Rachel Maddow: Turley - "It's Not Retribution to Enforce Criminal Laws"

[Hissyspit]

Run time: 08:44 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG9Nj0OizCA   Posted on YouTube: April 17, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: April 17, 2009 By DU Member: Hissyspit Views on DU: 1341

 
MSNBC The Rachel Maddow Show - 16 April 2009: On Rachel Maddow's Show, Jonathan Turley talks about the release of the CIA memos on how the Bush administration authorized torture, and how Obama is guilty of obstruction if he refuses to appoint a special prosecutor or have the DOJ investigate and prosecute the Bush administration.

Prof. Turley: "There's very few things worse for a President to do than to protect accused war criminals."

[Solly Mack]

1. If enforcing criminal law is retribution, then open the prisons

and the jails - let them go free.

Drop any and all pending charges, throw away any and all warrants, and cancel court dates.

It's a new day.

[depakid]

2. Thank you cowardly Dems for rolling over on and confirming Bybee

Heck of a job.

[Rhiannon12866]

3. K&R. You probably think I'm stalking you, LOL, but you sure came up with all the winners tonight!

I wouldn't understand half of these legal issues without Jonathan Turley's explanations. He really is excellent. It would almost be worth going back to school to take a course from him... :D

[Enthusiast]

4. K&R Fascists torture. nt

[Iwillnevergiveup]

5. Bybee really needs to go

and John Yoo needs to be kicked off the faculty at UC/Berkeley.

[florida08]

6. well I'm glad

he released them but if they're not going to do anything about it then it becomes moot. I find it strange that when it comes to sports the highest standard is imposed but when our government tortures innocent people well then it's a matter of fairness. Jonathen is so good. Why he isn't on more shows besides Rachel's and Keith's is a mystery. I hope the ACLU gets what it's asking for because Jonathen is right to say it's Obama's duty to follow thru..it's what we expect of him and to not do so is the same as sanctioning and defending those like Bybee who is now a judge and John Yoo who is a law professor for pete sakes. We can embarrass a sitting president and impeach him for misconduct but God forbid we actually uphold our laws on humanitarium rights.

"There's very few things worse for a President to do than to protect accused war criminals."

[Honeycombe8]

7. It's not so clear cut, is it? I mean, what law exactly was clearly broken?

I think that's the problem. People keep referring to Bush & cheney as war criminals. Maybe they are. But no one has answered yet: What law exactly was so clearly, obviously broken, that people don't even bother to refer to them as "alleged" criminals?

Laws are laws, right? Then I suppose you agree with the notion that illegal immigrants should be rounded up and deported, since they clearly and obviously broke our immigration laws. Many will even confess to that, when asked.

If you believe that it's not retribution to enforce criminal laws - when it comes to people you don't like - then you surely believe that, when it comes to people you DO like. Right?

[florida08]

8. Seems crystal clear to me

The United States ratified the Convention against Torture in October 1994. The Convention entered into force for the United States on November 20, 1994.
Torture is prohibited by law throughout the United States. It is categorically denounced as a matter of policy and as a tool of state authority. Every act constituting torture under the Convention constitutes a criminal offence under the law of the United States. No official of the Government, federal, state or local, civilian or military, is authorized to commit or to instruct anyone else to commit torture. Nor may any official condone or tolerate torture in any form. No exceptional circumstances may be invoked as a justification of torture. United States law contains no provision permitting otherwise prohibited acts of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment to be employed on grounds of exigent circumstances (for example, during a "state of public emergency") or on orders from a superior officer or public authority, and the protective mechanisms of an independent judiciary are not subject to suspension. The United States is committed to the full and effective implementation of its obligations under the Convention throughout its territory.

Your argument about enforcing criminal laws is ludicrous. When people commit murder do you think the family likes him/her? Of course not but that's not the basis for administering justice then is it? And of course immigration laws should be enforced.

[Honeycombe8]

13. And...your point is? What law says explicitly that what was done, was torture?

The DOJ issued a legal decision that those particular things done were not legally "torture." See what I mean?

Now YOU think it's clear to you that it was torture. I must say that I agree, too, that it was torture. But it is not a clearcut case of "torture" when you have legal opinions saying it's not, and different people disagree on whether it is or not. There is no law saying that waterboarding is torture, etc.

It's not like having an immigration law that says coming into our country without express authority and papers from our government, is illegal and a crime. That's clearcut, when you have someone who admits they did just that.

It's also not like having a law saying that a non-law officer shooting and killing someone is against the law, except in certain cases. That's pretty clearcut. (Even then, the person is presumed innocent, and a trial occurs.)

See what I mean? It's not a clearcut case of criminal behavior, even though some (many?) think it is.

[4dsc]

9. Obama is guilty of obstruction???

Didn't any catch this or would most DU'er just rather ignore what's going on here?? While I fully support President Obama, he shouldn't be given a pass on this matter.. No matter what the political consequence may be.. We should be holding their feet to the fire on this matter but won't..

[ro1942]

10. turly

i wish turly was pres. integrity principled, ralph nader comes to mind.

[HopeOverFear]

11. Shut the fuck up Turley

[DeSwiss]

12. "America is at that awkward stage.

It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards." - Claire Wolfe

- K&R!