Video: Why we need a Truth Commission

Since I last blogged here about establishing a truth commission, my proposal has picked up considerable attention and support.

The release of new Bush-Cheney era torture memos by the Justice Department reveal just how far the past administration strayed from the law and our fundamental principles. But in spite of all the recent news, some in Washington still need to be sold on the idea of creating a truth commission to investigate Bush-Cheney administration abuses.

There is a renewed public call for accountability at BushTruthCommission.com, and many congressional leaders -- like Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chris Dodd -- have now thrown their support behind our proposed truth commission, too.

But we still have skeptics, and we need to win them over. Please sign my petition at BushTruthCommission.com so we can keep building momentum behind the establishment of a truth commission.

I remain convinced that an independent truth commission is the surest way to conduct a thorough investigation of all that went wrong over the past eight years, so that we can get to the full truth and hold lawbreakers accountable. 

It is now clear that reports of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay were not just the misdeeds of a "few bad apples," but were in fact authorized by officials high up within the Bush-Cheney Administration.

We must uncover who authorized the use of waterboarding and other illegal "enhanced interrogation techniques" against detainees -- the same kinds of techniques we prosecuted when used by our enemies during World War II. Only then can we hold them to account and ensure we do not repeat the same mistakes in the future.

Thank you for supporting this important effort.

Comments

[Loompa]

Leahy is a true twit

[JohnSnowHlth]

Senator Leahy,

A South African-style Truth and Reconciliation Commission is a good idea.
Its implementation. like the GAO study you requested,
http://citizenoversight.com/pdf/blwb.pdf
will require follow-up and considerable efforts.
In view of the years having passed since the GAO study was contemplated,
what can we say about the state of follow-up by your team?

[olmossy]

Mr. Leahy
I would hope you abandon this so called "truth commission". on torture.
If you think you still represent any of the American Pople, find out how this Wall Street Fraud/Crash happened . Prosecute the CEOs and Loan officers who defrauded their customers. Expose your fellow congressmen who have been bought and paid for by the Banksters.
That is IF you still believe you represent the American People.

[Loompa]

Good God - you'd wipe out the whole democrap party if you did that!

[olmossy]

Mr. Leahy
If you are getting this kind of responce from what is usually considerd a "Liberal" site. How do you think the Conservatives will respond to " Truth Hearings".
I don't think many folks believe in the government any more. Sorry If I come across as an angry voice.
I need to get this said before your Banksterbosses tell ya'll to make a law restricting "Wrongspeech".

[olmossy]

Mr. Leahy
If anyone believes he or she has been wronged in or by the United Stated of Wall Street , they should take their complaint to the US Attorney, or the ACLU who can assist them. The case can be investigated and filed like any other offense.

[MThomasNC]

Sen. Leahy, fight for the 'truth commission' but we need a special prosecutor to get to the bottom of these high crimes. When political criminals are not brought to justice, the preception is reenforced that you can get away w crimes in the name of national security. Cheney, Rumsfeld were part of Nixon and Ford admins where they learned the art of criminal activities in the name of national security.
I say, we need this investigated to the max. We need to let young people who are inspiring for public service that crimes against the country, the constitution are punishable and they are not above the law.

[Coinyer101]

sorry, senator. President Obama doesn't care if the former administration tortured people. he is a member of the same club of political elite, who don't have to face justice. Law enforcement is only to be used against 'little' people. You are living in the past, when our country stood for good things. Those days are over. America died in the last administration, and the current one is not about to give CPR to a dead country.

[olmossy]

Mr Leahy
As a fellow long time Democrat, I regret to tell you that I and a lot of other commoners no longer believe that anything in DC ever! has anything to do with TRUTH. Or for that matter JUSTICE.
Why are you bringing the Issue of the Bush administration and Torture to us? We have no say in the matter. Simply go and ask the Banking Overlords that run this country.
You are still talking as though this is a Republic/Democracy instead of facing the hard truth. We live in an OLIGARCHY.

[GreatNews27]

Pure theater, Pat. That's all you guys are willing to offer. No one goes to jail for torture in this country. You know that. The Unitary Executive has already said so.

[Stevealmi]

It would believable that a petition might have a chance of getting some shred of truth from our very own government but I am past believing it. I still do not know who signed into the visitors log at the Whitehouse during the Abramoff scandal so why would I believe justice can be served.

[franmagnificent]

Truth commission? Truth commission? We don't need no stinkin' truth commission. We already KNOW THE TRUTH.

What we need is a special prosecutor. End of story.

[lightningbolt]

The 9-11 Commission was used to cover up what really happened in 9-11, and it was not independent. We cannot have another commission which will be used to cover up Bush's crimes. We need prosecution. We already know they broke the law, we already know the truth. We already know Bush and Cheney are guilty of multiple counts of murder, torture, war crimes, theft, fraud, abuse of power, setting up a dictatorship, and many many many more. The truth is out there, we don't need a commission to cover it up for us. We need prosecution NOW!!!!!

[ErikW65]

Did you read David Corn's argument? Here's an excerpt:

" Under the rules governing federal criminal investigations, he was permitted to disclose only information and evidence that was directly related and needed for the indictment and prosecution of Libby. Everything else he had unearthed via subpoenas and grand jury interviews had to remain secret. Repeatedly, Fitzgerald said that his hands were tied on this point. A special prosecutor, it turns out, is a rather imperfect vehicle for revealing the full truth."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/27/david-corn-special-prosec_n_191741.html

[freddiefreeloader]

Is Congress going to subpoena the Bush goverment like they did Karl Rove & Harriet Myers?

[flacon]

Senator, your cause would resonate better if it weren't made by someone who has already decided on a verdict.

[fumes]

do it for marla ruzicka