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Civil rights group to Obama: Release secret Bush memos
Raw Story
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is calling on the Justice Department to release Bush administration documentation pertaining to torture, surveillance and other controversial national security policies.
The civil rights watchdog sent a letter today to the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, the same office that provided legal advice to the White House under George W. Bush.
(ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW)
The secret memos were essentially the legal foundation for many of the Bush adminstration’s questionable practices, says the ACLU in a news release received by Raw Story.
The Bush White House vigorously fought the release of such revealing (some would say, damning) documentation in the interests, it insisted, of protecting national security and other factors.
The ACLU’s filing of the Freedom of Information Act request follows President Obama’s recent directive to minimize federal secrecy and “usher in a new era of open government.”
The request is seen as a test of the freshly inaugurated president’s transparency policy. “The ACLU now sees a new opening,” writes Marisa Taylor of McClatchy Newspapers.
The new policy is a promise by Obama that the rights group hopes he follows through with. “President Obama should be commended” for his commitment to openness, said an ACLU director. “We’re eager to see this commitment put into practice.”
The release of the secret documentation will help the nation–and the world–move on from the “lawless conduct” of the Bush administration, the ACLU argues.
More details on the ACLU’s pursuit of the information release is here. Excerpts from their press release today follow…
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The Justice Department continues to withhold many legal opinions, including memos purporting to allow torture and warrantless surveillance. The ACLU has previously sought the memos through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
“Releasing the memos would allow the public to better understand the legal basis for the Bush administration’s national security policies; to better understand the role that the OLC played in developing, justifying, and advocating those policies; and to participate more meaningfully in the ongoing debate about national security, civil liberties, and human rights,” said the ACLU in the letter.
In its letter, the ACLU called on the OLC to release, at the earliest possible date, dozens of legal memos related to interrogation, detention, rendition, surveillance and other Bush administration policies. Since 2003, the ACLU has filed three lawsuits to enforce FOIA requests seeking the OLC legal opinions and other government records. These lawsuits have resulted in the release of thousands of documents, but most of the key OLC memos are still being withheld.
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January 28th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
It’s very sad that civil rights groups have to do this
why don’t the attorneys do their job!!! Are they all corrupt, bribed, blackmailed or braindead???
Alex Jones' Jewish Wife Reply:
January 28th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
Barack Obama’s Economic Appointments
Timothy Geithner(Jewish) – Secretary, U.S. Treasury Department
Lawrence Summers(Jewish) – Chairman, National Economic Council
Paul Volcker(Jewish) – Chairman, Economic Recovery Advisory Board
Peter Orszag(Jewish) – Director, Office of Management and Budget
Gary Gensler(Jewish) – Chairman, Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Mary Schapiro(Jewish) – Chairman, Securities and Exchange Commission
Christina Romer(Jewish husband) – Chairman, Council of Economic Advisers
Melody Barnes(Black) – Chairman, Domestic Policy Council
NegrObama Reply:
January 28th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
The Color of Crime
The Color of Crime: Race, Crime, and Justice in America
Major Findings:
* Police and the justice system are not biased against minorities.
Crime Rates
* Blacks are seven times more likely than people of other races to commit murder, and eight times more likely to commit robbery.
* When blacks commit crimes of violence, they are nearly three times more likely than non-blacks to use a gun, and more than twice as likely to use a knife.
* Hispanics commit violent crimes at roughly three times the white rate, and Asians commit violent crimes at about one quarter the white rate.
* The single best indicator of violent crime levels in an area is the percentage of the population that is black and Hispanic.
Interracial Crime
* Of the nearly 770,000 violent interracial crimes committed every year involving blacks and whites, blacks commit 85 percent and whites commit 15 percent.
* Blacks commit more violent crime against whites than against blacks. Forty-five percent of their victims are white, 43 percent are black, and 10 percent are Hispanic. When whites commit violent crime, only three percent of their victims are black.
* Blacks are an estimated 39 times more likely to commit a violent crime against a white than vice versa, and 136 times more likely to commit robbery.
* Blacks are 2.25 times more likely to commit officially-designated hate crimes against whites than vice versa.
Gangs
* Only 10 percent of youth gang members are white.
* Hispanics are 19 times more likely than whites to be members of youth gangs. Blacks are 15 times more likely, and Asians are nine times more likely.
Incarceration
* Between 1980 and 2003 the US incarceration rate more than tripled, from 139 to 482 per 100,000, and the number of prisoners increased from 320,000 to 1.39 million.
