Biden On Prosecution Of Bush Officials: "Not Ruling It Out"

In an interview with ABC News' George Stephanopolous, Joe Biden said he was 'not ruling out' prosecutions for Bush administration officials over torture.

STEPHANOPOULOS: The Senate Armed Services Committee last week had a unanimous report that said that the prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib, at Guantanamo, at prisons around the world is a direct and indirect result of decisions made by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other high officials. Should they be prosecuted for that?

BIDEN: First of all, that's a judgment, remember, four years ago on your program I made, so I haven't changed my mind. And this confirms.

But the questions of whether or not a criminal act has been committed or a very, very, very bad judgment has been engaged in is -- is something the Justice Department decides.

Barack Obama and I are -- President-elect Obama and I are not sitting thinking about the past. We're focusing on the future. Obviously, that if the Justice...

STEPHANOPOULOS: But should the cases be reviewed?

BIDEN: Well, that's a decision I'd look to the Justice Department to make.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But you're not ruling it out at this point?

BIDEN: I'm not ruling it in and not ruling it out. I just think we should look forward. I think we should be looking forward, not backwards.

Newsweek reported recently that Donald Rumsfeld and John Ashcroft could soon face "legal jeopardy" for their role in abusive interrogations.

Comments

[barackobama4prez]

I don't think the O team wants the right hand to know what the left hand is doing (pun intended).

[jazzman]

A key piece of restoring the citizens' and the world's confidence in America will be contingent on whether the Obama administration investigates and indicts members of the Bush administration for the crimes or purported crimes they committed. In addition, some of the financial titans, like Madoff, are going to have to come to justice if the Obama administration wants to build a spirit that goes beyond the overwhelming frustration, anger, and cynicism that besets our society today. They aren't going to get away with sweeping these things under the rug and saying, "Let' move on." That's not going to wash in a species that seeks, needs, and wants justice.

[mommadona]

PASSIN' IT ON DOWN THE LINE....

If you do NOT LEARN FROM THE PAST,
you are doomed to REPEAT IT IN THE FUTURE.

The citizens of this country DEMAND AND DESERVE ACCOUNTABILITY for actions done in their names and with their money and their lives.

Anything less is as criminal as the ones we want held accountable.

DON'T YOU DARE IGNORE THE NEED FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND PUNISHMENT at this time.

[babymonster]

Obama should not be forced to deal with this issue. We need to put pressure on the house and make them pay for not doing enough. We need to extradite the Bush administration to the Hague.

[harriscrl3]

Biden should have shut up on this issue. Now Bush will Pardon them all.

He needs to learn to keep his mouth shut like Obama did.

Carol

[babymonster]

Exactly.

[myfatherschild]

Carol,

I couldn't agree with you more.

[bygollymissmolly]

There are a lot of legal scholars who think that pardoning people for crimes they MAY have committed is illegal. Plus, if he "pardons" all those who were involved in this crime, he will forever be branding them as criminals.

[roshni]

Can't pardon them if charges have not yet been brought.
What is he going to pardon?
Any and all wrongdoings?

[janeInCA]

Let's go to 7-eleven and steal $7 and see what happens, we will be in jail for Xmas. This Bush 's administration just stole hundreds of billions of dollars legally; namely bailing out money to what and whom. Are they going to be prosecuted? maybe Not.

[Sylmason]

Correction please...........prosecution of Bush and his administration. Jailing Bush would save him from drinking himself to death, so we just might give that a little thought.

[roshni]

i would enjoy watching him pickle his liver, but I would enjoy watching him in handcuffs more.

[beartrack]

Holding Bush/Cheney and the rest of the criminals accountable has more to do with the image, pride, and integrity of our country, rather than just getting a pound of flesh. Our standing in the world community has never been lower. Only by showing the world that we are willing to correct a grave mistake, and prosecute these people, will we ever be able to regain our national pride.

[jcorrington]

I saw this statement on this blog and it says it all" if there is no law enforcement, there is no law."
EVERY crime is committed in the past, so that excuse does not fly. There must be justice or we are lost.

[Coinyer101]

just keep looking forward. no need for justice. the dead are already dead.

[babymonster]

Absolutely incorrect. If we don't get justice, they will come back and really finish us off.

[surfcitysteven]

I would be happier if he said that he is ruling out the ruling out of prosecuting the bastiges

[moAb]

If Obama/Biden are truly serious about reclaiming any part of America's "place" in the world and particularly any small part of the moral high ground savagely squandered by the Bush administration, they have no other choice but to pursue this matter to the fullest extent.

We are constantly reminded of the economic costs we are 'shoving forward' onto the backs of our children and grand children. I cannot think of a larger more onerous 'cost' than unresolved crimes that have and will continue to threaten not just our service people over seas but that have drastically undermined our constitution and our basic beliefs.

[t squared]

Follow the money. They ALL gained. This "war" lined all of their pockets.
Not only should our rights be restored, but their profits should be sequestered.
Although I am sure it has all been cleverly hidden, maybe it can be prevented in the future.

So, if they are pardoned by Bush, does this mean no one goes to jail or loses their amassed fortunes?

[darthdarcy]

The Bilderberg Group would have never approved the Obama/Biden ticket if they believed there would be prosecutions for high crimes against Bush and Cheney after elected..

It will never happen, and be sweep away as an effort towards looking forward and leaving the past in the past and not bi-partisan enough if we followed the rule of law..!

[babymonster]

There are some things that the Bilderberg group cannot control.

[Hallucinocynic]

The actions of Rumsfeld, Ashcroft, et al, need to be examined at close length. If they purposefully broke the law - domestic or international - they must be forced to face the consequences. But the examination is of paramount importance to repair the torn fabric of constitutional law - IOW, to ensure that no future administration can so blithely ignore or abrogate the laws of this country.

The notion of only looking forward is naive. As Santayana clearly stated: those who ignore the past are doomed to repeat it. I will continue to hope that there are people in this administration who will put the Bush administration's feet to the fire for the egregious crimes they have committed.

[ggmome]

No, No, No, a thousand times NO JOE. I want Bush, Cheney, and Rove, indicted and convicted for their crimes against humanity. They are running rampant with their doings, and the are performing desparate and blatent thumbing of their noses at We, the People for them.

Sure the Justice Department should and must do something about this, but we need you and Obama to assure us that action will be taken to do so.