Bush disrespects the law yet again!

[Mugg Mann]

Perhaps there really isn't accountablilty in this administration after all despite what some would want desperately want you to believe......

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060718...a8TIwXe36SyFz4D;_ylu=X3oDMTA0cDJlYmhvBHNlYwM-

Gonzales: Bush blocked eavesdropping probe By MARK SHERMAN, Associated Press Writer
Tue Jul 18, 12:28 PM ET

WASHINGTON - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said Tuesday that President Bush personally blocked Justice Department lawyers from pursuing an internal probe of the warrantless eavesdropping program that monitors Americans' international calls and e-mails when terrorism is suspected.

The department's Office of Professional Responsibility announced earlier this year it could not pursue an investigation into the role of Justice lawyers in crafting the program, under which the National Security Agency intercepts some telephone calls and e-mail without court approval.

At the time, the office said it could not obtain security clearance to examine the classified program.

Under sharp questioning from Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Arlen Specter, Gonzales said that Bush would not grant the access needed to allow the probe to move forward.
"It was highly classified, very important and many other lawyers had access. Why not OPR?" asked Specter, R-Pa.

"The president of the United States makes the decision," Gonzales told the committee hearing, during which he was strongly criticized on a range of national security issues by Specter and Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy (news, bio, voting record), the panel's senior Democrat.

Last week, under a deal with Specter, Bush agreed conditionally to a court review of his antiterror eavesdropping operations.

When the program was disclosed in December, it outraged Democrats and civil libertarians who said Bush overstepped his authority.

Bush's 2001 directive authorized the National Security Agency to monitor — without court warrants — the international communications of people on U.S. soil when terrorism is suspected. The administration initially resisted efforts to write a new law, contending that no legal changes were needed. But after months of pressure, officials have grown more open to legislation.

Under the deal with Specter, the president agreed to support a bill that could submit the program to the secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court for a constitutional review.

Last week, Gonzales said the bill gives Bush the option of submitting the NSA program to the intelligence court, rather than requiring the review.

 

[salmoneous]

Dude - the Justice Department had decided that "the President is always right" so Bush *can't* be breaking the law. Remember, when the President does it, that means that it is not illegal.

Get off your liberal Bush-hating agenda and accept facts.

 

[RickinNYC]

Dude - the Justice Department had decided that "the President is always right" so Bush *can't* be breaking the law. Remember, when the President does it, that means that it is not illegal.

Get off your liberal Bush-hating agenda and accept facts.

But if a bush fell in the woods, would anyone hear it?

 

[ryanmilla]

But if a bush fell in the woods, would anyone hear it?

Probably, b/c he would still have his mic on.

 

[Laz]

 

[FergieTCat]

I can't tell if you are being sarcastic, but I'm sure somewhere Richard Nixon is looking down and nodding his head. He wasn't a crook either!!

Dude - the Justice Department had decided that "the President is always right" so Bush *can't* be breaking the law. Remember, when the President does it, that means that it is not illegal.

Get off your liberal Bush-hating agenda and accept facts.

 

[Mugg Mann]

Definitely sarcasm. And well-applied at that!

 

[hentob]

But if a bush fell in the woods, would anyone hear it?

Ah, no...not over the horrendous sounds of somebody chewing with their mouth open

 

[NewJersey]

Ah, no...not over the horrendous sounds of somebody chewing with their mouth open

Did you see that too at the G8 summit??! I thought it was disgusting how he was chewing.

 

[yeartolate]

Mugg Man, don't you know we are at war, so the President has limitless power? Since the war on terror will never be won he will always have limitless power?

 

[hentob]

Did you see that too at the G8 summit??! I thought it was disgusting how he was chewing.

It was quite embarrassing. Americans are already notorious for having yucky table manners(ie-hats worn at the table, elbows on the table, napkins here and there, silverware placement, knife skills, etc.). And then here we have our president eating like a cow. I am not overly political and try not to get into most political posts here on the DIS, but the president needs to go to a class for table manners, amongst other things. I was thinking of those posh etiquette courses that they have in NYC...the ones filled with children

Also, did he actually say "Yo Blair!"? Truly bizarre behavior.

 

[Mugg Mann]

Mugg Man, don't you know we are at war, so the President has limitless power? Since the war on terror will never be won he will always have limitless power?

It's a great catch-22, isnt it?

You wonder how many posters on these boards would be screaming their heads off if a president on the other side of the political spectrum tried to pull the same stuff that Bush is presently doing. (I would have said attempting, but his end-around circumventing the system of checks and balances we have in place has so far been successful.)

 

[debbi801]

Mugg Man, don't you know we are at war, so the President has limitless power? Since the war on terror will never be won he will always have limitless power?

Speaking of...

Anyone want to fathom a guess when the handy dandy color alerts start appearing again? This is an election year, you know.

 

[Nancyg56]

I normally avoid political threads like the plague, but I can't help myself today.
I was appalled by the dinner conversation spectacle, and can't help but wonder if his manners have always been as nasty as his behavior.
Now his disregard of the law does not surprise me at all.

 

[simpilotswife]

Just counting down the days and hoping that the damage is reversible

 

[eclectics]

Did you see that too at the G8 summit??! I thought it was disgusting how he was chewing.

At least he didn't belch.

 

[TheDoctor]

Dude - the Justice Department had decided that "the President is always right" so Bush *can't* be breaking the law. Remember, when the President does it, that means that it is not illegal.

Get off your liberal Bush-hating agenda and accept facts.

I love this exchange between Senator Leahy and a senior DOJ official.

Full transcript below:

LEAHY: The president has said very specifically, and he’s said it to our European allies, he’s waiting for the Supreme Court decision to tell him whether or not he was supposed to close Guantanamo or not. After, he said it upheld his position on Guantanamo, and in fact it said neither. Where did he get that impression? The President’s not a lawyer, you are, the Justice Department advised him. Did you give him such a cockamamie idea or what?

BRADBURY: Well, I try not to give anybody cockamamie ideas.

LEAHY: Well, where’d he get the idea?

BRADBURY: The Hamdan decision, senator, does implicitly recognize we’re in a war, that the President’s war powers were triggered by the attacks on the country, and that law of war paradigm applies. That’s what the whole case —

LEAHY: I don’t think the President was talking about the nuances of the law of war paradigm, he was saying this was going to tell him that he could keep Guantanamo open or not, after it said he could.

BRADBURY: Well, it’s not —

LEAHY: Was the President right or was he wrong?

BRABURY: It’s under the law of war –

LEAHY: Was the President right or was he wrong?

BRADBURY: The President is always right.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Here's a quote from count 4, article 1 (obstruction of justice) of the impeachment resolution against Nixon alleged in part the quote that appears below. As we know, he resigned once he knew it was going to pass.

Interfering or endeavoring to interfere with the conduct of investigations by the Department of Justice of the United States...

 

[Mugg Mann]

Here's a quote from count 4, article 1 (obstruction of justice) of the impeachment resolution against Nixon alleged in part the quote that appears below. As we know, he resigned once he knew it was going to pass.

Excellent point. Is it November yet?!?

 

[lsyorke]

Dude - the Justice Department had decided that "the President is always right" so Bush *can't* be breaking the law. Remember, when the President does it, that means that it is not illegal.

That is the scariest sentence I've ever read.