Joan Walsh: Impeach Jay Bybee, and ignore Rahm Emanuel

[deminks]

http://www.salon.com/opinion/walsh/politics/2009/04/19/impeach_bybee/index.html?source=rss&aim=/opinion/walsh/politics

The blogosphere has been charged with debate about impeaching Jay Bybee, the deputy attorney general whose name is on arguably the worst torture memo released last Thursday. Bruce Ackerman wrote a convincing case for impeaching Bybee on Friday; today the New York Times joined the cause with a fiery editorial: "These memos make it clear that Mr. Bybee is unfit for a job that requires legal judgment and a respect for the Constitution. Congress should impeach him."

But the editorial goes beyond that point – read the whole thing – to make the case that President Obama and Congress have a legal obligation to investigate the entire chain of command behind Bybee and other government lawyers' sick, skewed defense of torture.

(snip)

Unfortunately, on ABC's "This Week," White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel seemed to say that Obama had ruled out prosecuting not only CIA officials and agents but also higher-ups who authorized the torture.

(snip)

Emanuel can't be the last word on that; he's the politics guy, and sure, there are political risks to pursuing the architects of our torture policy. But the political risks that come with ignoring what happened are so much greater.

(end snips)

FU, Emanuel. 183 times in a month.

[MarjorieG]

1. Isn't just politics, but actual policy needed to help people, like health care.

Having a hard time envisioning a reasonable debate and investigation, without bi-partisan acceptance of the need for this kind of reckoning.

Anyone really remember the Clinton impeachment, 24/7, Turley arguing for it, now amplified up with the seriousness of these crimes, and conducting a gov't at the same time. All for revenge as much as justice. Lower level CIA have a defense, as much as we don't like it. It's not Nuremberg.

May be an end justifies the means, pre-judging outcome, but I don't want this opportunity for other change to be eclipsed.

If GOP and media push for this, a different story. Media other than Joan Walsh.