Torture Memo Probe By Justice Dept: Draft Calls For Disciplinary Action, Bush Aides Trying To Water Down

Scroll down for updates

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is nearing the end of its probe into Bush administration lawyers who wrote secret memos approving harsh interrogation techniques.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of a letter from the Justice Department informing two members of Congress that a key deadline in the inquiry expired Monday.

The inquiry has become a politically-loaded guessing game, with some advocating criminal charges against the lawyers, and others urging the matter be dropped.

The letter did not indicate what the findings of the final report will be. Jay Bybee, John Yoo, and Steven Bradbury worked in the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel and played key roles in crafting the legal justification for techniques critics call torture.

UPDATE 2:30 PM ET: The Washington Post reports that former Bush administration officials are "launching a behind-the-scenes lobbying campaign" to urge Obama Justice officials to "soften" the ethics report on the torture memo authors.

The Post also reports that a 200-page draft report of the memo, prepared in January before President Bush's departure, "recommends disciplinary action by state bar associations against two former department attorneys in the Office of Legal Counsel who might have committed misconduct in preparing and signing the so-called torture memos. State bar associations have the power to suspend a lawyer's license to practice or impose other penalties."

Read the full Post story here.

The AP added later that the finalized report stops short of recommending a criminal investigation, but investigators recommended referring two of the three lawyers to bar associations for possible disciplinary action.

And the New York Times adds that the inquiry has concluded "that the authors committed serious lapses of judgment but should not be criminally prosecuted, according to government officials briefed on a draft of the findings."

Get HuffPost Politics On Facebook and Twitter!

Comments

[JohnHKennedy]

These people conspired to render US Federal Laws on Torture moot.

They conspired to change Federal Laws when only Congress can do that. For some reason Obama seems to be protecting the criminals from the Bush Administration.

SIGN THE PETITION To Prosecute Them For Torture

http://ANGRYVOTERS.ORG

Over 250,000 have signed
Join them and call yourself a Patriot
.

[UsofA]

If we leave Bybee in office, we're nothing.

[NOSMAVAN]

To all of you looking for Justice, hang in there.
With the switcheroo of Arlan Specter, the Senate Judicial Committee will soon be blessed with the
new ranking member for the Republicans: The Right Honourable Mr. Sessions.

We can count on Mr. Sessions to bring a totally new legal interpretation to our Constitution, the Bill of
Rights and laws governing discrimination. He may even give his collegues on the committe some
fresh new ideas as to how to write some new opinions making any kind of torture legal, as long as the desired results (answers) are obtained.

Thank heavens the majority on the Committee is of a different school (I hope).
NOSMAVAN

[shadow7]

It's shameful that the only Bush cartel crime being addressed is the torture issue. Surely this is a major horror, but eight years of calculated crimes have been swept under the rug and forgotten. By the definition of our own FBI, George Bush remains the world's leading terrorist.

Pfd format available: http://tvnewslies.org/tvnl/index.php/editorial/reggies-commentary/750-why-george-w-bush-isthe-worlds-leading-terrorist.html

[dragonlady620]

I agree- I am just as concerned, maybe even MORE concerned about the domestic crimes of the Bush administration of which there are many. His numerous violations of constitutional and just about every other law are grounds enough for prosecution. Bush took an oath to defend the Constitution and obey the nations's laws. He did not. If he and his team anre not held accountable for this we will not be safe from it happening again-especially since all the guilty parties are still very much out there, and from their outspoken arrogance they appear to think they are untouchable. AND I have no doubt that they will not hesitate to make trouble again whenever they get the chance.

[Coinyer101]

Kucinich/Frank 2012.

[Aj Sol]

Wow, you can break international law and torture, lie to Congress and the American people, and still get away with it, even though Americans turned out in droves to vote "change". Well I see no change but a whole lot of sucking up to Republican criminals by Obama. It is just baffling, and gets more and more dissapointing as the days roll by.

Somewhere in TX Bush is laughing at us while he counts his money.