* Blacks are seven times more likely to be in prison than whites. Hispanics are three times more likely.
tom Reply:
January 29th, 2009 at 8:30 am
we’re slaves now chris,wake up!now does that give us an excuse to become criminals?
2ndWind Reply:
February 2nd, 2009 at 4:22 pm
slavery can consist of being kept alive, working for just enough to do that…it is just a new form of slavery~graduating from high school, only able to obtain work as a waitress for $1.10/hr (so much for school teaching job skills) in the 70’s, then working through college at work study for under $3/hr, then after graduating, working for $5/hr…no medical coverage, being injured on the job~going on worker’s comp…no real medical care…and I’m white. that is what was called middle class worker, now redefined as working class poor…to me it is just another title for a slave to pay taxes, work, and don’t complain…anyone else get that picture? it all depends on who enslaves us, and for what purpose, but slavery is ALIVE AND WELL IN America!
Alex Jones' Jewish Wife Reply:
January 28th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
The Jews Behind Barack Obama
Rahm Emanuel(Jewish), 48, This Illinois Congressman and former Clinton White House adviser has been named White House Chief of Staff for President Elect Obama, bringing a wealth of experience with him. A dual citizen of Israel and lifelong Mossad operative, Emanuel has been a stalwart ally and liaison to the Jewish community. In Washington he is known to be hot-tempered, foul-mouthed, and extremely effective.
David Axelrod(Jewish), 52, The chief strategist behind Mr Obama’s historic win, David Axelrod has been named a senior adviser in the new Obama Administration. He engineered Mr Obama’s election to the US Senate in 2004 and stuck with him all the way to the White House. Axelrod’s hard-hitting style is largely responsible for the Obama campaign’s extremely aggressive approach to traditionally Republican strongholds. Whether or not he will move there now to join the administration in a Karl Rove-style role is the source of much speculation.
David Plouffe(Jewish), 41, Barack Obama’s somewhat reclusive campaign manager, Plouffe is the man who engineered the surprise victory in the Iowa caucuses and reigned over one of the most disciplined campaigns in modern history. When Mr Obama trailed John McCain in the national polls in early September, Plouffe was the man reminding everyone to remain calm. In the end, he was right. Asked whether he’d take a job in the new administration, Plouffe responded: “I’ve done my part.”
Penny Pritzker(Jewish), 49, The chair of Mr Obama’s national finance committee, Penny Pritzker is perhaps the most powerful woman in America and also one of the richest, as heiress to part of the Pritzker family fortune(believed in excess of $40 billion). Chosen by her late uncle to help oversee the family’s vast portfolio of investments that includes Hyatt hotels, real estate investments, and 40% of the Marmon Group. According to Bloomberg, Penny gets much of the credit for getting Obama elected and for “organizing the best-financed campaign in US history.”
John Podesta(Jewish), 59, Bill Clinton’s White House Chief of Staff from 1998 through to the end of his term, Podesta has been tapped to head President-elect Obama’s transition team. In his new role, he will help Mr Obama to identify Cabinet officials and key members of the incoming administration. Head of the liberal think-tank Centre for American Progress, Podesta stayed largely out of the Democratic primaries.
Pete Rouse(Jewish), 62, Obama’s chief of staff in the Senate, Rouse has been named Deputy White House Chief of Staff for President Elect Obama and appointed co-chairman of Obama’s transition team. Rouse helped prepare a memo, “The Strategic Plan,” for Obama’s first year in the Senate. Having worked on Capitol Hill for more than 30 years, Rouse has come to be known as “the 101st Senator” for his knowledge and skills.
January 28th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Ah right and give away all the trade secrets Hay ACLU Douche, Bush doctrine = Obama S.O.P
January 28th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
I will s--- chipolte barbeque cheesy poofs if this happens!
storky Reply:
January 28th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Ouch!
Not to torture you, but I do hope that happens.
The Obama Administration should also release the Presidential records of Bush 41, Dumbya’s old man. Dumbya sealed those records when he entered office in 2001
Mich307 Reply:
January 28th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
OMFG, that’s soo funny! I was thinking something similar but not that eloquent!
LOL, LOL, LOL
Skip Mize Reply:
January 28th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
I will be excreting artichoke hearts and fava beans when the current president oversees an act that would put the former president in prison for war crimes, treason, etc….
LMAO!
LMFAO!
ROTFLMFAO!
