Reid threatens to support special counsel probe of CIA tapes

[babylonsister]

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/reid-threatens-to-support-special-counsel-probe-of-cia-tapes-2007-12-11.html

Reid threatens to support special counsel probe of CIA tapes
By Klaus Marre | Posted 12/11/07 11:09 AM
December 11, 2007


Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) indicated Tuesday that he would support a special counsel investigation of the destruction of CIA interrogation tapes if the Bush administration is impeding a congressional probe and an investigation initiated by the Department of Justice (DoJ).

“The CIA, the Justice Department, the Bush White House and every American should know that if these investigations encounter resistance or are unable to find the truth, I will not hesitate to add my voice to those calling for a special counsel,” Reid said.

Sen. Joseph Biden (Del.), who is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, has called for the appointment of a special counsel. He is at odds with Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), who is conducting the Senate probe and said he does not believe a special counsel is needed.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is also investigating the issue.

Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and ranking Republican Arlen Specter (Pa.) wrote a letter to new Attorney General Michael Mukasey Monday asking a series of questions regarding any potential role of the Justice Department in the deletion of CIA tapes recording the interrogation of suspected terrorists.

Reid said that the destruction of the footage undermines U.S. integrity and charged that the country’s moral authority has been damaged under the Bush administration. The Nevada senator pointed to the war in Iraq, the leaking of the name of a CIA operative to the media, the questions that have surrounded DoJ in previous years and the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal as instances in which U.S. credibility has suffered.

“This damage to our moral authority will matter to the history books, but more importantly, it matters right now,” Reid said. “It puts our troops at greater risk if captured. It impairs our relationships with nations who ought to be our allies. It impedes our ability to fight an effective war on terror.”

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Significant, I think, that Reid is backing Biden on this

and not Rockefeller. Do you suppose the leadership has finally decided to grow a backbone?

[peacetalksforall]

2. The tally - ongoing?

Special Counsel:
Biden - Yes
Rockefeller - No
Reid - 'Indicated' Yes

Possible hearing:
Leahy
Spector

How will the rest of them line-up?

[TwilightGardener]

13. Hagel--No special counsel, McCain--No, Feinstein--No

[peacetalksforall]

15. Updated on your say so -

Special Counsel:
Biden - Yes
Rockefeller - No
Reid - 'Indicated' Yes
Hagel - No
Feinstein - No
McCain - No

Possible hearing:
Leahy
Spector

How will the rest of them line-up?

[notanotherday]

3. good, about damn time.

They did this.

[atreides1]

9. Don't do the Happy Dance Yet

They've tried to show that their spines haven't been replaced by latex before, but when it came time to stand up, the slinky plague suddenly appeared, and down the stairs they went.

As always I'll wait and see of their words become action!

[ORDagnabbit]

4. ole spaghetti spine gonna finally do something??? I'll believe it when I see it. n/t

[Beelzebud]

5. I've seen Reid threaten to do many things. He rarely follow through.

[Solly Mack]

6. if

is a mighty big word

[L. Coyote]

7. The Department of Justice is a target of the investigation, plus Mukasey was involved in this.

Both the White House lawyers and DoJ were involverd in discussions about what to do with the tapes long before the destruction. Both Ashcroft and Gonzales may be named as targets of conspiracy charges.

Mukasey's involvement is more that his confirmation hearing. This impacts the cases he was judge on. The torture videos were withheld from the terror defendants, Padilla and Moussaoui.

In another interesting twist, Bush added a bunch of new lawyers to WH staff some monthe ago. Did they foresee this specific problem arising? Some of the lawyer came from the same jurisdiction as Mukasey headed as chief judge, from the So NY USA office involved in the prosecution end. These aspects have yet to enter the public discourse about the need for an independent prosecutor, but the members know this stuff!!

[Buzz Clik]

8. Investigate the tapes, but not the torture.

The world is a odd, odd place.

[L. Coyote]

12. Goes to conspiracy of a cover up. Take the crime you can convict on first rule!

[Ghost in the Machine]

10. Stop 'threatening' and JUST. DO. IT. you spineless windbag

[in_cog_ni_to]

11. I don't believe a word he says anymore. Promises, promises, promises.

:boring:

This is going nowhere because the Dems were complicit. They protect their own.

[kestrel91316]

14. Relax. It's just another idle threat.

[L. Coyote]

16. visibility kick

[malaise]

17. Why

IF?

[SoCalDem]

18. Quit "threatening " to do this or that...Just DO IT..and then tell us all about it AFTER..

It's so Elmer-Fuddish..all the "I'm gonna get you , you wascawwy wabbit"..and with all the warning in the world, the wabbits always get away..

[Disturbed]

19. It's another Kabuki dance. Nothing will come of this.

They talk about the tapes. What about the Transcripts of the Interrogations?