Jonathan Turley may be a Constitutional scholar and big on MSNBC

[cali]

but ever since he testified for the prosecution against Clinton, I've been very cautious about accepting his pronouncements as the final word on anything. And that includes his insisting that Obama is constitutionally obliged to prosecute CIA agents who used torture techniques authorized by the Office of legal Counsel.

[hlthe2b]

1. He is apparently consistent with the opinions of John Dean

and (while less a consitutional authority), Jeffrey Toobin among others (whose are less familiar to me) that I have heard speaking to these issues.

[Adelante]

5. When did Toobin say that?

I heard him talking about prosecuting the writers of the memos, but he didn't say CIA agents who followed the legal memos should be prosecuted. I'm not doubting your word, I just would like to know when he elaborated. Do you have a link?

[hlthe2b]

15. I was commenting on the prosecution of those who wrote the memos

and gave the "go ahead." They all were consistent on that point.

[Adelante]

16. Okay, we're in line now

Thanks :hi:

[MarjorieG]

But Dean is easier to watch without hyperbolic righteous pronouncements about Obama.

He gives credit where due, offers shadings, as is all legal opinion. Gave the legal defense of those having gone to the DoJ for legal opinion on Keith, which for me undermines any exercise of trying unsuccessfully any leverage to get higher ups (which I personally don't think would happen)(and while Keith still did his best Obama done us wrong special comment). Should pursuing all this happen, excluding all good work by CIA or work on health care?

I say this knowing in my heart of hearts the CIA has been doing illegal, clandestine stuff independent of official sanctions and the plot of scary gov't run amok movies.

[Supersedeas]

19. hyperbolic? Since when expounding on a Constitutional duty to enforce the law...hyperbolic?

[Phx_Dem]

17. Huh? Toobin and Dean agreed with Obama's decision,

or at the very least said they didn't disagree with it.

They stated as much last night on MSNBC and CNN, respectively.

[hlthe2b]

18. There are several issues... see above..

[mmonk]

2. Turley is right as far as how it is supposed to work.

[cali]

4. Want to add a bit more detail? Just saying he's right, is hardly persuasive.

[lazer47]

6. There is no better reference than the Constitution itself.

[cali]

8. simplistic and ultimately meaningless statement

the arguments over what the Constitution demands, protects and spells out, are legion- and have been since it was written.

[lazer47]

9. Now who is being simplistic,, He has a duty to UPHOLD and DEFEND

the Constitution,, up to and including the Geneva Convention.

[cali]

11. you are, dear.

Constitutional Law isn't some rigid and linear tablet handed down by god. There are a myriads of interpretations of virtually every word written in it.

[lazer47]

13. Probably so,, I guess I'll just have to keep my head in the sand

and remain simple,,Maybe, believing in something is probably outdated or not P.C., maybe I'm being delusional, but at 61, surviving a war (conflict), living with the effects of agent orange, I guess I'll just have to keep on being simplistic,,,

[lazer47]

3. When asked a question about Con. law, Turley will give a legal

opinion based on the law, not on political beliefs, or personal beliefs,, He is right Pres. Obama IS obligated to to pursue the prosecution of the Bush/Cheeeeny Cartel

[cali]

7. I thought his reasoning was wrong about Clinton

and I need to do more reading and research about his opinions about prosecutions of CIA operatives who engaged in torture.

[MoJoWorkin]

10. Agreed. I have found Turley seems to have an agenda

I have yet to hear him say a kind word about Obama.

I listened to Dean on KO and Toobin on CNN last evening, and BOTH were a lot more sympathetic to Obama's current pronouncements than was Turley.I didn't see them as being in agreement with Turley.

I still say, President Obama will take care of what he has to NOW, knowing he cannot tear the country apart when he has to put it back together economically, as well as pass heath care reform and energy, etc.

Patience is a virtue. I want the Obama agenda passed first. I believe that if he started prosecutions now, it would be labeled a witch hunt and make it IMPOSSIBLE to pass ANYTHING.

Airing the dirty linen will open more eyes to just what the Bushies were all about. A massive public outcry is what is needed, and that is precisely what the memo release was all about---getting it out there.

And, he DID NOT close the door at all prosecutions.

Oh yeah, Obama was a professor of constitutional law, too.

[Hamlette]

20. spot on. Additionally, I'm concerned about how trials would play out in the rest of the world.

As a lawyer, I got a pain in my stomach when I heard there had been a discussion at the highest levels of our government that resulted in the authorization of torture. But I'm torn between the belief that open trials would send the message to our country of "never again" as they did after WWII and the concern of how this might impact foreign relations.

Give Obama some time to heal the wounds left over from our arrogant former prez.

[lamp_shade]

12. Obama and Turley are BOTH constitutional scholars. One is probably smarter than the other.

I'll go with Obama.

[Supersedeas]

14. wow...the probably smarter argument...is that how the Cheney legal staff convinced Bush

[Hell Hath No Fury]

21. So, the almost 8 years ---

he gave opinions on the Bush Administration's violations of the US Constitution those opinions were OK, but now that a "D" is in office his opinion is suddenly suspect?

Uh huh... :eyes:

BTW, from a Constitutional perspective, he was entirely correct about Clinton. I didn't like it, but he was correct.