Huge Majority Wants Clapper Prosecuted For Perjury - Salon

[WillyT]

Huge majority wants Clapper prosecuted for perjury
New polls show Americans in various states want the director of national intelligence held to account for lying.
David Sirota - Salon
THURSDAY, AUG 15, 2013 09:09 AM PDT

<snip>

There is no longer any doubt that Director of National Intelligence James Clapper lied to Congress. Likewise, there is no doubt that his lie runs afoul of federal law. And, of course, there is no doubt that in terms of its implications for oversight, constitutional precepts and privacy for millions of Americans, his lies were far more serious than those that have gotten other people prosecuted for perjury. The question now is whether his brazen dishonesty will become a political issue — or whether it will simply disappear into the ether.

As evidenced by President Obama this week attempting to promote Clapper to head an “independent” NSA reform panel, the White House clearly believes it will be the latter. But a set of new polls out today suggests such a calculation may be wrong.

Commissioned by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and Credo and conducted by Public Policy Polling in five ideologically diverse states, the surveys find that huge majorities want Clapper prosecuted.

The question posed to respondents was:

Edward Snowden revealed that the Director of National Intelligence lied to Congress about whether the government was collecting millions of phone and Internet records from ordinary Americans. The Director has since admitted he did not tell the truth. Do you think the Director of National Intelligence should be prosecuted for perjury?

In the Democratic states of California and Hawaii, 54 percent and 58 percent of voters, respectively, want him prosecuted. In middle-of-the-road Iowa, it’s 65 percent. And in Republican Texas and Kentucky, it is 68 percent and 69 percent, respectively.

These are particularly striking numbers because...

<snip>

Link: http://www.salon.com/2013/08/15/huge_majority_wants_clapper_prosecuted_for_perjury/singleton/

[bunnies]

1. He damn well should be prosecuted.

wasn't Clinton impeached for the same damn thing?

[Enthusiast]

47. Yeah, but Clinton's impeachment was about important stuff,

like blow jobs. You know.

[pscot]

2. I'm sure Eric Holder won't rest

until this malefactor is laid by the heels.

[indepat]

8. AG Holder will be all over this like ugly on an

ape.

[Enthusiast]

48. Like he is with financial crimes.

[tridim]

59. Yes, like he is with financial crimes

JPMorgan says being investigated by DOJ over mortgages
http://www.cnbc.com/id/100928557

This was announced last week, Neo-DU ignored it. Just like they ignore everything that doesn't fit their narrative.

[Enthusiast]

61. It was not ignored at all.

But it's drop in a bucket.

[tridim]

62. Guess I missed the sarcasm tag on your post that I responded to?

Oh well, at least you know that Neo-DU's Holder meme is bullshit.

[indepat]

63. And an itty-bitty drop at that

[Enthusiast]

68. It's a token drop.

They can say, "Look what we did!"

[Scuba]

3. Of course he should be prosecuted. Good to see most people get that.

[bemildred]

4. That would be a start. nt

[mick063]

5. There are a long list of people that need prosecuted.

I would prefer we start with Wall Street.

There are a hundred Clappers willing to fall on the sword. Like Ollie North, he was simply being a "good soldier" and following orders. There are more powerful forces at play, yet the revelations will not go past Clapper. People of his stature know this when accepting the position. Prosecuting Clapper will only create temporary appeasement. A Clapper clone is waiting in the wings. Business will go on as usual. Policy will not be changed.

[Demeter]

17. I prefer that we start, period

The lawlessness of the 1% and those we chose to serve the public has gotten out of hand.

Start anywhere, and keep going. Until the job is done, or at least, institutionalized and routine, again.

[Th1onein]

64. +1000000

Yes, let's just start. Period.

[burnodo]

6. Sirota! Well, he never loved Obama!

He's not trustworthy because he's not a proper sycophant!

[rhett o rick]

22. And he once dated a pole dancer. Not that there is anything wrong with that. nm

[MannyGoldstein]

7. Sorry, I have to disagree

This is more complicated than it seems, not something that fits in a quick sound bite. It's a small price that we must pay to maintain the freedoms that our enemies hate so much.

