Schlozman (Updated)
Posted: 13th January 2009 by Brant in politicsTags: DOJ, Holder, Schlozman
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The DOJ Inspector General has released its report analyzing actions taken in the Civil Rights Division under Bush by Bradley Schlozman. It is isn’t pretty. It concludes that ideological (political) decisions on hiring attorneys incivil service, non-political positions was rampant. The evidence in our investigation showed that Schlozman, first as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General [...]