JMS Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 That's worth a press cycle or two. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep/03/uselections2008.joebiden Obama might pursue criminal charges against Bush administration · Biden says criminal violations will be pursued · Democrats have issued subpoenas to Bush aides · 3 staffers have been held in contempt of Congress Democratic vice-presidential nominee Joe Biden said yesterday that he and running mate Barack Obama could pursue criminal charges against the Bush administration if they are elected in November. Biden's comments, first reported by ABC news, attracted little notice on a day dominated by the drama surrounding his Republican counterpart, Alaska governor Sarah Palin. But his statements represent the Democrats' strongest vow so far this year to investigate alleged misdeeds committed during the Bush years. "If there has been a basis upon which you can pursue someone for a criminal violation, they will be pursued," Biden said during a campaign event in Deerfield Beach, Florida, according to ABC. "[N]ot out of vengeance, not out of retribution," he added, "out of the need to preserve the notion that no one, no attorney general, no president -- no one is above the law." Obama sounded a similar note in April, vowing that if elected, he would ask his attorney general to initiate a prompt review of Bush-era actions to distinguish between possible "genuine crimes" and "really bad policies". "f crimes have been committed, they should be investigated," Obama told the Philadelphia Daily News. "You're also right that I would not want my first term consumed by what was perceived on the part of Republicans as a partisan witch hunt, because I think we've got too many problems we've got to solve." Congressional Democrats have issued a flurry of subpoenas this year to senior Bush administration aides as part of a broad inquiry into the authorisation of torturous interrogation tactics used at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp. Three veterans of the Bush White House have been held in criminal contempt of Congress for refusing to respond to subpoenas: former counsel Harriet Miers, former political adviser Karl Rove, and current chief of staff Josh Bolten. The contempt battle is currently before a federal court. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosperity Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 yes, let's clear up the muck instead of letting it get swept under the rug of history Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zguy28 Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 "f crimes have been committed, they should be investigated," Obama told the Philadelphia Daily News. I agree with this statement.I'm glad this isn't above his paygrade. Its a kingdom of conscience or nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckydevil Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 As much as I would like to see this happen, it is not going to happen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky21 Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 Hot damn! Arrest the Infidels! Wait until you see all the people Bush pardons around January 9th or 10th. It's gonna blow your mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Monk Fan Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 No more partisan politics, except for the multi-million dollar witch hunt that begins on day one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChocolateCitySkin Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 won't happen... first year and a half is when i sitting president can get something done... and i doubt they'll waste it on chasing after bush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosperity Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 you smell that? I think some more filing cabinet spontaneously combusted at the White House Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattskins83 Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 won't happen... first year and a half is when i sitting president can get something done... and i doubt they'll waste it on chasing after bush. Excluding Bill Clinton of course...I'm sorry, hes the man, but someone had to say it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterMP Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 It isn't going to matter. Bush is going to pardom them all. Cheney, Wolfowitz, Rumsefeld, Marier's, Gonzalez, Gates, Libby, Rove, Rice, Tenet You'll be able to tell you he didn't like because they won't get pardoned. Powell won't get a pardon, O'Neil won't, and Ashcroft may or may not based on how much he knows (I don't think they are probably particularly happy w/ Tenet any more, but you'd be a fool not to pardon you're ex-CIA director (you know now that I think about it, Bush might not pardon him)). Bush will easily double the number of pardons that Clinton issues, and that was a record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight Judges Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 you smell that? I think some more filing cabinet spontaneously combusted at the White House LOL I work less than 1/2 mile from the whitehouse and I heard a firetruck drive by as I read this post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 It isn't going to matter. Bush is going to pardom them all. Cheney, Wolfowitz, Rumsefeld, Marier's, Gonzalez, Gates, Libby, Rove, Rice, TenetYou'll be able to tell you he didn't like because they won't get pardoned. Powell won't get a pardon, O'Neil won't, and Ashcroft may or may not based on how much he knows (I don't think they are probably particularly happy w/ Tenet any more, but you'd be a fool not to pardon you're ex-CIA director (you know now that I think about it, Bush might not pardon him)). Bush will easily double the number of pardons that Clinton issues, and that was a record. How can he pardon them once he's out of office? If they haven't been charged with anything what is he going to do, preemptively absolve them of any an all wrongdoing that may have occurred during his term? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuraitengai Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 How can he pardon them once he's out of office? If they haven't been charged with anything what is he going to do, preemptively absolve them of any an all wrongdoing that may have occurred during his term? the date will be fill in the blank, good for any time of need in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMK9973 Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 How can he pardon them once he's out of office? If they haven't been charged with anything what is he going to do, preemptively absolve them of any an all wrongdoing that may have occurred during his term? He can. Ford Pardon Nixon for ALL crimes that MAY have occurred during his time in office. Below was Fords Pardon... "Now, therefore, I, Gerald R. Ford, President of the United States, pursuant to the pardon power conferred upon me by Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution, have granted and by these presents do grant a full, free, and absolute pardon unto Richard Nixon for all offenses against the United States which he, Richard Nixon, has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from July (January) 20, 1969 through August 9, 1974. " it could have come out that Nixon personally built China a Nuke in china and told them to bomb NY and Nixon wouldn't have been prosecuted..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexey Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 won't happen... first year and a half is when i sitting president can get something done... and i doubt they'll waste it on chasing after bush. It's not like they'd be doing that themselves... DoJ would be doing that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess_in_beachtown_nc Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 Maybe Obama will re investigate his friend, the terrorist William Ayers from the Weatherman Underground and finally press charges for the DOZENS of bombings that occured in the 60's and 70's. Probably not though..... . He'll just Flip on him like he did with Rev. Wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexey Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 I would be curious to see what happens if on Jan 21st 2009 Obama names Bush "enemy combatant" and ships him to Guantanamo just to show people what's wrong with POTUS having an ability to do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterMP Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 How can he pardon them once he's out of office? If they haven't been charged with anything what is he going to do, preemptively absolve them of any an all wrongdoing that may have occurred during his term? Yes. Essentially, that's what Ford did for Nixon. Nixon was never officially charged with a crime. http://www.ford.utexas.edu/library/speeches/740060.htm "Now, therefore, I, Gerald R. Ford, President of the United States, pursuant to the pardon power conferred upon me by Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution, have granted and by these presents do grant a full, free, and absolute pardon unto Richard Nixon for all offenses against the United States which he, Richard Nixon, has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from July (January) 20, 1969 through August 9, 1974." Subsititute the names of the Bush Presidential Cabinent and upper-level staff and that's what you'll get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mordac Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 the period from July (January) 20, 1969 WTF?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterMP Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 the period from July (January) 20, 1969WTF?? I think he misspoke. I think he said July, but the pardon actually says Jan. The parenthesis is trying to correct his incorrect statement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilmer17 Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 Awesome. Just what the undecided voters in the US are looking to hear!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoot Point Really Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 I think this will backfire. The public doesn't want to waste time or money on this partisan crap... It's also dangerous ground for future Presidents and their advisers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight Judges Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 I guess we're not a "nation of laws" after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckydevil Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 I think this will backfire. The public doesn't want to waste time or money on this partisan crap... It's also dangerous ground for future Presidents and their advisers. It may be partisan, but it is the right thing to do. The Bush administration abused their power and should be punished for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMS Posted September 4, 2008 Author Share Posted September 4, 2008 I would be curious to see what happens if on Jan 21st 2009 Obama names Bush "enemy combatant" and ships him to Guantanamo just to show people what's wrong with POTUS having an ability to do that. That would be awsome... especially if he refused to admit he had him for 5 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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