Specter prepping bill to sue Bush

[Herman Munster]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060724/ap_on_go_co/signing_statements

WASHINGTON - A powerful Republican committee chairman who has led the fight against President Bush's signing statements said Monday he would have a bill ready by the end of the week allowing Congress to sue him in federal court.

"We will submit legislation to the United States Senate which will...authorize the Congress to undertake judicial review of those signing statements with the view to having the president's acts declared unconstitutional," Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said on the Senate floor.

Specter's announcement came the same day that an American Bar Association task force concluded that by attaching conditions to legislation, the president has sidestepped his constitutional duty to either sign a bill, veto it, or take no action.

Bush has issued at least 750 signing statements during his presidency, reserving the right to revise, interpret or disregard laws on national security and constitutional grounds.

[LeftCoast]

1. Woah! This is a bit of a shock.

Where's the catch?

There's always a catch.

[LeighAnn]

20. I think he's got his eye on '08

That's probably the catch

[LetsGoMurphys]

34. Absolutely not

the man has cancer and is 76 years old.

[Blaq Dem]

36. Is he trying to tie up the courts?

There's a whole lot of allegations that could possible be made against Bush...and his daddy.

[saigon68]

56. Specter is the Ultimate Liar and ASSCLOWN

His effort to get Clarence "LONG DONG SILVER" Thomas confirmed in the Senate

Ranks as one of the "Nastiest Bowel Movements" of all time.

Some of the transcripts are unbelievable

Especially his "Long Dong Silver" comments, and his attack on Anita Hill.

LOL

[LeighAnn]

53. Cancer!

I didn't know that. I need to start reading the articles. :( Poor guy.

[LetsGoMurphys]

35. I bet he is just pissed about the stem cell veto

he has cancer and is passionate about the issue.

[SensibleAmerican]

37. The dude's gonna be dead before '08

n/t

[Sadie5]

38. Specter is wrong

if he thinks this one small act will help him in 08. He has too much baggage.

[Demeter]

52. Just Impeach the Bastard

He'll get his day in court that way--one in a series, if he lives through it and doesn't do a Ken Lay.

[heliarc]

54. Sigh. Wake up everyone

He's trying to secure the gerrymandered Republican congress's power over what looks like an overwhelming win for the Democrats in 08. I don't think he has any intention of using this against Bush. C'mon.

[radfringe]

46. The catch?

heh... The catch is "IF" the rubber-stamping majority in the congress does manage to pass this legislation, it goes to bush for signing

on a long-shot - bush could veto it - which means the rubber-stampers would have to try to override the veto

or more likely - bush will sign it and issue a signing statement saying it doesn't apply to him

ennywhoo - Congress will be in recess shortly. When they return the focus will be on the "wedgies" (wedge issues) for the re-(s)election in November.

This bill is going nowhere

[TripeOmatic]

49. Sadly I agree with your assesment. n/t

[Pryderi]

55. The catch is that Arlen's going to give Bush a pass on spying.

[cornermouse]

2. When I see it and not one minute before.

[Pale Blue Dot]

15. Yes. Specter has a habit of talking tough and then not following through.

Mr. "Not Proven" himself. :eyes:

[KoKo]

26. Absolutely...Specter pulling a fast one in leak of no consequence to AP

and then to Yahoo.

Specter always sounds tough and then caves figuring the Repugs will rewrite whatever he announces and it will come down to nothing but another giveaway to the Chimp.

[LiberalFighter]

51. Just a ploy to make Repugs look honest

[Gman]

29. I'll believe it when I see it after the so-called "intense negotiations"

with the "white" House.

[zann725]

44. Before his recent 'bout with Cancer, perhaps. At his age, & facing THAT..

makes one reassess TRUE priorities, and duties.

I think he (with the shadowed support) of many influential others are gonna let THIS charge be 'the one.'

[wtmusic]

3. Congress to sue??

What happened to separation of powers?

[napi21]

4. ABA stated he did 807 as of 7/11/06, and the number keeps rising!

I hope Spector sticks with this idea, but I'm not very optomistic. Arlan always comes out of the hole running, but chickens out in a short time too.

I'm just really glad he starte out with this, because it gets the illegality of Shrub's actions into the news!

[msongs]

5. suits =worst way - bush's court will throw them out - impeach is

the better choice for crimes against the nation and constitution = high crimes and misdemeanors, which is the standard for impeachment I think.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

[maryallen]

33. Anything to stall, to let the clock run out before ...

"Stupid" leaves office ...

[Dr Fate]

6. I dont believe it. n/t

n/t

[VegasWolf]

7. I'm surprised Bush didn't use his signing statement on the stem cell

issue. Who needs a veto when you have signing statements?

[napi21]

12. Ahhh no. He needed THAT to be very public! Signing statements

mostly go un-noticed and he had to make sure his base knew about THAT ONE!

[VegasWolf]

31. LOL! True! My bad! nt

[xchrom]

8. should i hold my breath?

[twaddler01]

9. I will be happy when something is done...

but not keeping hopes up too much...i hate disappointment!

Maybe this will make his ratings worse though, so could be good either way :evilgrin:

edit: spelling

[DURHAM D]

10. As soon as they turn off the cameras he will change his mind. eom

[leesa]

11. More blah, blah, blah from Arlen?

Does he realize how foolish he looks with all this false bravado?

[C_U_L8R]

13. I'll beleive it when i see it

and I suspect SPECTRE is just immunizing BUSH .. somehow

[Chulanowa]

43. Well, yeah

He's in a rush to take this to congress while Congress is still "Bush Country", so they can decide it's okay for Bush to do this crap, before they get kicked out of the House in November.

