Truth commission to proceed despite Obama’s wishes

[kpete]

Source: Raw Story

Truth commission to proceed despite Obama’s wishes

By John Byrne

Published: April 28, 2009
Updated 2 hours ago

Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) plans to proceed with a special commission to investigate alleged Bush administration abuses of power, despite lacking President Barack Obama’s support, according to a report Tuesday.

Sen. Leahy called for a “Truth Commission” in February to probe Bush administration policies on torture, interrogation and surveillance and to — as he puts it — “get to the bottom of what went wrong.” Such an idea would be modeled around truth commissions established in South Africa and Chile, which offered immunity to officials who committed abuses in exchange for the truth.

“Many Americans feel we need to get to the bottom of what went wrong,” Leahy said when announcing his idea in February. “I agree. We need to be able to read the page before we turn the page.”

President Obama, meanwhile, has expressed disinterest in investigating the activities of his predecessor, saying it’s time for the country to move on. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), says he doesn’t want the commission to begin until an inquiry headed by Senate Intelligence Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) examines the Bush administration’s legal defenses of torture techniques.

Read more: http://rawstory.com/08/blog/2009/04/28/truth-commission-to-proceed-despite-obamas-wishes/

[NYC_SKP]

1. Good. Obama shouldn't be perceived as leading a witch hunt.

Perfect, despite the misleading headlines that pretend to know what the President's "wishes" are.

"Raw Story." As if it was just the raw facts.

Uh huh.

:patriot:

[ecstatic]

14. exactly!

It's probably meant to fool repugs but apparently it's fooling some knee-jerk liberals too.

[DrDan]

2. good for Leahy!

[No Elephants]

3. A Special Prosecutor would be FAR preferable.

[BonnieJW]

4. That may be the next step.

If the Truth Commission finds damning evidence, the Senate will have no choice but to ask for the appointment of a special prosecutor. This must go through proper channels. President O must not appear vengeful; this should be taken out of his hands.

[rhett o rick]

8. My concern is that some may think that a so-called "Truth Commission" will be enough

without any prosecutions. I am very suspicious of "Commissions". Historically they are used to white wash.

[yodermon]

13. Prosecutions may be a techincal impossible if a truth commission extracts testimony.

However, Congress can declare the "guilty" unfit to hold any future positions within the US gov't. ("disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States" art 2 sec 3, don't know if "contract" positions are covered by this)

Small remedy, I know.

[chill_wind]

5. Immunity (in exchange for truth) to who? Which "officials"? I need more info

about that.

[Wizard777]

6. If Lehey even tries to offer immunity he should be charge with obstructing justice,

This is bull shit. Like capital hill doesn't know how corruption works. If this were true more than half of them would be out of work.

[HopeHoops]

7. This is really the best way to handle it.

Obama doesn't need to be involved in the controversy and Congress needs to turn it over to an independent group and move on with pushing Obama's agenda. At least this way, there's a chance the war criminals will be brought to justice.

[rhett o rick]

20. This will be a white wash and you know it. Truth Commissions are about cover up, not truth. nm

[ixion]

9. Feinstein's "investigation" will be a total whitewash

so bring on the Truthiness.

[Overseas]

10. No immunity please. Or very limited immunity.

There was too much immunity given in the past and the people just re-emerged later to do more destructive things.

If we give immunity for enabling or perpetrating harsh interrogation, a.k.a. torture, for which we have executed others in the past, doesn't that just mean that future power-hungry administrations that want to rule from the Executive Branch again can just tell their teams that "Hey, don't worry. You'll just have to testify in a hearing and you'll get immunity anyway."

Were the perpetrators of the aggressive tactics, a.k.a. torture, emboldened by the immunity given to many of the Iran-Contra team?

LIMIT THE IMMUNITY THIS TIME, PLEASE!

Or perhaps we can issue retroactive pardons to the soldiers who were executed in the past for engaging in controversial tactics, a.k.a. torture?

And maybe we can begin the hearings with a ceremony in which each person who testifies can shred one page of the Geneva Conventions?

[L. Coyote]

11. 103,747 signatures so far... keep it going!

http://bushtruthcommission.com/


Full Petition Text:

I hereby join Senator Patrick Leahy's call for the establishment of a truth and reconciliation commission, to investigate the Bush-Cheney Administration's constitutional abuses so we make sure they never happen again. These abuses may include the use of torture, warrantless wiretapping, extraordinary rendition, and executive override of laws.

A truth and reconciliation commission should be tasked with seeking answers so that we can develop a shared understanding of the failures of the recent past. Rather than vengeance, we need a fair-minded pursuit of what actually happened. The best way to move forward is getting to the truth and finding out what happened -- so we can make sure it does not happen again.

[Towlie]

12. I strongly suspect this isn't REALLY "despite Obama’s wishes", it's only against his public stance.

[Psychic Consortium]

21. Correct. nt

[jtrockville]

15. Some of these "investigators" may be complicit.

The only purpose for this commission is to whitewash.

[Vidar]

16. Good for Leahy!

[rcrush]

17. CAN ARLEN SPECTER BE ON THE TRUTH COMMISSION?!

He'll come up with some kind of magic waterboarding theory!

[Arkana]

18. As long as he doesn't impede or try to stop it, I have no objections.

[bvar22]

19. NO! Anything done in Congress at this point....

...will only interfere with the pursuit of Justice, especially if immunity in any form is offered to the participants.

There is now NO DOUBT that serious crimes have been committed.
It is time for the Department of Justice to ACT.
I support the appointment of an Independent Prosecutor.

After the DoJ finishes its business of Enforcing the Law, I will support a Truth & Reconciliation Commission for the Healing process.