From Senator Pat Leahy

[mmonk]

Dear (mmonk),



Next Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote on Michael Mukasey's nomination to be the next U.S. Attorney General.

Our country was founded on democratic principles that reject torture, and no one in our country is above the law -- not even the President. We have seen the Bush Administration repeatedly undermine our democratic values by dodging accountability, hiding its practices from congressional oversight, and prioritizing unilateral presidential power.

President Bush has kept the courts, Congress, and the American people in the dark about activities in the White House for nearly eight years. Our democracy cannot afford to have another Attorney General who has little regard for the law -- we need an Attorney General who will uphold the Constitution and not bend it to fit the President's agenda.

This administration's view that the President is above the law not only threatens our fundamental civil liberties, but our position as a world leader as well. I grew up during a time when the world looked to the United States as a beacon of freedom that rejected tyrannical principles. Unfortunately, our leadership is quickly eroding.

I'm proud that Congress passed the Leahy Law, which requires our government to cut off assistance to any foreign security force unit that has committed gross human rights violations. If our own Attorney General, whose role it is to uphold the law, cannot bring himself to denounce waterboarding, how will other nations view such a double standard?

Some issues are so critical, so fundamental to who and what we are as a nation, that we must act on our convictions -- and this is one of them. America does not torture. We do not inflict cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. Certainly, we must do everything we can to prevent attacks on our nation, using appropriate interrogation techniques that require extensive questioning and thorough investigation. Waterboarding, however, is not one of these techniques.

In his confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Michael Mukasey was simply asked if waterboarding is illegal. The fact that he could not provide a simple "Yes" to this question raises serious doubts about his ability to protect our basic rights.

My number one priority is to restore strong leadership and independence to an agency whose morale and image have been severely tainted. I wish that I could support Mr. Mukasey's nomination, but I cannot.

Accordingly, when Michael Mukasey's nomination comes to a vote before the Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, I will vote against it.

Sincerely,

Patrick Leahy
U.S. Senator

[tekisui]

1. Is it possible for Leahy, as Committee Chair, to single handedly

squash the nomination, since he knows that two Dems favor torture and Mukasey?

[cali]

4. I don't know if he can table the vote

single handedly. Of if he can, according to the rules, whether he can logistically do it.

[never cry wolf]

20. I thought that any Senator could put a hold on any nominee

for any reason. At least that was my understanding. Maybe that has to be done before a hearing starts. Anybody know for sure?

:shrug:

[cali]

2. I agree with Pat.

Sadly, I think we can count on people posting that Leahy is simply in collusion with the admin, that he doesn't do anything but talk, etc, etc.

I'm grateful that he's my Senator and that he's been one of the strongest anti-torture voices in the Senate for over 30 years.

[mmonk]

3. Yes he is and thank you for him.

[L. Coyote]

5. Good news. It is important to make an issue of Bush's torture and war crimes

even though it is also important that Kiesler be moved on.

[cali]

6. I can't help but wonder what evidence Keisler has destroyed

in his brief tenure. We know that's right up his alley.

[Solly Mack]

7. "America does not torture. We do not inflict cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment"

BULLSHIT!!!! America DOES torture and America DOES inflict cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment

and it's time people in Congress admitted it.

Bush began his so-called "enhanced interrogation" program (what the Geneva Convention calls TORTURE) in March of 2002.

And ABSO-FUCKING-LUTELY NOTHING has been done to stop it.

[cali]

8. In the context of his letter it's absolutely clear

that Leahy what Leahy is saying- and he sure the fuck ain't denying that we are torture. He's spoken to that many times. He's saying in that torture is antithetical to the foundations of this country.

[Solly Mack]

9. Ah, really? Whodathunkit? He still needs to admit that America tortures

and in just those words...and not just him.

That was and remains my point.

[cali]

10. He's done so- in those words-- repeatedly

I heard him do so just a few nights ago on vpr. My computer's so slow right now that I can't do a search, but Leahy has repeatedly denounced the use of torture by bush/cheney.

[Solly Mack]

11. This thread from you?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2177615

This VPR interview from Oct. 23?

http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/77886/

It's going to be damn near impossible to stop the torture until lawmakers admit Bush is torturing - because once they admit it, they force their hands into doing something about it..and not just some worthless resolution or yet more anti-torture legislation that won't be adhered to by Bush.

Lawmakers must say: Bush is torturing people. Torture is a crime against humanity. Bush is a war criminal.

And then they must act

All I want is for lawmakers to tell the ugly truth...

[cali]

12. I'm not going to argue with you.

No he hasn't said bush is torturing people. He has said that the administration has authorized using torture. You want to parse, parse, but no one, in either House has spoken to this more than Leahy. And no, I didn't put everything that Leahy said in that interview into my post. Do a search, or whatever.

Have a good afternoon.

[Solly Mack]

13. There is no need to get defensive. No one is attacking Leahy

but I know how much you admire him and as I didn't praise his letter, but instead said I wanted more, you took that as an attack. There was no reason to take it as an attack. Wanting more is not an attack.

I posted the links to see if that was the interview you were talking about...that's all. You said your computer was slow and I thought I'd help find the link.

No need to get defensive about that either.

And I'm awfully glad you don't want to argue as I wasn't arguing at all.

[cali]

15. sorry, you did attack him, and yes I defended him

and your posts on the thread in GDP about blaming Leahy for Mukasey and a litany of other things- most of them wholly out of his control- make it clear that you're being disingenuous here.

And yes, I admire him, and I think the attacks on him here for things he can't control, are mindless.

[Solly Mack]

16. LOL No - I didn't attack Leahy in this thread

I was making the point that America does torture and that lawmakers need to say it just like that. I know - DUH - that Leahy was speaking of foundational principles - but I was making the point that foundational principles aside, America does torture. And that's the ugly reality we have to confront.

That is in no way - size, shape, or form - an attack on Leahy.

There is nothing negative about wanting lawmakers to say *America tortures*


As to the other thread, perhaps you should read what I said again, and try and figure out who I was actually taking a poke at.

I'll give you a hint... those people who get themselves all worked up and hang all their hopes on something a politician says.

I don't think people should get their hopes up over what politicians say they will do, but rather by what they actually do...

Which isn't an attack on Leahy either. Leahy couldn't accomplish what he said he would do...but that's not my fault ..and like you said, he shouldn't have said it in the first place

Stop being so tetchy and defensive.It's causing you to make assumptions and get all in a twitter over nothing.

[cali]

17. sorry, we disagree.

And I hardly hang all my hopes on one politician, or hero worship the way the Gore folks do. Leahy makes mistakes, and I criticize him when he does.

Come to think about it, aren't you a Goriac?

[Solly Mack]

18. I never said you did hang all your hopes on one politician, did I?

I said people who do...and surely you can agree that some people do get their hopes up over the least littlest thing just to have them deflated?

I think sometimes that some of that is because of how horrible everything is now. You know, it's so horrible and people are so frustrated they want something - anything - to give them hope and then BAM. So the disappointment is that much worse.

No, sorry, I'm not a "Goriac"...which I assume (damn those assumptions) means Gore, yes?

[eallen]

14. Exactly right.

:hippie:

[L. Coyote]

19. visibility kick

[spanone]

21. he should send this letter to his colleagues...