[creeksneakers2]

14. Bush says he can break the law

He can say anything he wants. They ought to go after Bush over matters where he's actually broken the law.

[MiniMe]

39. Nixon said the same thing, Randi Rhodes plays that clip all of the time

And we have seen how things turned out for him. And that was during war time too, Viet Nam. So at least there is a precedent about this, not that I'm sure that matters anymore.

[rodeodance]

16. "It never says, 'We're not going to enact the law.'"---a la Tony boy.

......But many of Bush's signing statements serve notice that he believes parts of bills he is signing are unconstitutional or might violate national security.

Still, the White House said signing statements are not intended to allow the administration to ignore the law.

"A great many of those signing statements may have little statements about questions about constitutionality," said White House spokesman Tony Snow. "It never says, 'We're not going to enact the law.'"

[autorank]

17. Impeachment time....

Specter knows more than most of us forgot. Rememmber, he was counsel to the Warren Commission.

That's why he goes off on tangents and nobody gives him too hard of a time.

This is very significant. Could be the set up, by the isiders of course. Interesting...

[gademocrat7]

18. Can this really happen?

[ecstatic]

19. Will it really be a Repub who finally brings Bush down?

I greet this new development with hope yet I can't help but be a little disappointed that a Republican might take credit for bringing the worst pResident in American history down. It's a little ironic.

[PSPS]

24. No. This is theater.

Enacting a bill to permit suing the president for breaking the law is nothing but the typical Arlen/Republican dance.

Why?

Because congress already has all the tools they need to properly deal with this rogue administration.

It's called impeachment, followed by conviction and then removal from office.

To come up with some time-consuming theatrical series of events is just more distraction to run out the clock. (see: Fitzgerald, Patrick; or, Arlen's retroactive "deal with the white house on illegal NSA spying," etc., etc., etc.)

[54anickel]

28. Yep, makes it look like he's doing something when he's really not.

Congress sue? Oh puh-leeeez. Brings up visions of those nasty, wasteful trial lawyers Repubs are always complaining about, court costs, appeals, bantering back and forth and for what? At some time it will probably be determined that there's nothing illegal or unconstitutional about presidential signing statements, they are nothing new and it will probably end up strengthening Dimsons' usage of the damned things after all is said and done. Meanwhile other events go under the radar and impeachment never gets to see the light of day.

Just impeach the SOB. Stop hiding behind national security and the "but we're at war" drivel and impeach already.

[Lasher]

32. Specter is delaying, nothing more

Blue ribbon commission, blah blah, need a new bill to allow Congress to sue the president, blah blah. What a crock. By the time any of this would ever get to a point where it could have any impact on signing statements, Junior will have completed his second term, and would be out of office. And big talkin' Specter knows it. That's their plan.

And the bill in question is counterproductive anyway. What it would do is make signing statements seem OK, and put the burden on Congress to prove in court that each one, individually, should be overturned. All they need is a veto-proof retroactive bill that prohibits the signing statements.

[Canuckistanian]

21. Jekyll and Hyde?

First he authors a bill practically allowing the the President to spy without limit, then this?

[Straight Shooter]

22. Strong statements from Specter.

Is he strong enough to see them through?

I don't understand how the GOP can accuse Dems of not having a spine. Just look at the leadership amongst their own party. It's pathetic how they blow hard and then capitulate with a whimper.

[BlueJac]

23. I don't trust the man myself...........

to many false promises from Arlen!


I hope it is true that now is the time to take this BUM BUSH out!

God Damn criminal!!!!!

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

25. Mid-term elections are just around the corner

The Repugs are looking for any way they can to distance themselves from * without actually doing anything. They bring a lawsuit, the Administration files for dismissal, the loser appeals to the Appellate Court (first a three judge panel, then an eleven judge one), the decision is appealed to the Supreme Court, which sits on it for nearly a year before ruling on the sole issue of whether or not Congress can file such an action. Are we past the 2008 election yet?

Impeachment, trial, conviction and removal from office. Quick, simple and constitutional. Which is why they'll do anything they can to avoid it.

[Just Me]

27. AAANNNNND,....Bush will do a signing statement (((ROFL)))!!!

Specter's playing games.

[lumpy]

30. Specter pushing any petitions?

I'll sign.

[ThsMchneKilsFascists]

40. Was surprised to hear about this

Hopefully something will finally nail this putrid jello to the tree

[democrank]

41. Specter and the other Bush enablers should resign

since none of them have upheld their oversight responsibilities. Specter usually talks tough, then backs off when no one is looking. I`ll believe this when I see it.

[kurth]

42. Bush will put a signing statement to Specter's bill

or veto it. Then what?

[truthisfreedom]

45. hopefully congress will have the balls to overrule his veto.

[heliarc]

47. Uh, people.

I would guess he's more interested in prepping the Congress to sue a democratic president if we win. Why else would this happen in the last 2 years of the presidency. This is from the same playbook that has Hastert protecting Democratic representatives from search and seizure... because the GOP wants to have more power and when democrats lose it so do they... in this case, I think they're looking for more power, because the likelihood of a Democratic president is getting higher, but the gerrymandered districts still make it rough for us to win a majority.

[Vinca]

48. Bingo. nt

[Pacifist Patriot]

50. That's ridiculous! Congress sue? Bullshit!

Congress impeaches. What Constitution have these idiots been reading lately?