Rethugs delay Holder confirmation because they're concerned Holder will prosecute?!

[babylonsister]

Worried he'll do his job? Ugh.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_01/016547.php


THE REASONING BEHIND THE GOP'S HOLDER DELAYS.... That Senate Republicans want to delay confirmation of Eric Holder as our next Attorney General is not surprising. It's interesting, though, what's driving the hold-up.

Do Specter, Cornyn, & Co. want to talk some more about Marc Rich? Elian Gonzales? No, apparently, Republicans are concerned that Holder might prosecute a certain group of people who violated federal laws.

Senate Republicans hope to delay a vote on the confirmation of Eric Holder to become attorney general in order to pressure him to say whether he will prosecute intelligence agents for torture if they were following orders and acting within what they believed to be legal guidelines.

Holder told the Judiciary Committee last week that waterboarding is "torture" and therefore illegal. Susan J. Crawford, the top Bush administration official overseeing the trials of detainees, told the Washington Post that at least one individual held at the prison center at Guantanamo Bay was "tortured."

The question Republicans want answered before Holder is confirmed: Will you prosecute those who took part in that torture?

Now, given the exchanges at Holder's hearing, he didn't exactly demonstrate an appetite for prosecuting intelligence agents. But the fact that there's even a possibility that the A.G. would consider charges against those who committed crimes by torturing detainees in U.S. custody is enough to, once again, delay consideration of the next Attorney General.

Cornyn rationalized his obstructionism, telling reporters, "I want to know if he's going to enforce congressional intent not to second guess those things in a way that could jeopardize those officials but also could cause our intelligence officials to be risk averse -- the very kind of risk aversion ... that the 9/11 commission talked about when they talked about what set us up for 9/11."

Well, what do you know. A mere 24 hours after Obama's inauguration, congressional Republicans have returned to using 9/11 as a political cudgel. Some things really won't change.

I do find it odd, though, that this is the rationale for more delaying tactics. To hear Republicans tell it, they want to block Holder from serving as the nation's chief law-enforcement officer because he hasn't ruled out prosecuting those who broke the law.

It's quite a worldview.

-Steve Benen

[spanone]

1. looks like holder would have no choice but to prosecute....so thugs don't believe in law anymore?

reckon they never really did

[derby378]

2. If John Cornyn hasn't embarassed Texas yet, he certainly has now

He was okay as our state Attorney General. He just plain sucks as a Senator, and his behavior seems to border on treason.

[LakeSamish706]

3. Holder should just lie to them, get confirmed and then prosecute.... That would...

be the Republican way that they understand.

[Vincardog]

4. When asked Holder should say GAWD DAMNED RIGHT I WILL

[DFW]

5. I said this back in early 2004

The Republicans would steal the 2004 election because the one thing they feared more than
an asteroid taking out Alabama and Mississippi was the next activist Democratic Attorney
General, who would pose a greater danger to many of them than any asteroid. Now that they
are staring that very prospect in the face, I'd bet that a goodly number of them, as well
as a far greater number of their friends and donors, are trembling in their fake cowboy boots.

[LakeSamish706]

7. This is one of the primary reasons that I thought the Bush Administration....

might not be willing to give up power. They know damn well that they may face time behind bars before all the investigations are over.

[babylonsister]

8. Just heard they've managed to postpone this confirmation for

a whole week. I wonder how long they can keep prolonging this.

[shintao]

19. Justice Delayed is Justice Denied

Hopefully the new AG will take the time to get some rest, maybe go to Hawaii on a holiday and enjoy himself. I might reccomend the same place Obama used.

[DFW]

24. How long does it take to move your bank account to Dubai or São Paulo?

Or get a second passport from Costa Rica?

[SoCalNative]

6. I still say that in an act of Good Will

President Obama should return Texas and all of its residents to Mexico.

[Romulox]

9. Obama just hasn't been "post-partisan" enough. Maybe if yhe's nicer to the Pubs they'll cooperate?

[babylonsister]

10. It has nothing to do with Obama other than his good sense to want

to hire someone talented who freaks out the r/w so much. What are they skeered of?

[Romulox]

11. They're not scared that Holder is against the for-profit prison industry, that's for sure.

They're on the same page with THAT, at least.

[OregonBlue]

15. ?? More information?

[Romulox]

16. He's a big War on Drugs supporter. nt

[cali]

20. bwahahaha.

you are comedy gold. Everything that Obama says and does meets with your disapproval. Looks like you'll suffer terribly over the next 4 years. Wouldn't that be a shame.

:rofl:

[Romulox]

23. I'm actually doing better than I ever have in my life. But I have compassion for those who struggle

Do you? Or do you only care about being on the "winning" team? :shrug:

[hobbit709]

12. There's gonna be a lot of criminal lawyers with new clients

My heart goes out to them-NOT!!!

[jtrockville]

13. So they're concerned the top law enforcement official WILL uphold the law?

Their goal is to find a top law enforcement official who WON'T uphold the law?
REALLY?

[babylonsister]

14. That's what it sounds like. Maybe they're looking for Gonzo's twin? nt

[FiveGoodMen]

17. Yes, that's it exactly.

And you can see why given how much of the law they've ignored.

It's not really good for them when they have to say it so explicitly, though.

[Lugnut]

18. Rule-of-law?

Repubs think it only applies to Democrats?

[ejpoeta]

21. i think they are just being dicks to be dicks. i mean....

like with clinton, where the one guy wants to hold the confirmation over, even though as he even says he is going to vote yes. what the hell is that all about!! these guys are just being jerks.

[Seldona]

22. K&R

Time to let some sunlight in on this regime. Call their bluff!

I would say something like this. "I will follow all leads and prosecute anyone for whom ample evidence exists for said prosecution. Are you asking me to NOT follow all leads, and let those that broke the laws of this nation get away with it Senator?"

What are they going to do? Ask him to NOT do his job? Give it right back to them. Make them openly defend their atrocious policies for all to see.

One of the brightest moments of the inaugural for me was to see President Obama repudate the idea that in order for this nation to be 'safe,' we must torture.

The fact he brought it up right in front of *Bush was awesome. But what really got me was the crowd's positive reaction. People want this to end. And there will be hell to pay for those that stand in the way.

Hasn't the last two years taught these people ANYTHING?