Bush League Justice

Bush League Justice is a series (airing Monday-Thursday at 9 pm on MSNBC) that stems from my increasing frustration and outrage over how the Bush administration has politicized the usually apolitical Justice Department. In the process, it has significantly abused its authority to try to enhance power at the expense of any sense of objective justice. Many of the administration's most controversial maneuvers have been widely reported, from the torture memos to the NSA's warrantless searches to the U.S. Attorney scandal to the appointment of only the most conservative of judges and justices.

But that is really just the tip of this administration's ongoing effort to uproot the Justice Department. As we will show the week of December 10, they have regularly circumvented Congress, and decimated some of the most fundamental and cherished principles that define justice in this country.

Maybe most egregious is the now nearly unrecognizable Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. Since 1957, it has led the effort to enforce civil rights laws and the fight for minorities. Even Richard Nixon's effort to delay implementation of school desegregation, was less radical then how this president has flipped the goals and mission of the Division and allowed it to become a tool of the radical right.

Instead of pursuing cases of discrimination against African Americans, the Division under President Bush has focused on supposed reverse discrimination against whites and religious discrimination cases against Christians. A Boston Globe report even showed that almost half of the new hires in that department who had "civil rights experience" had "experience" only in defending employers or -- fighting -- affirmative action.

Those in the Voting Rights Section of the Justice Department must really feel like they are in an upside down world. From 2001 to 2006, not one voting discrimination case was brought on behalf of African-American voters. Instead they have focused on alleged voter fraud cases that effectively target minority communities rather than protecting them.

We will also expose the president's unprecedented use and misuse of so-called signing statements; addendums he tacks on to laws when signing them. The president has effectively declared the right to disobey more than 750 laws. From the interrogation of prisoners to torture to investigations by U.S. officials in Iraq, President Bush has added a caveat that says, "I will only enforce this "if." So he is effectively telling Congress thanks for your advice on this law, but I reserve the right to ignore this law. Rather than working with Congress to pass a law that he will enforce, the president chooses to simply ignore them.

Maybe the most obvious betrayal of the public trust has been politically motivated prosecutions. A University of Minnesota study conducted this year shows that for every elected Republican investigated during this president's tenure, there were seven elected Democrats investigated. The most flagrant example may be in Alabama where the democratic former Governor was convicted in 2006 on corruption charges.

A case that led 44 former state Attorneys General, Democrats and Republicans, to complain of irregularities in the investigation and prosecution. They even said it called into "question the basic fairness that is the linchpin of our system of justice." That is hardly surprising considering that there were allegations and even witnesses who said that then-presidential advisor Karl Rove convinced the U.S. Attorney to prosecute and that the key witness made similar allegations against prominent Republicans that were never even investigated.

This series is long overdue. The scandal with the firings of the U.S. Attorneys under Attorney General Alberto Gonzales exposed the underbelly of this administration's penchant for putting politics over objectivity and qualifications. We now hope to dissect the subject more fully and help spur change as the new Attorney General Michael Mukasey tries to rebuild confidence and trust in our Justice Department.

This post first appeared on MSNBC's blog.

Comments

[machivellianX]

Dan, great work. Wish you would have shown the light on all these abuses of the Bush Admin. a few years back, especially such detrimental actions that undermine the separation of powers by the president as the signing statements. As a citizen I've known about this problem for about 2 years. And as a private citizen I have been hammering away at the Bush admin for longer than that, because of the war crimes, because of all the abuses, torture, etc. Although your journalistic integrity is welcome now. Ordinary citizens are wondering where were you for all this time? I understand that the NIE report opened the door for scorching criticism against the administration. I understand that for you and the other MSM news broadcasts must regain some credibility now, because people are increasingly looking to the internet for their news. I welcome your well researched journalism, like you said "the old days are OVER" Thank you Dan. Better late than ever.

[stlrfan]

Great series Dan, keep shining the light on how this cabal has perverted our great governmental process.

[Purple Girl]

YEAH BABY!!!
Don't stop at the admin- keep going into Congress & SC & Corporate complicity and "T'aint" (the true under side of the abuse of power). Where the sh*t has been caught up for the last 40 yrs.
Once all the scum is washed away, we may find what has been 'holding' it in place (Cheney, Rummy, Wolfie...- "architects" of what really?? A corporate ruled world. 'Pinkies' & "The Brain".

[mamacat]

So, what can we do to restore democracy to the United States?

