Judge Might Leave CIA Tape Scandal Alone After All

[kpete]

Judge Might Leave CIA Tape Scandal Alone After All
By Spencer Ackerman - December 21, 2007, 1:14PM
Just out from the AP:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2007/12/judge_seems_wary_of_opening_ci.php

A federal judge appeared reluctant Friday to investigate the destruction of CIA interrogation videotapes while the Justice Department is conducting its own inquiry.

U.S. District Judge Henry H. Kennedy is considering whether to delve into the matter and, if so, how deeply. The Bush administration is urging him to back off while it investigates.

"Why should the court not permit the Department of Justice to do just that?" Kennedy asked at a court hearing.

The hearing marked the first time that administration lawyers spoke in public and under oath about the matter since the CIA disclosed this month it destroyed the tapes of officers using tough interrogation methods while questioning two al-Qaida suspects.

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004966.php

[kentuck]

1. Sort of like when they asked the NY Times not to print the story..

about the spying on millions of Americans because of national security concerns? And it was right before the election...

[spanone]

2. so i guess cheney got to him somehow....goddam these fuckers

mind blowing.... The Bush administration is urging him to back off while it investigates.

[AndyA]

5. Kind of like the investigation they did in the outing of a certain CIA agent?

Bush promised that his administration would look into that as well, and we know that no investigation was ever opened into that outing.

So I guess we take his word for it again...because he's been so honest and trustworthy in the past. :eyes:

[gateley]

3. Could these people BE any more obvious? nt

[EFerrari]

6. No, I think this is as good as it gets. n/t

[tbyg52]

4. If that judge does not know that he cannot trust them as far as he can throw them

then he has not been paying attention.

[progressoid]

7. “Plainly, the government wants only foxes guarding the henhouse,”

“Why should the court not permit the Department of Justice to do just that?” Judge Kennedy asked David H. Remes, a lawyer for the detainees.

For Mr. Remes, the answer was simple. “Plainly, the government wants only foxes guarding the henhouse,” he asserted in his motion. Considering the government’s behavior so far, Mr. Remes argued, the Justice Department is not entitled to a presumption that it will do the right thing.




http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/21/washington/21cnd-tapes.html?hp