January 28th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Let’s just sit back and watch…all the stuff that the ACLU screamed about when Bush & Co did it will get full approval from the ACLU when Obama does it.
storky Reply:
January 28th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
On what do you base that assessment?
January 28th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Ya, throw us a bone and we’ll lay off you for a while.
January 28th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
One greasy NWO President covering for another one. Business as usual.
The primary tactic of Democratic party trolls, Israeli trolls and fascists everywhere has been to start slandering the ACLU.
Unfu*kingbelievable!
The most popular talking point on blogs today by these scum is to falsely accuse the ACLU of opposing the impeachment of Bush, and for caving in on one NRA pressure campaign.
Lies and slander from an army of Democratic party trolls.
See it on Huffpo and RawStory.
Obama and Bush are the same. Torture loving Nazi sonsofbitches.
Those who support either man, either Dems or Repubs, are feeble minded propaganda victims.
Wake up!
January 28th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
ATTENTION EVERYBODY:
We have started an independent petition statement to be promptly delivered to Alex Jones, signed by his supporters and listeners, regarding the upcoming Obama Deception film. We urge everybody to sign it as soon as possible. The statement is as follows:
“As a supporter of Alex Jones, I strongly encourage Alex to (i) ensure that no allegation used by the far right is employed at any point in the film against Obama (for example, “secret muslim terrorist”) and that Alex take every measure possible to avoid right-wing criticisms of Obama; to (ii) ensure that the voices of prominent African Americans (including but not limited to, KRS-One, Cynthia McKinney, and Richard Griffin) are allotted sufficient time on the documentary to adequately convey their criticism and/or skepticism of Obama; to (iii) ensure that the primary narrative on the film is delivered in a cool and collected, rational tone; and finally, (iv), to ensure that criticisms of Obama include, among other things, his detailed and specific connections to a variety of multinational corporations and banking institutions and his bombing of innocent Pakistani civilians.
I voice my opinion, by signing this e-petition, that if Alex Jones takes the four guidelines above into serious consideration during the production of The Obama Deception, it is far less likely that those who support Alex Jones and the film will be mischaracterized as right-wing, racist, or paranoid fanatics.”
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PETITION: Please copy/paste the above quoted wording into an email, and type your name or internet handle directly beneath it. Send the email to windor.chuck@gmail.com. Very simple.
The signatures will be put together and the e-petition will be delivered to Alex Jones on an ongoing basis (at a frequency rate of one delivery per calendar weekend) beginning on February 1st. Please sign it so we can all make sure Alex gets the importance of our message.
We have about six or seven signatures so far, and counting.
Thank you.
HawthorneRok Reply:
January 28th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
sent
January 28th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
DITTO that
January 28th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Why do we, as American citizens expect our leaders, or our government to do the right thing?
January 28th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
I am adding a well-chilled bottle of Fighting Cock Whiskey to the artichoke hearts and fava beans………STAY TUNED!
January 28th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
The American Civil Liberties Union takes on many unpopular causes (it is not really a civil rights group), and for that reason is very unpopular with many. Its mission is to use private lawyers to stand up for a citizen with a legitimate issue with a governmental body’s violation of his/her/their constitutional or other legally recognized rights.
Way to go ACLU. I can’t wait to have an opportunity to read all the documents on torture and surveillance that the Justice Department has been fighting so hard to prevent the ACLU, and us, from viewing. Thanks Raw Story.
storky Reply:
January 29th, 2009 at 10:22 am
I’m a card carrying ACLU member since 2002.
January 29th, 2009 at 8:19 am
I can’t stand Bush, but where does Obama get off talking about releasing records on former Presidents? This is from the guy who won’t release any information from his own past. How’s that for change? Keep the f---ing change, B Rock.
January 29th, 2009 at 10:45 am
Obama is not going to rock the boat, The policy in Washington is and has always been don’t mess with me and I won’t mess with you. Since 1913 the president has been a stooge controlled by the world bank. Kennedy and Nixon made the mistake believing that they were in charge. Kennedy payed with his life and the prostitute media dragged Nixon into submission.
Obama has no intentions of suffering the same faith which is apparent if you look at the people he has appointed. Obama will be content in following his orders and loading his pockets like the stooges that preceded him. You see its the same old song just a different melody………………
February 1st, 2009 at 11:03 am
war means money for the banking elite
it kick starts an economy they have destroyed
in the name of a war, they can suck out yet more taxes to pay for their military contractors, armaments firms
it provides an opportunity to get rid of people they have impoverished by sending them into the army or civilian expeditionary force