For those who want prosecutions, here is an email

[mmonk]

Dear (mmonk),
It turns out the Bush years were far worse than we ever imagined - and we were not shy in our imaginings.

Previously classified internal legal memos released by the Obama administration earlier this week demonstrate that the Bush administration acted under the belief that it had virtually unchecked power after 9/11. The combined effect of the memos, which in theory gave the president the power to deploy the military on our soil, ignore Fourth Amendment protections of our privacy, and even proscribe First Amendment freedom of speech protections, led writer Scott Horton to declare that in the post-9/11 era "this country was a dictatorship."

American Freedom Campaign co-founder Naomi Wolf wrote a powerful piece for Huffington Post conveying her initial reaction to the contents of the memos. She concluded, "We need to stare in the face and understand them: they are evidence that the groundwork was laid out that gave the president the legal power to effectively subvert the Republic." Check it out:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/naomi-wolf/john-yoos-legal-groundwor_b_171552.html

While we are outraged by these memos, we do want to highlight one positive note. The American Freedom Campaign, led by members like you, helped to reverse one of the most objectionable policies - a memo declaring that the president had the power to deploy the military on our soil, a practice long prohibited under federal law. At the end of September 2008, a couple of small media outlets reported that President Bush had assigned the 3rd Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team to be under the day-to-day control of U.S. Army North, the Army component of Northern Command (NorthCom). In response, AFC helped raise awareness about the potential dangers involved and encouraged members to take action. Just days later, the administration drafted a memo repudiating the earlier memo's authorization of far-reaching domestic military operations.

But certainly the news is not all positive. If you continue to be outraged and disgusted by the actions of Bush administration officials, including John Yoo, who wrote a number of the administration's most notorious memos, such as those authorizing torture, you can take action through existing actions on the AFC Web site. Here are two options:

Send an E-mail to Attorney General Eric Holder, urging him to launch a full criminal investigation of Bush administration activities -- from torture to warrantless wiretapping and beyond -- with prosecutions where it is found that the laws of the United States have been violated. Click here to take action:

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2165/t/1027/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26685
Send a strongly worded E-mail to Christopher Edley, Jr, Dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law, urging the dismissal of John Yoo. While the pre-written E-mail on the site is torture-specific, the sentiment remains the same. Here is the link to that action:

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2165/t/1027/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=24188

We do not intend to let Bush administration officials ride off into the sunset after their widespread assault on our laws and our Constitution. We hope that you will join us as we continue to push for serious accountability.

Thanks so much for taking action on this important campaign.

Steve Fox
Campaign Director
American Freedom Campaign Action Fund



I changed the email links so any of you can participate by putting yours in. Do so if you get the chance. Let me know if you have any problems.

Thanks

[jmg257]

1. "...president had the power to deploy the military on our soil, a practice long prohibited..."

under federal law."

Which, since 2006, is now of course perfectly legal under federal law...

John Warner NDA Act; Oct 17, 2006: Public Law No: 109-364

(a) Use of the Armed Forces Authorized.--

(1) In general.--Section 333 of title 10, United States
Code, is amended to read as follows:

``Sec. 333. Major public emergencies; interference with State and
Federal law

``(a) Use of Armed Forces in Major Public Emergencies.--(1) The
President may employ the armed forces, including the National Guard in
Federal service, to--
``(A) restore public order and enforce the laws of the
United States when, as a result of a natural disaster, epidemic,
or other serious public health emergency, terrorist attack or
incident, or other condition in any State or possession of the
United States, the President determines that--
``(i) domestic violence has occurred to such an
extent that the constituted authorities of the State or
possession are incapable of maintaining public order;
and
``(ii) such violence results in a condition
described in paragraph (2); or
``(B) suppress, in a State, any insurrection, domestic
violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy if such
insurrection, violation, combination, or conspiracy results in a condition described in paragraph (2).

``(2) A condition described in this paragraph is a condition that--
``(A) so hinders the execution of the laws of a State or
possession, as applicable, and of the United States within that
State or possession, that any part or class of its people is
deprived of a right, privilege, immunity, or protection named in the Constitution and secured by law, and the constituted
authorities of that State or possession are unable, fail, or
refuse to protect that right, privilege, or immunity, or to give that protection; or

[mmonk]

2. Another one of those after the fact unConstitutional laws of course.

Using the law to subvert the rule of law.

[jmg257]

3. Of course! A little uproar, but no real opposition. And the people get screwed. Again.

Tyranny is just SO fun!

[Solly Mack]

4. Yep

:(

[Solly Mack]

5. K&R

[eek]

6. K&R

K&R

[mmonk]

7. Thanks for the K&R. If we are to save our country, we must apply pressure

NOW.

[annabanana]

8. This is so serious, so full of implication for the future of America

that we, the citizenry cannot afford to let the precedent stand. We may never get another chance to fix this..

[mmonk]

9. You're correct, we sure can't. The precedent to darkness has been set

and we must remove it.

[Nevilledog]

10. K & R n/t