A Nation of Laws, Not Men

I'm headed to the Senate floor right now to speak about startling news from today's newspapers:

The Central Intelligence Agency in 2005 destroyed at least two videotapes documenting the interrogation of two Qaeda operatives in the agency's custody, a step it took in the midst of Congressional and legal scrutiny about its secret detention program, according to current and former government officials.

The videotapes showed agency operatives in 2002 subjecting terrorism suspects -- including Abu Zubaydah, the first detainee in C.I.A. custody -- to severe interrogation techniques. The tapes were destroyed in part because officers were concerned that video showing harsh interrogation methods could expose agency officials to legal risks, several officials said.

The news that these CIA tapes were destroyed came the very same week that we learned that as many as ten million White House emails were not preserved, despite a law that requires that they be kept, and at the same time as the president continued to insist that we grant the phone companies immunity for their role in the illegal wiretapping of American citizens.

I've already introduced the Torture Prevention and Effective Interrogation Act, legislation that requires the Army Field Manual standards to apply to all government interrogations, not only those conducted by the Department of Defense. Today's news is just another reminder that Congress needs to take action immediately to prevent this administration from continuing to make a mockery of our anti-torture laws.

I'm headed to the floor to demand answers. I hope you will demand them as well.

[UPDATE - KENNEDY STAFF]: Senator Kennedy's prepared remarks can be read here.

Comments

[CAPTAINSKIPPY]

Thank you Senator Kennedy for speaking on core issues and core values. It's certainly time to prosecute those in high office for their violation of the public's sacred trust, and for their despicable contempt for American law and the United States Constitution. While we consider the impeachment option, we still must hold the corrupt and shameless lawbreakers accountable for their vicious assault on our legal system, the main tool we have for recourse. They must not escape into exile and without suffering appropriate penalties, and no exemptions should be entertained. Our country's New Silent Majority wants the Bush Crime Cabal isolated, prosecuted, and severely punished as the traitors they clearly are. Again, thank you for speaking on these hare-brained hazards to all American citizens.

[Wilburrr]

Dear Senator,

Inaction by the Congress regarding the transgressions of this presidential administration is tantamount to approval of this administrations actions. Please explain to me why knowledge of these activities with continued inaction by the Congress is not collusion in and with these activities? Continued inaction will define the benchmark from which future administrations with similar tendencies initiate their corrupt practices.

[JackNasty]

Sen. Kennedy, please do whatever more you can to wake up the Senate's so-called leadership. There have been too many blind eyes turned to the Bush administration's malfeasance in office. Democrats need to assume responsibility for oversight assigned to them by our Constitution.

[Checquoline]

Dear Mr. Kennedy, when the Democratic party took back the house you have no idea what hope it gave the American people. But now we dispair because the madness has not stopped. Now also you ask us for help. We cannot help, we have no power. Our power has been taken away by those in the White House. You and the others we elected have the power so we beg you to use it and give us our country back.

[430robin]

If I had any confidence in Democrats today I would support Sen Kennedy. My suspicion is they will cave on this issue like all the others. Is there not a leader among them??

[hannityhater]

Senator Kennedy,

The only way to "stop this administration" is to impeach. That should be clear to you by now.

If you are worried that impeachment will hurt the dems in 2008, I argue you are wrong. Impeachment is the only thing that will make this nation wake up and pay attention to what has been going on. This country has become desensetized to the criminal activities of this administration because it is something new every week. Any one of these treasonous events is grounds for impeachment.

I watched a Watergate documentary recently. It made me sick to think that what is happening now is a hundred times worse, yet we have legislators who are too cowardly to do the right thing.

Please don't just say you are going to do something. Do it.

This nation's future is in your hands.

[fedupnburnin]

What difference does it make what Bush does? The Democrats articulate the crimes of this administration, which easily qualify as impeachable offenses and then turn around and kowtow to his every whim. This administration is killing this country and nobody is doing anything about it.

[Janelynne]

So far, none of the questionable, illegal, or downright immoral acts of this White House have caught any traction. The press doesn't do its job, and the Congress keeps giving up its leverage. People are confused because the right wing MSM opaques the facts and drives drivil and diversion as an over riding substitute. Tonight there was an ABC story on "Keep Santa Fat." Last week it was the shooter in Nebraska that was reported non- stop. People simply can't get the real news and no one in the government has the courage to stand up to the President or the media. I don't see this coverup as any different from the others. I think the Bush White House can do whatever it pleases. There is no one to stop any of the run-away trains.

[leftflank]

Senator Kennedy,

If my memory serves me correctly Bush Senior stole the hard drives from the White House computer system on his last day in office and he surrendered them only after somebody (the ACLU? I can't recall) won their release in a lawsuit. This is standard Bush family procedure. These people view our once great nation as their personal property. They are a cancer on our society and they need to be excised via impeachment. The WWII generation rose to their challenges magnificently, it seems as though we are too weak to rise to ours. Unless these issues are dealt with future generations will recall us as a generation who failed. Do not betray our ancestors, remove these people from office.

[jagoneely]

Senator Kennedy,

There have been impeachable offenses (with the Bush Admn.)many times over, sir. Americans need to know that we can still achieve justice over power. IMPEACH, sir. These people are criminals.

[JerseyBob]

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, which rhymes with ass! Yep!

[Maxbyte]

Senator Kennedy:

We have known for a very long time that Bush directed certain staff and Departments to shred, shred, shred. Some of our best creative artists have created images showing Bush standing in front of a mountain of shredded documents. He holds a shredder that continues to shred even more documents.

How can Congress be surprised by the new revelation when everyone who has been watching the demise of America has already concluded that Congress doesn't care, or will not object??

The only way to stop Bush long enough to replace him with the next president a year from now is for the Vice President to declare him "unfit to serve". That will never happen. And impeachment is not a quick solution, even if Congress found the will to do it.

The president has flaunted his misbehavior for five of his seven years and Congress has been sitting on its collective rump the whole time. I would very much like to see you and America succeed in recycling the rotting trash in the White House, but I am not optimistic.

Best regards -

[BrighterStar]

Why was the CIA legally required to keep these tapes?

[mntleo2]

Dear Senator Kennedy:

You have been a light shining when darkness seems to reign. Please PLEASE consider pushing the Dems to start the investigations towards impeachment. If ever there was a time for our representatives and senators to shine, it is now. I have heard all the arguments from my elected officilas directly, I understand them as best as I can, but I do not buy most of them.

In a book talk with John Dean over at Firedoglake I asked Mr. Dean if there was anything that could be done about these criminals after they leave office. This knowledgeable person of Constitutional law told me that there was ~ but only if it became a major part of the Democratic platform and the next president who came into office could them to task by refusing to pardon and if he/she brought charges as part of his/her agenda.

I know you all don't have the votes. I know you all are terribly over burdened with all the crap the Republicans allowed when they were a majority. I know this. But nothing, do you hear me, NOTHING matters more than upholding the Constitution, as this lying administration promised to do and then trashed instead. People have died for the Constitution. People have stood up for the Bill of Rights. People all over the world have been inspired and cherished the rights both of these sacred documents have granted.

I beg of you, please PLEASE pressure your fellow Democrats to stand up and tell We The People and the world that they treasure more what the Constitution stands for, by beginning the hearings for impeachment rather than giving a few greedy people more than they could possibly need or use.

My 2 cents

Cat In Seattle

[leftLibertarian]

The only way to bring liberty and justice back to America is the immediate impeachment of the criminals Bush and Cheney.