Another Republican Decries Truth Commission To Investigate Bush

Yet another Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee has come out against the idea of creating an independent commission to investigate the Bush administration, saying such a move would unnecessarily rile partisan feathers.

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), who used to chair the committee, called the notion of a truth commission an effort to "demonizing and criminalizing opponents."

A commission, he said, "is not the American way. We have congressional oversight and aggressive media which have already been exhaustively investigating these matters and we have the American people to pass judgment on the result through elections."

Hatch's statement follows similar ones from two other members of the committee. On Wednesday, Senator Arlen Specter said:

"When this idea of the so-called 'truth commission' first surfaced, I said it was unnecessary because you had a change of administration, you could walk in the front door, ask for directions to the relevant filing cabinet, go in and open the drawer and find out anything you wanted to know. Well that's been done. And it's being done to a greater extent. You had some rather startling disclosures with the publicity in recent days about the unusual, to put it mildly, legal opinions which were issued to justify executive action."

While Senator John Cornyn offered the following statement:

"I oppose the creation of a so-called 'truth commission' because it is a redundant and politically divisive exercise that would distract the Executive, Congress, and the American people at a time when we should be focused on reinvigorating our economy and winning the war on terror. This roving, unaccountable inquisition into each and every grievance with a Bush Administration policy is a backward-looking proposition that is directly at odds with President Obama's stated goals of unity and moving forward. Now is not the time for government to waste more of taxpayers' money by outsourcing a core Congressional responsibility."

The opposition from the Republican side of the aisle is not, in the end, enough to impede Leahy from going forward with his idea. But the basis of an independent commission is that it is fundamentally apolitical, and Hatch, Specter and Cornyn certainly know that without GOP involvement any findings will seem tainted. That said, going to bat one more time for the Bush administration may not be great politics for Specter, who is facing a tough reelection campaign in 2010.

Comments

[PeteBogs]

12:50 PM on 04/03/2009

Hatch: "...we have the American people to pass judgment on the result through elections."

how do we punish illegal behavior from Bush with an election? he's not running for anything... elections can't retroactively redress wrongdoing by officials... that's like saying that if a crime is committed on you at a restaurant, simply choose a different place to eat next time, but do not hold anyone accountable...

Cornyn: "This roving, unaccountable inquisition into each and every grievance with a Bush Administration policy is a backward-looking proposition that is directly at odds with President Obama's stated goals of unity and moving forward."

first off, "roving" may have been a Freudian slip on his part, since everyone knows Rove was the king of smear for the GOP... that actually seems like a good term to use to describe such tacts: "Roving" (capital letter added intentional)

second, many of us Obama voters/supporters aren't too happy about this stated to desire to "move forward" and presumably just let criminal activity go unaddressed...

[youme]

03:19 PM on 03/06/2009

Investigate now, save the country!
If we dont vigorously prosecute these corrupt and evil politicians we will find ourselves in the midst of a revelution.

[warren57]

12:55 PM on 03/06/2009

"This roving, unaccountable inquisition into each and every grievance with a Bush Administration policy is a backward-looking proposition..."

In a sense this might be true. But the fact remains. No one was was providing any oversight of the Bush administration during it's tenure. And if criminal acts were commited during the Bush administration they best be fretted out, cast in the light of day so in order that the same never happens again.

[AirForce Vet]

12:52 PM on 03/06/2009

I am in favor of the Truth Commission, if the truth points to prosecutable behavior and they prosecute. I am not in favor of the commission, if only they seek the truth, accept an apology and spank their hands.

Some of these repugs are against anything that has a tendency to shine the light on an issue. They don't want to know the truth, because the truth is not in them. Knowing the truth is one thing, but actions on the truth are another. And example would be, knowing the truth about the Holocaust is one thing, but actions against the perpetrators are another. The knowledge and actions are means of deterrent for future actions.

[carlz]

12:48 PM on 03/06/2009

Fine. They don't want a "truth commission"... then let's just prosecute the bastards and give them all their day in open court! No immunity, no behind-closed-doors secret sessions, none of that. Prosecute them all and if found guilty, throw them all in jail! Enough!

[drklassen]

01:22 PM on 03/06/2009

I second that motion! I think there's plenty of information already in the public to go before a grand jury so let's get the ball rolling!!

[Tommy Conrad]

02:02 PM on 03/06/2009

gosh i hate to burst your bubbles... but there happens to be a democratic lawmaker opposed to this silly waste of gov money.... THE PRESIDENT.

[happycat]

12:26 PM on 03/06/2009

The Republican members of Congress have no true moral compass to speak of. What a sad sack of garbage they are.

[Dace]

12:19 PM on 03/06/2009

Not a shock the Mormon cult leader doesn't think war crimes and killing 4000 of our troop for nothing and ten of thousands of innocent Iraqis. The white hood boys with fight to the death not to have the ever growing list of bush crimes.

[kareemachan]

12:10 PM on 03/06/2009

"such a move would unnecessarily rile partisan feathers"

Unnecessarily, my derriere.

[Babysnake]

11:18 AM on 03/06/2009

Commissions are for Coverups.
Investigations are for Indictments.

[OMG1109]

10:55 AM on 03/06/2009

Yes, screw the law, that whole war crimes thing....... the last thing we want to do unnecessarily rile partisan feathers. WHAT ?????????????????????

I swear we are ALL SCREWED!!!! ALL

[glavester]

10:49 AM on 03/06/2009

During the Clinton administration the Repugnican party went on an eternally long fishing trip trolling for scandal of any stripe. The only fish they found was the Monica Lewinski scandal. Now we are told that we are to quickly speed past the train wreck that is the Bush Administration in the interest of focussing on the task at hand - saving our ruined economy.

The crimes that we ALREADY know about from the Bushies are crimes of the highest order and deserve to be confronted for our own need to insure that crimes perpetrated by our leaders are not repeated or condoned. Their tenacious insistence on investigation should not be curtailed now, merely because it inconvenient for Repugnicans that want to ignore any unpleasantness during their next re-election fantasies.

[stargazer13]

10:23 AM on 03/06/2009

I just get the feeling he is not looking for truth and justice

but what he fail to realize is if there is no justice where crimes are concerned the pot just simmers untill it boils over

[stargazer13]

10:20 AM on 03/06/2009

I have written Mr Hatch many time ,s regarding many things and I can honestly say that I don,t trust him

it goes some thing like this .

May 31 2006 regarding D.U. I have forwarded your letter to the Dept .Of .Defense and they respond with every thing is a ok

Feb 7 2006 regarding Constitution you are falling for internet hoax

Oct 19 2007 regarding wire tapping the president is not doing that any more as of Jan 2007 he is going though courts

Nov 21 2005 regarding judge Samuel Alito I respectfully disagree with you conclusions

July 12 2006 regarding Beverly Young being removed from state of union address she was given specific instructions as to attire and protocol

just a sampling

[grf67]

10:02 AM on 03/06/2009

It's good that the republicans care so much about the truth. Why would anyone with a brain vote for candidate who professes that lying is good and laudable?

[babyboomerorig]

09:32 AM on 03/06/2009

This is really funny....the Republicans don't want the truth!

Gotta love it. Wonder what they'd do if a Democrat had done what Bush did to this country?