[roncraw]

Keep it up Dan but I'm afraid its a lot like shoveling shit against the tide.To many people think we fought with the Germans against theRussias in ww2. Plus Chris Matthews has to stop being Obama's campaign manager,you can see the joy in his eyes when Clinton polls drop.








To

[Diana]

Terrific news! This is the journalism that's been missing from the MSM, at our great peril. I'm glad you're getting away from more entertainm­ent/crime-­related stuff. You're a serious Constitutionalist and bright guy.

I still remember that black day inn 2000 when the Supreme Court announced the bush had 'won' the presidency. Reporters had seconds to read the decision and present it to the live audience--in my memory, you were the only one who correctly interpreted the decision.

[swift goat pet for truth]

give Rachel Maddow a show of her own, and MSNBC might have a nice block.

[accountability]

DAN!
Thank You.
I'm glad to hear it. I believe with some real investigative work and exposure ms. Nancy Pelosi will be forced to put Impeachment hearings back on the table. That is OUR TABLE, the PEOPLE'S table, not her table alone.
(sorry for the caps. I am vehement about this!)

I always found it odd, no too mild a word UNBELIEVABLE and baffling that before the Dem's won back the majority, during the election Nancy etc kept being asked about impeachment by the media. Nancy was badgered with the question leading to her taking it off the table in order to win. Here is what I find so baffling... if the media kept asking her about impeachment then there was the implicit acknowledgement that there were (and are) reasons for it. If the unspoken truth about this administration by some of those in the media is that there is cause for impeachment then why hasn't anyone pursued it? (Keith O. does bring it up, fearlessly I might add and for that I thank you.) Bruce Fein, the Congressional Law expert, a Conservative Republican (as opposed to neo-con) believes it is important and necessary for our Constitution. I may not have liked him supporting the Impeachment of Bill, but I definitely believe he was legitimate in his beliefs and it was not partisan, it was the law that he felt needed to be upheld. And it is now as well.
oops, went over.

[HanFeiTzu]

Dan,you and Keith are great. Regarding the DOJ issues where are the Democrats? Where are the empty suits Reid and Pellosi?

Oh, I remember. Impeachment is off-the-table.

Bring on an Independent Party; the sooner the better.

[OxyCon]

Well, Mr. Abrams, having spent the past 7 years vociferously reading political blogs, I unfortunately know how the whacked out, far right media/bloggers think, and you can bet the house that the fact that you have blogged here on the Huffington post will get you savagely attacked as a "socialist commie" by the usual suspects, Bill O'Reilly, Michelle Malkin, Powerline, Redstate. And this will be further proof that MSNBC is an impartial, left wing organization (sort of a photographic negative of Fox "News").
Also, google [Bush "my judges"] and see what you get, since you are going to be exposing Bush's stacked courts.

[HeevenSteven]

What are we going to do about the nearly unrecognizable "Liberal Media"? Glad to see MSNBC doing it's part.

[Darwinita]

Dreamy Dan, he's our man! Stephanie Miller's right about you, brother.

[magen]

Nice of all you MSM guys to notice this TOO LATE.

[JerseyBob]

Keep up the great work Dan. I posted this elsewhere recently and it is still sadly valid.

The Beat Goes On

Decider, decider, the facts, the facts, what shall we do?
Why bury them, hide them they get in the way!

Decider, decider, the emails, the emails, what shall we do?
Why bury them, hide them from the light of day!

Decider, decider, those laws, those laws, what shall we do?
Why bury them, hide them for my law prevails!

Decider, Decider, the report, the report, what shall we do?
Hush, hush, I’m still thinking, so many details....

Decider, decider, the fallen, the fallen what shall we do?
Why this you should know! You’re becoming a pest!
No pictures in Dover and you know the rest.

Decider, decider, which do we kiss, the ring on your finger or your royal ass? What shall we do? Oh, what shall we do?

Why can’t you decide anything for yourself? Damn, now I’ve really lost the beat.
Anyway forget it. Someone might document it. I’ll take a pass. Hey, that rhymes with ass! Yup!

[ElBruce]

In 1922, Josef Stalin realized that the position of General Secretary, previously thought to be a dead-end job in the Communist Party structure actually had a loophole which could be exploited, and used it to gain absolute power.

The Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel has a similar loophole which is being used now to amass absolute power within the Executive Branch of the United States. The fact that the Justice Department, an executive office which works for the President, is the only body in Washington which can begin legal proceedings of any kind against the President, pretty much blows the whole "checks and balances" thing out of the water. Particularly when Congress refuses to even consider impeachment so long as no legal challenge to the President is already on the table.