Even I don't know the answer, but expect to within a few hours when I get my talking points..

Regards,

Government-Sockpuppet-Persona Manny

[Demo_Chris]

9. Please keep us informed Manny. nt

[WillyT]

10. LOL !!!

[Jackpine Radical]

20. Absolutely. It is very dangerous for people to have unsupervised access

to their freedoms. It is much better if the professionals in the 3-Letter Agencies hold those freedoms in trust for the people and make sure that they are not abused or damaged by over-exercise.

[Autumn]

21. I expect a PM as soon as you get those talking points.

[pscot]

23. Congratulations

on finding work.

[rhett o rick]

24. This looks like a backdoor call out to me. Wait, can I say that here? Bring back TWM. nm

[bluestate10]

25. Manny, you're going to have to give me your decision with smoke signals because my ears and eyes

are going to be swollen shut from repeatedly falling on my face from amazement.

[MannyGoldstein]

38. Sorry, I'm not authorized to do that, but

I do have a Native American persona who's impoverished but just landed a part-time job at a gas station convenience store, and is hopeful for the future and thankful for everything Obama's done for her. She's authorized to do smoke signals - just don't be confused when they come from her, they're from me, too.

[Divernan]

53. Manny, I adore your irony/humor! Thank you so much.

In the midst of all the crap news/developments raining down on us today, as everyday, this post made me snort with laughter! I picture Princess Summer-Fall-Winter-Spring working at a BP convenience store. And before anyone accuses you or me of being racist toward American Indians, I'm part Cherokee myself.

Remember, if we lose our sense of humor the corporate terraists win! My DU outlook has also been improved by exiling 23 and counting of the most pathetic, lovestruck and/or ridiculous bots/true believers/ fanboys to my ignore list. I highly recommend that step to others. Try it, you'll love it!

[madfloridian]

40. Ha!

Good one.

[Enthusiast]

49. You're right, Manny.

It is extremely complicated. It is so complicated that no one can figure it out. We better just leave it alone. We might do more harm than good.

[IADEMO2004]

11. I don't think he should have been asked that question in an open meeting.

[WillyT]

12. OK... Why ???

[TxGrandpa]

14. Regardless, we now know the correct answer.

Thanks to Snowden. Besides wasn't he given a list of the questions 24 hours prior to the hearing?

[former9thward]

18. That is besides the point.

He could have declined to answer the question.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

28. People would just have been upset that he didn't answer

Right?

[former9thward]

31. A non answer is better than a lie.

He could have said "I will answer that in executive session" and everyone would be happy.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

33. So, why do you think he lied instead of not answer?

Because he felt like it? Evil? What?

[Hydra]

65. Laziness? Told by the WH that hey had his butt covered if he did?

Whatever the reason, he didn't decline to answer or say he wasn't allowed to under national security- he opted to point blank us and Congress, which affected policy decisions made based on his assurance that they were not, indeed, acting like the NSA.

If he was willing to take that risk, he should be willing to do the time now that he's been caught.

[TxGrandpa]

56. Wouldn't declining to answer the question...

..........be the same as admitting what they did?

[bluestate10]

27. I agree. It was a trap question that Clapper had to dance around. He was damned if he answered

the question, damned if he tried to avoid answering it in an open session.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

30. Yeah, it really sucks that the piece of dogshit got caught in a lie

Fuck that lying piece of shit and any bootlicker mewling up to him.

[KoKo]

13. I think many of us here on DU..."Could Go for That!"

He's Disgraceful!

[coldbeer]

15. I would never get away with it

He said no. The corret answer was yes.

He should have pleaded the fifth!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

16. Maybe his passport should be invalidated before he reserves a suite at Sheremetyevo airport.

And, asks fellow spy Vladamir Putin for a favor.

[Autumn]

19. Throw him in jail and lock him up in solitary confinement for a couple of years.

That will send a message to TPTB.

[brooklynite]

26. Sorry, I don't buy it...

....because outside of inside the beltway pundits and political activists (DU included), nobody has a clue who Clapper is.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

32. You didn't even read the excerpt if this is what you took from it.

Doubtless, not many of the American public have heard of Clapper, but if you've read even the excerpt here, you'll see how the question was asked, and you'll understand that people need not know the name James Clapper to answer the question put to them. The results are reasonable, not unexpected.

