CIA or Cheney in a World of Trouble

Just for argument sake it is safe to say that what happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas when it comes to personal entertainment. In the same respects, what happens at the CIA should stay at the CIA no matter who or what political party is in power. Currently, the U.S. Attorney General is opening an investigation into what happened with interrogations of enemies of the United States of America during the Bush Presidency. That would include the CIA and anyone that gave orders to the CIA to do that funky stuff that we could only hope that never could happen to you or I. That means looking into interoggation techniques used on people that would kill you or me in a heartbeat if given a knife, gun, rusty piece of steel pipe or whatever weapon their hands could reach. They don’t need a reason to kill you or I other than the fact that our birth certificate makes you and I an American citizen. Open and shut case or argument.

Eric H. Holder Jr. is putting his dogs on the scent of a suspected crime against American values and laws during the Bush administration and that is his job. If laws are broken by government employees no matter where they work, it is his obligation and the oath of office he swore to uphold to look into and investigate appropriately. That is what the U.S. Attorney General is supposed to do even if his boss, the President, suggests that he back off. Is this a case of what was decided in D.C. should have stayed in Langley, VA? Attorney General Holder appointed John Durham who by all means of the words fair and balanced is a fair and balanced investigator to find the truth of what happened when and if United States laws were broken by the CIA. This next quote is from the U.S. Attorney General himself on 8/24/09…

"Assistant United States Attorney John Durham was appointed in 2008 by then-Attorney General Michael Mukasey to investigate the destruction of CIA videotapes of detainee interrogations. During the course of that investigation, Mr. Durham has gained great familiarity with much of the information that is relevant to the matter at hand.

Accordingly, I have decided to expand his mandate to encompass this related review. Mr. Durham, who is a career prosecutor with the Department of Justice and who has assembled a strong investigative team of experienced professionals, will recommend to me whether there is sufficient predication for a full investigation into whether the law was violated in connection with the interrogation of certain detainees.” - ATTY Generals Office

I don’t see any issue with the CIA doing what they are paid and entrusted to do and that is to protect America from outside sources that can or could bring harm to our people. I do have to beg and plead with you to consider one thought to really think about concerning the article from the Washington Post and Carrie Johnson and that would be the outside CONTRACTORS that the CIA hired to do what the CIA is supposed to be trained and paid to do.

You hire a contractor to put an addition on your house, or rewire your house, or landscape your yard. Hell even businesses hire contractors to put a new roof on the building. When did the government outsource interrogation of possible enemies of the United States to a freakin’ outside contractor? What the hell are we paying the CIA for if we can just go to the Yellow Pages and dial up terrorist interrogators? Maybe even get a discount coupon for twenty or more people needing to be interrogated?

The truth needs to come out just like Dick Cheney wants to tell the world in his new book that his boss was a wimp and he was the real Czar on terrorist defense. History is funny and I’m thinking that my friends on the right side of politics may have been right. President Bush may not have been the dick (Cheney) after all.

Bring on the special prosecutor! It will be extremely interesting to see how far up the chain of command that the thought of our laws actually have no meaning. In the rear view mirror and looking at this situation, the CIA shouldn't be put on trial for following orders from a civilian government. Following orders at the CIA from the boss is no different than a Marine told to charge ahead in battle. Same mission, just a different objective. You do what you are told and that is what you do. The ones needing to be prosecuted are the people that said "No Matter What It Takes!"

Papamoka

Eric Holder's Got His Priorities Mixed-up

Hello Papamoka Readers! After we learned that Attorney General Eric Holder believes in the Justice system so much that he threw out a case against ex-Senator Ted Stevens over the grounds of prosecutorial misconduct, then why don't we see him doing the same thing in the case against ex-Alabama Governor Don Siegelman?

The AG dismissed Ted Stevens' corruption conviction with no effort at all, so what's the hold up for our own Democrat who suffered under the prosecutorial misconduct of Bush, Rove and Gonzales? Most observers would agree that Bush-era wrongdoing is far worse than anything suffered by Ted Stevens. Holder needs to act faster, because Governor Siegelman has suffered far longer than the angry little Stevens.

"There seems to be substantial evidence of prosecutorial and other misconduct in my case, that would dwarf the allegations in the Stevens case," the governor recently said to Mukraker. It's obvious to most observers that he's correct. So, WHAT'S THE HOLD-UP HOLDER?

I'm not going to write about Governor Siegelman's case here, since you could easily Google it and learn all you need to know. I encourage you to do the research. It's a disgusting tale of corruption and cover-up led by Karl Rove. If it's proved to be true, it's enough to make your blood boil.

I just want to say that Eric Holder is being completely insensitive to those of us who fought so hard to get President Obama elected. We have been waiting for some action against the despicable crimes of the Bush years. Nothing ever happens. At the very least, and I mean the very least, Governor Siegelman should have been vindicated and cleared LONG BEFORE TED STEVENS.

Stop ignoring the hard-working, donation-giving, rank and file. We're not asking for any favors, just for simple consideration and a focus on real justice. Review the most abusive cases first, and help them the way you so easily helped that nasty old fart Stevens. MOVE IT HOLDER!

Michael Boh

Papamoka's Left Coast Contributor

from Our Rants & Raves Blog

Ted Stevens Can Take His Corrupt Swag and Choke on It

Good Morning Papamoka Readers! In what could only be bad news to those of us who care about ethics in government, the Obama Administration's Justice Department today asked a federal judge to drop all charges against former Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska. As usual, politicians who break the rules go free. I find it so depressing.