[Carmichael]

Come on, take it easy on Obama, I agree that politics is playing a part. But the guy just got into office, just a little over 100 days. So far, he is not doing a bad job, and remember, we are not going always get what we want, that is what life is all about, give a little and lose a little...we are all subject to this. However, I strongly believe that the entire Bush administration, which includes Bush, should be punished under the law for this whole fiasco.

[missouriwatcher]

It absolutely befuddles me that ALL Americans are not up in arms about this. Torture (Let's call a spade a spade, not "harsh interrogation methods") should NEVER, NEVER ever be utilized by the U.S. When one (individual or country) stoops to the level of it's enemies by employing the same means, all that needs be done to see the "enemy" is look into the mirror. This also goes for "rendering" captives to other countries to do our dirty work. Those officials who back use of torture should be immediately removed from office and barred from ever holding public office. Thes lawyers should be disbarred and possibly tried for crimes against humanity along with their bosses.

[livesinreality]

If nothing is done to bush and co and these criminals walk scott free, we need to vote people in who will abide by the rule of law and the constitution. In America no one should above the law.

[American50]

the I guess Eric Holder is gone!

[dragonlady620]

The following is a letter ( in its entirety) I just received in response to my email:
"Thank you for contacting me with your thought about the Bush administration. I always appreciate hearing from my fellow Kansans.
I do not believe George Bush committed war crimes. Furthermore, I have serious concerns about members of any administration seeking to prosecute their predecessors. Such prosecutions would have grave implications for our political system. I believe our national security and economic stability are far more pressing matters to attend to and should take precedence over political scapegoating.
Again, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I may be of assistance in the future. For more information on the issues I am working on, you may visit my website at brownback.senate.gov."
Sincerely,
Sam Brownback
United States Senate
Evidently Senator Brownnose doesn't believe that torture is a crime, and that prosecution of crimes is "political scapegoating". I have already responded by reminding him that as a nation of laws we are obligated to prosecute crimes and that NO ONE is above the law-and that if Congress had done its job and held impeachment hearings there would be no question of going after a "predecessor", and that an investigation of the unconstitutional and often criminal behavior of the Bush administration might have prevented much of the misery we are experiencing now.
Just wanted to share this with you.

[ObamAtomic]

What you expect?Sam Brownback is another ideologist,,,Shameful letter!
He believe,he's serious,political considerations,not where he mention the laws.
That's the scoundrel who want to be Gov of Kansas?

[NOSMAVAN]

That this idiot believes that Bush and Cheney haven't committed any crimes is sad enough, but what is worse is the fact that he has "serious concerns about one administration seeking to prosecute members of the preceeding one.

This prettyu much confiorms what I have long held: We hev one party in this Country. Between the Republicans and the Democrats there is an agreement that one will look the other way while the other is in power, and vice versa.

That just about assures that any miscreant will get away with any crime, no matter how severe and no matter how ruinous to the Country.

It assures that no matter which of the two parties is in power we, the American People, will always get the short end of the stick.

Long Live the Land of the Brave, with Freedom and Justice for all (who can afford to pay for it)
NOSMAVAN.

[LooktotheLeft]

Bush=Christian=torture. Bush and christians slay me...they wrap themselves around the flag and nail themselves to the cross and rail against immorality but just dig hurting people in cruel and unusual ways. Remember, a few years back ( http://www.ccadp.org/bushkills.htm ) when Bush the christian mocked Carla Faye Tucker as she neared e xecution in Texasylvania? Mighty christian of you George. But, at the very least, when it comes to t orture, Christians (for once) are not hypocrites. From everything I've seen, they enjoying doing the deed as much as ordering the deed.

[missouriwatcher]

REAL Christians are against torture as it is a violation of Christ's teachings (do unto others as you would want them to do unto you; love your enemy, turn the other cheek, etc.); and those who claim to be Christians and do not adher to the teachings of the founder of their faith are NOT Christians. It has always baffled me that GW could claim to be a Christian and do everything contrary to the teachings of that faith. In fact, his bragging on how many prisoners he had signed off on executing, and his mocking of Carla Faye Tucker (more a Christian than he's ever been) are abhorrent abominations. No. W is a pseudoChristian, a tool of devilishnish.

