No President Is Above the Law - by Senator Robert C. Byrd

[Viva_La_Revolution]

On the floor of the Senate today.

Americans have been stunned at the recent news of the abuses of power by an overzealous President. It has become apparent that this Administration has engaged in a consistent and unrelenting pattern of abuse against our Country’s law-abiding citizens, and against our Constitution.

We have been stunned to hear reports about the Pentagon gathering information and creating databases to spy on ordinary Americans whose only sin is choose to exercise their First Amendment right to peaceably assemble. Those Americans who choose to question the Administration’s flawed policy in Iraq are labeled by this Administration as “domestic terrorists.”

We now know that the F.B.I.’s use of National Security Letters on American citizens has increased one hundred fold, requiring tens of thousands of individuals to turn over personal information and records. These letters are issued without prior judicial review, and provide no real means for an individual to challenge a permanent gag order.

Through news reports, we have been shocked to learn of the CIA’s practice of rendition, and the so-called “black sites,” secret locations in foreign countries, where abuse and interrogation have been exported, to escape the reach of U.S. laws protecting against human rights abuses.

We know that Vice President Dick Cheney has asked for exemptions for the CIA from the language contained in the McCain torture amendment banning cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment. Thank God his pleas have been rejected by this Congress.

read the rest here... http://byrd.senate.gov/newsroom/news_dec/law_for_all.html

[C_U_L8R]

1. And no Attorney General either

apparently Gonzo approved all Bush's illegal wiretaps as well.

Maybe he will squeel on his master once the flames are turned up high.

[CottonBear]

6. Gonzales can't approve the wiretaps. Only the FISA court can do that.

:(

[C_U_L8R]

8. Someone better tell Gonzo

that he can't do that anymore

[electropop]

9. What a surprise: the Torture Guy said espionage on Americans is OK.

This guy is such a paragon of virtue. I'm glad W checked with him. :sarcasm:

[texpatriot2004]

2. Thank you Sen. Byrd nm

[w8liftinglady]

3. write him and thank him(I did)

http://byrd.senate.gov/byrd_email.html

[electropop]

11. Done.

"Dear Senator Byrd,

Thank you for speaking out today against the schocking abuses being perpetrated by the Bush Regime. We need many more courageous people like you."

[Dr. Death]

12. Done!

thanks for the link.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

4. I want to cry.

"Never have the promises and protections of Liberty seemed so illusory. Never have the freedoms we cherish seemed so imperiled."

"These renegade assaults on the Constitution and our system of laws strike at the very core of our values, and foster a sense of mistrust and apprehension about the reach of government."

"I am reminded of Thomas Payne’s famous words, “These are the times that try men’s souls.”

[Sydnie]

5. I often do when he speaks.

He is so eloquent and knows his material so well. Others would do well to strive to be more like him. I believe that Kerry does just that (without the waving constitution though). How I wish there were more like him.

[Reciprocity]

10. Thank god it's not just me.

I get teary eyed every time I hear him speak. I love him to pieces. For some reason I have been thinking about him a lot lately. I worry about his health. So to see him today in fighting form was great.

[Justice Is Comin]

7. When he raises that finger in the air and it

shakes due to his age, it's almost like the statue of liberty talking. Him and senator Kennedy can rivet an audience.

[blonndee]

18. Oh I know, he is RIVETing. I just love to watch and listen to him. n/t

[Rocknrule]

13. But Bush is no ordinary president

He's the Second Son of God and must be worshipped. God materialized enough extra votes for him to win the 2000 election, so he was installed by a higher power.:sarcasm:

[WI_DEM]

14. Byrd is THE elder statesman of the US Senate

[BelgianMadCow]

15. K&R - very, very impressive

now I know why Randi is a fan.

[Stevepol]

16. Truly eloquent and right on the mark.

[blonndee]

17. Oooh I love him SO much. I wish he was my senator. Here's my email

to him. This is like the 3rd I've sent him in the last year.

Dear Senator Byrd,

As a staunch, liberal Democrat in a very red state, I often feel as though I have no representation, and must rely upon other states' leaders to represent the values I cherish. I have very often come close to losing all hope these last few years, which have seen an illegal invasion, torture, the alienation of our allies, flat out lying and outright and admitted criminal behavior (such as the recent, horrifying spying scandal that Bush insists he will continue), rampant and harmful cronyism, the erosion of civil liberties, and many other frightening and shocking abuses of power at the hands of the Bush administration. Thanks to courageous leaders such as yourself, though, I have not yet given up and I continue to hope that you and your peers will stand fast and strong for what is right, whether or not it is what is politically popular.

The people are often, as Congressman Murtha has stated several times, way ahead of our leaders, who are too often so concerned abount ensuring their own continued success that they fail to actually serve as representatives and advocates for the people they represent. I thank you for your courage and steadfastness. Your long and distinguished career should demonstrate to all other Democratic leaders that working for the people, even (and especially) in the face of frightful opposition, will be recognized and commended by those you serve.

Thank you once again from an Oklahoman Democrat.

XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX

[Viva_La_Revolution]

19. Great letter!

:thumbsup:

[Historic NY]

20. Thank you Sen. Byrd.......

you are right "these are the times that try men's souls". We don't seem to have a President these days there is a Usurper the WH.

[Nothing Without Hope]

21. Evidence that BUSH KNEW HE WAS BREAKING THE LAW and GONZALES

planned to LIE ABOUT IT:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5643625
thread title (12/20 GD): April 2004: Bush tells audiences Wiretaps Require a Court Order

This was in April 2004, in a Q & A session. Here's an excerpt of what Bush said:

THE PRESIDENT: Let me -- that's a great question. A couple of things that are very important for you to understand about the Patriot Act. First of all, any action that takes place by law enforcement requires a court order. In other words, the government can't move on wiretaps or roving wiretaps without getting a court order.

Now, we've used things like roving wiretaps on drug dealers before. Roving wiretaps mean you change your cell phone. And yet, we weren't able to use roving wiretaps on terrorists. And so what the Patriot Act said is let's give our law enforcement the tools necessary, without abridging the Constitution of the United States, the tools necessary to defend America.

This does tend to support the idea that HE WANTED TO SHUT DOWN THE NYT ARTICLE …
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5641346
thread title (12/19 GD): BREAKING: SHRUB MET WITH NYT EDITORS IN LAST-DITCH EFFORT TO STOP SPYGATE
BECAUSE HE KNEW HE HAD BROKEN THE LAW AND HIS OATH OF OFFICE.

Furthermore, as this fine American Progress compilation on Spygate shows, Gonzales appears to have lied - under oath -about exactly this sort of extralegal Presidential caper in his Jan 2005 confirmation hearings:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5643708
thread title (12/20 GD): AmProg"The Truth About Bush's Warrantless Spying" (& Gonzo planned to LIE)