A jury convicted Stevens last fall of seven counts of lying on his Senate disclosure form in order to conceal $250,000 in gifts from an oil industry executive and other friends. That is a VERY BIG DEAL whether you want to try to belittle it or not. I worked in the Senate, and lying about major gifts is a major no-no. It effects everything, especially the integrity of your votes.

I also met him. He is a very nasty piece of work. Stevens is a creepy little man who is directly responsible for tearing the Alaskan wilderness to pieces. The man never saw a piece of wilderness he wasn't willing to lease to a mining, oil or logging company. He spent his entire career trying to turn government protected land, owned by all Americans, into Alaskan corporate fodder.

He always claimed it was about jobs. Funny thing, like most Republicans, he never fought hard to use the billions in federal dollars - or oil/mining/logging dollars - for education or the creation of new industries. He was mediocre when it came to fighting for quality higher education. He never fought for anything much except those depressing blue collar jobs.

What does that tell you? It tells me that he promoted blue collar values and passions for one reason, so that he [and his political career] could benefit from the industries that need such workers. It was nothing more, nothing less.

Btw, I looked into it. Except for being a major supporter of natural resource industries, he paid little attention to Alaska's potential for other industries. Overall, Stevens did very little to promote a better future. Feel free to let me know if I'm wrong, but I can't find anything - and he had a LONG career. Explain to me what he did to help Alaskans move beyond just a few, crude, environmentally destructive industries?

The way I see it, he was a bought-and-paid-for, one trick pony. Interesting, how many other Republicans would fall into that same category? I'll bet more than a few. I think it's time we learn from the Ted Stevens of this world, and outgrow them.

His environmental legacy, comprised mostly of golf course and vacation home vista preservation, will go down as one of the worst in American history. Despite his personal love of hunting and fishing, his loyalty and passion for logging, mines and oil will anger preservationists for years to come.

Like the Long family of Louisiana, who helped destroy the wetlands and most of the "Sportsman's Paradise" in favor of the oil and gas industry, Steven's will be remembered for low wage jobs, dirty industries, carcinogenic waste, and poor overall economic development. He delivered millions each year to Alaska, but the state has very little to show for it. Where did that money go? You tell me.

Oh well, one more corrupt politician will be allowed to live his golden years out in peace and quiet, enjoying his spoils. When will this nation learn that unless we do a better job of prosecuting those who break our laws, we will continue to be victims of the treachery and manipulations of very bad people? I only hope Attorney General Eric Holder, and President Barack Obama, know what they're doing when they let people like Stevens go without a good fight.

Enjoy your retirement Ted, because if the universe does ask for payback, then you have a lot to account for after it's all over. Your nastiness alone should be enough to score you a hot seat. Who knows, maybe you'll be forced to mine or log for the rest of eternity - without gloves! At least you lost the election, and you're very old, so hopefully your bile - and ability to destroy - will grow less toxic very soon.

Michael Boh
Papamoka's Left Coast Contributor
from Our Rants & Raves Blog

Eric Holder Must Act Fast

Hello Papamoka Bloggers - I am very excited that Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) finally dropped his opposition and voted to nominate Eric Holder as our next Attorney General. He should be confirmed very soon.

This is a great day for America. The abused and abusive Justice Department will finally have a new boss to clean house. Not only is Eric Holder considered a highly respected constitutional expert, he will be the first African-American attorney general.

Of course, there were two Republican malcontents who voted against Holder: John Cornyn of Texas and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma. Cornyn criticized Holder's role in "controversial pardons" during the Clinton years, despite the fact that Holder apologized for not properly vetting Marc Rich and expressed deep regret over the mistake.

Both Senators question whether Holder will "protect intelligence agents who participated in harsh interrogations," the Associated Press notes. "Harsh interrogations?" That's nothing but Republican political-marketing-speak for TORTURE! Republicans are good at lying that way.

I'm sorry Senators, but that's a ridiculous assertion. Whether military or intelligence, "following orders" is not a sufficient defense. People should not be "protected" from breaking the law. Mr. Holder, the majority of Americans want major crimes under the Bush Administration investigated, so please do your job.

Senators Cornyn and Coburn, like so many of their associates on Capitol Hill, turned a blind-eye to Bush's "harsh interrogations" and lawbreaking, and are now partly responsible for US domestic and international lawbreaking. Unlike Bush who - at least - admitted to breaking the law, on issues like torture and eavesdropping, they hid and hoped to avoid the problem. They were cowards, and they were wrong.

The Justice Department should investigate whenever possible, and even if we don't get convictions, for whatever reason, at the very least expose exactly what despicable things happened over the past eight years. Even the lesser crimes need some kind of South African-style Truth and Reconciliation Committee to find the truth. We Americans need to know who broke the law, and why, and make sure that it never happens again.

Anyway, I'm just happy things may begin to change. I, like so many Americans, will be watching to see if Eric Holder restores American justice. In the same way evangelicals cherry-pick bible scripture, Republicans cherry-pick the US Constitution. That Republican BS approach to American justice must change. President Obama and Eric Holder must WORK FAST to restore equal justice under law, and the US Constitution.

Michael Boh
Papamoka's Left Coast Contributor
from Our Rants & Raves Blog

PS - The BAD NEWS is that the conservative Washington Times is reporting that Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond, a Republican from Missouri and the vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said in an interview that he will support Eric Holder's nomination for Attorney General because Holder assured him privately that Mr. Obama's Justice Department will NOT prosecute former Bush officials involved in the interrogations program." That makes me VERY NERVOUS, and it better be WRONG! Please join me in writing President Obama and Eric Holder to DEMAND REAL JUSTICE, NOT Republican justice! Thanks!