[LooktotheLeft]

Yet, a short time after "administering the oath of death" to hundreds (to include Carla Faye) as Gov. of Texas, he's being administered the oath of office of the U.S. What does that say about us as a nation?

[NOSMAVAN]

If Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel, Religion must be the next to last.
It must be observed, though, that those who claim the loudest to be Patriots aren't, those who claim loudest to be Christians aren't either.

A real Patriot is recognizable by his actions, not by his talk.
A real Christian is recognizable by his behaviour, not by the freqeuncy or length of time he spends in the pews or in the company of the spiritual leader of his Church.

Througout history, some of the most heinous crimes against humanity have been committed by people who professed to be Patriots acting in the name of God.
NOSMAVAN.

[LooktotheLeft]

"If Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel"- Samuel Johnson. One of my favorite sayings...and I tend to use it often. Your comments, my friend, mirror my thoughts exactly....exactly. I could go on and on and on for hours with you on this subject, and the contempt I have for those who wrap themselves around the flag and/or nail themselves to the cross but are the absolute first to break their own, so-called, code of morals and/or ethics. Bush, of course, comes to mind as the quintessintal example of what we're talking about...a w ar dodger who does not hesitate to send others to be maimed and to d*ie. My late father, a decorated WWII veteran who was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge, always inplicitly instilled in me that one must, essentially, live an die by one's own sword. I'll be never ending perplexed as to the type of psyche that exists in the minds of Americans that would lead them to vote, twice, for a characterless, shell of a human being such as bush.

[ez22]

Aren't we just a shining example to the world?
So glad to be an EXPAT !!!!!

[LooktotheLeft]

Mind if I join you?

[Nagarjuna]

Is this seat taken?

[pittfan]

these so called lawyers who wrote the torture memo,s are squirming to get the report softened up because they cant stand the heat generated by their own actions.these so called men who said it was ok to torture do not even have the kahones to take a tiny bit of scrutiny into their actions without working behind the scenes to soften the blow..these are men of low moral character and deplete of any intestinal fortitude in my opinion.

[ajusthousewife]

In light of the past decade in America, (a sick joke if there ever was one, and on a global scale, with only two options--either laugh or cry), I wonder why the "not-for-profit charity" the South Eastern Legal Foundation , "S.E.L.F." (now THAT's an acronym for a "charity"--but in this case, SO fitting--perfection!), arguably the "legal" arm of the Republican party (isn't that an oxymoron?), do some of their fine work "protecting" the Constitution, the rule of law, and the rights of the American people, (as they did when they yanked Bill Clinton's law license), and go after the "lawyers" who directed, aided and abetted the perpetrators of torture and war crimes? Where are they now, those Constitutional Crusaders?? I think we should demand that they fulfill the promise of their stated purpose of defending the Constitution and protecting our rights by pursuing these war criminals now!

[keepemhonest]

If I were an heir to the Japanese soldiers who were hung for war crimes by means of waterboarding - I would SUE the USA for ALL KIND OF $$$$$$$$$$$$

... and WIN by merely pointing to THIS.

[bosha]

This is why America is now looked upon as the laughing stock to the rest of the world.

How can America be taken seriously when our own leaders break the law?

And the GOP's bull crap new contract they peddling to Americans have to agree to a clause that they will be rebranded as "torturers" in the name of "freedom?" NO THANK YOU!!!

Why do we need a contract for a "New America" (which is a spin-off of Obama-Biden's campaign slogan "Change" when you think about it for a minute?) when America's contract is the US Constitution?

I had a real life episode in Europe of being branded an "American Torturer." It's just something to think about next time you and/or your family takes a vacation overseas.

[Ascoli]

Will the USA ever bring justice to its OWN war criminals?
I doubt it.
It's the American way.

[monicaangela]

Swift justice for all others, ie, saddam, let's just move on for ours. Sad commentary for the country.

[LooktotheLeft]

N/S my friend...n/s