–updated below–
Newsweek was here first. Michael Isikoff and Daniel Klaidman getting the story at the end of January.
DOJ official David Margolis has overruled the Office of Professional Responsibility, saying John Yoo and Jay Bybee were not guilty of misconduct on the Bush-Cheney era torture memos, they simply “exercised poor judgment”. Ya think?
From the Washington Post:
Bush administration lawyers who wrote memos that paved the way for waterboarding of terrorism suspects and other harsh interrogation tactics “exercised poor judgment” but will not face discipline for their actions, according to long-awaited Justice Department documents released Friday.
The decision rejects recommendations by the department’s ethics investigators. They had twice urged that allegations against John C. Yoo and Jay S. Bybee be sent to state disciplinary authorities for further action, including the possible revocation of their licenses to practice law. …
And the hits just keep on comin’.
The attorneys who concocted the logic and the legalize to make Cheney’s waterboarding dreams come true are getting off. The decision to overrule on Bybee and Yoo handing the Republicans a win on Bush-Cheney torture memos, in an election year no less, that will send the conservatives at CPAC into paroxysms of orgiastic euphoria.
UPDATE: Via Sam Stein, Sen. Patrick Leahy has announced hearings on the OPR reversal.
Wasn’t this done by the Bush leftovers in the DOJ? How were Obama appointees involved? Are there many Obama appointees who have been approved this year?
Thanks for publicizing the facts.
S
Margolis, who overruled the OPR, is from the Bush era.
the last administration took this country back to the 18th century in its approach to prisoners, making the rest of the world just shake their heads at the nightmare – but no one will be held accountable.
Yet today’s rightwing politicians had the unmitigated gall to complain about the so-called ‘incompetence’ last December (“Obama’s incompetence gets people killed”, Liz Cheney ) - and the fact no one was “punished”.
I’m sorry, but these people are lower than dog poo.
” pmichael says:
20 February 2010 at 1:35 am
the last administration took this country back to the 18th century in its approach to prisoners,”
And are DAMNED proud of it!!
Since apparently the insanity of allowing someone who was a PART of the administration who committed the torture RULE on it’s legality I would contend we have become a completely lawless society. You get as much justice as you can afford or you have the politicol clout to deflect.
One can only hope that someday these creatures will be out somewhere and a bag will be pulled over their heads as the taser sends them into convulsions and the wake up somewhere, NOBODY knows where looking at the black hooded folks who are going to “Freedom tickle” them for oh, 5 YEARS of so.
THAT would be justice. And PLEASE let it start with Cheney and his warpig daughter.
The right-wingers are having a field day with this one. They’re calling your comments, which I’ve seen through trackbacks to this post, “unhinged,” which is hysterical. I doubt if they’ve even read them, as nobody around here is ever unhinged, that is not in the usual web way.
“Bad Judgment.”
Bernie Madoff used “bad judgment” too, I suppose?
John Yoo even had the spectacularly bad judgment to continue asserting–since 2002 and publicly!–that his judgment was great, and he was right all along. He ought to be arrested for having such “bad judgment” as a legal authority.
This is why 71% of the people in this country have no trust in our government.
I am so sick of Obama and his administration, I cannot even bear to hear or say his name anymore. All I know is this administration will never do or say anything that is likely to piss off Republicans.
Barak Obama is terrified of alienating Republicans.
In this case I really don’t think you can blame Obama. There was a concerted effort on the bush crime families part to burrow UUUUberchristian crazy as shithouse rat politicol appointies from liberty university through out the civil service. Frankly I think SOME effort to ferret them out and at the VERY least expose them to the light of day. And possibly find some way to get rid of them.
I agree with secular that Bush filled the JD with ideological know-nothings from inferior Christian law schools. I know many great civil servents in that Department were forced out and or run off in disgust. But dosen’t Holder have to sign off on such a decision? I guess he has already learned that the WH will leave him hanging.
We have now accepted the breaking of international precident going back to Nuremberg. Obama deserves what ever is coming his way from the repugs but the rest of the country does not.We deserve a leader that will stand up to evil and for our ideals.How will anything we say about another country have any meaning or be taken seriously.It willonly be used against us in many ways.
secularhumanizinevoluter says:
20 February 2010 at 12:59 pm
“In this case I really don’t think you can blame Obama.”
I think Obama sets the tone for all that goes on in his administration. People knows what “the boss” wants and how to please the boss.
They know that he wants to “look forward” and is in favor of bi-partisanship. They know he prefers flight to fight. They know he does not like confrontation.
It explains why the first act of this justice Dept was to reverse the conviction of the Republican Ted Stevens while the Democrat Don Siegelman is still in jail.
From this point on, monitor their every action and you will see that each and every thing they do is designed to gain them favor with Republicans. Or at least THEY THINK IT WILL, gain then favor with the Republicans.
Its most bizarre, but true.
This is why 71% of the people in this country have no trust in our government.
There is no reason to truth them either. You’re absolutely correct.