Senate Leaders Opposes Interrogation Inquiry Panel

[Javaman]

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/23/senate-leaders-opposes-interrogation-inquiry-panel/?hp

Senate Democratic leaders, joining forces with the Obama White House, said they would resist efforts by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other prominent Democrats to create a special commission to investigate the harsh interrogation methods that the Bush administration approved for terrorism suspects.

At a meeting of top Democrats at the White House Wednesday night, President Obama told Congressional leaders that he did not want a special inquiry, which he said would potentially steal time and energy from his ambitious policy priorities, and could mushroom into a wider distraction by looking back at other aspects of the Bush years.

The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, and other top Senate Democrats endorsed Mr. Obama’s view on Thursday, telling reporters that they preferred to wait for the results of an investigation by the Senate intelligence committee expected sometime “late this year.” But Ms. Pelosi renewed her call for an independent panel.

Mr. Reid, who repeatedly denounced the use of harsh interrogation techniques when Mr. Bush was president, suggested that naming a special panel would signal an intent to exact “retribution” and he sought to paper over the disagreement with members of his own caucus, like Senator Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont, who want a commission.

(what honestly will it take for these elected officials to do a part of their job for which they were elected? you know, follow the rule of law and all that. I'm sickened by this. they are now as guilty as those who committed the crimes.)

[ProSense]

1. Lawmakers: Congress Will Investigate Torture, Bipartisan Support In Place

Lawmakers: Congress Will Investigate Torture, Bipartisan Support In Place

[Javaman]

3. interesting. so the leader of the senate and the prez are against it, but there is still

enough support for it to go forward. This will be a very interesting ride to say the least.

[Xipe Totec]

2. We'll see you in 2010 - remember that

because we will remember also.

[chill_wind]

4. ACLU was calling for Multi- Approach back in February

right after Leahy proposed a commission.

"The ACLU is calling for a three-pronged approach to investigating abuses of power under the Bush administration. In addition to the proposed commission, a congressional select committee should be put in place to investigate these matters. This committee would be able to commit the necessary resources and have full subpoena authority to compel individuals with knowledge to come forth. Also, the executive branch should be examining whether prosecutions are appropriate through a Department of Justice special prosecutor."

(They've since changed the language somewhat from SP to Independant Prosecutor.)

http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/38836prs20090225.html

I can see a lot of merit in that.