[brooklynite]

36. I stand by my opinion

Edward Snowden revealed that the Director of National Intelligence lied to Congress about whether the government was collecting millions of phone and Internet records from ordinary Americans. The Director has since admitted he did not tell the truth. Do you think the Director of National Intelligence should be prosecuted for perjury?

Nothing in the actual polling data shows a screen to indicate whether the respondent know who the DNI was or what he/she did. The question itself is sufficiently leading to almost guarantee a "yes" response.

[tridim]

52. It's called a push poll. Used to be that only Republicans used them because they are so unreliable.

Neo-DU loves them because they produce whatever result they desire, all in order to make Democrats look bad.

[Fumesucker]

57. Clapper was appointed by Dubya, how does this make Democrats look bad?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_R._Clapper

Clapper was officially nominated by President George W. Bush to be Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence on 29 January 2007. Clapper was confirmed by the United States Senate on 11 April 2007.

[brooklynite]

60. Because he now serves President Obama who, depending on who you read here...

...is either a hostage to the "MIC", a dupe or an equal participant.

[Hydra]

66. Because he was still there when Smirk and Darth left the building?

But correcting that would have required a magic wand or something...I need 3rd Way Manny to explain it to me.

[99th_Monkey]

29. K & R ~ nt

[brisas2k]

34. While you worry about Clapper.. this one got away.

March 3, 1999: New Pearl Harbor Needed to Change US Military Policies, Says Expert
Edit event

Andrew Krepinevich, Executive Director of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, testifies before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities: “There appears to be general agreement concerning the need to transform the US military into a significantly different kind of force from that which emerged victorious from the Cold and Gulf Wars. Yet this verbal support has not been translated into a defense program supporting transformation… the ‘critical mass’ needed to effect it has not yet been achieved. One may conclude that, in the absence of a strong external shock to the United States—a latter-day ‘Pearl Harbor’ of sorts—surmounting the barriers to transformation will likely prove a long, arduous process.” [US Congress, 3/5/1999] This is very similar to what strategists at PNAC have said (see June 3, 1997).

[Hydra]

67. Welcome to DU!

And there are plenty of people who should(but never will) see jail time from the Bush Admin, of which Clapper came.

Funny how that works...

[Hubert Flottz]

35. Too big to jail...

Which really sucks.

[Historic NY]

37. Wouldn't that be up to Congress to decide

whether he is charged or not ?

[DeSwiss]

39. They can't prosecute Clapper.

They can't even slap him on the wrist.

He knows everything.

They would have to go to jail with him.

Would you go to jail, if you knew what everyone did? Probably not.

- Corrupt legislators + Corrupt administrators = Current status of the American government.

K&R

[madinmaryland]

41. The guy who invented the toilet lied about it. I guess what can you expect

from a guy named Crapper!

Oops. Nevermind.

[underthematrix]

42. What is wrong with you people? I just

Last edited Fri Aug 16, 2013, 12:02 AM - Edit history (1)

don't get it. No. I do not think the director of national intelligence should be prosecuted. Geez. It is a spy agency. When these people appear at PUBLIC HEARINGS, they do not give the same testimony they give at secret hearings, which you know, are CLASSIFIED.

[MannyGoldstein]

43. Then they shouldn't testify. nt

[Progressive dog]

44. Push polls with best results in RW states nt

[great white snark]

51. So it's a HUGE majority in RW states that want him prosecuted.

That would be a more truthful title but it wouldn't get the views and recs and lockstep agreement that's so sorely needed.

[Wilms]

45. ^

[Enthusiast]

46. It sounds to me as if the President has lost the messaging war.

We really don't like the government lying to us.

It has been non-stop lying since at least the year 2,000.

[Harmony Blue]

55. Yes, that is why he had that press conference last week

and public opinion is turning.

[great white snark]

50. He should flee to Russia.

Oh wait, he's not a special alleged criminal.

[Fire Walk With Me]

54. K&R! There must be accountability to the citizens of OUR country! n/t

[woo me with science]

58. K&R