Harry Reid not ready to impeach Bybee

[babylonsister]

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/24/bybee/index.html

Reid not ready to impeach Bybee


Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and former President George W. Bush seem to have at least one thing in common: Both often appear impervious to the desires of the political left.

Reid has frequently been maligned by Democrats and liberals for being overly willing to cede to the wishes of Senate Republicans and the former Bush administration, and comments issued from Reid's office yesterday about Judge Jay Bybee, who serves on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals aren't going to help that reputation. Asked about whether or not Reid believes Bybee should be impeached for his participation in providing the legal framework for the use of techniques such as waterboarding during interrogations of detainees, a spokesman for Reid hedged, writing in an email: "Judge Bybee has a good professional reputation in Nevada... While the memos that have been released are disturbing to Sen. Reid, at this point in time, he doesn't think we should be making a rush to judgment. The Department of Justice's Office of Professional Responsibility is reviewing this matter and he will wait to see what they have to say before making a decision."

While serving as an assistant attorney general in the Bush administration, Bybee helped to craft the memos that provided legal backing for the use of abusive interrogation techniques. This involvement has to led to a growing Internet campaign seeking his impeachment as well as angry editorials asking for his removal.

Reid has also resisted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's request to create an independent commission to investigate the interrogation tactics. In a recent statement, Reid said, "I think it would very unwise from my perspective to start having commissions, boards, tribunals until we find out what the facts are.”

Reid sponsored Bybee's judicial appointment, along with fellow Nevada Senator John Ensign. Ensign has been adamant in his support of Bybee, referring to the calls for the judge's ouster as "outrageous" and saying that "This was not torture. This is the thing we have to get away from, that this is somehow accepted that it was torture. The United States does not engage in torture. This was 'advanced interrogation techniques."

[ananda]

I would be surprised if anyone here were surprised.

lol

[annabanana]

1. DAMN Harry!. . .Do you agree with Ensign that it's "not torture"?

Dear God.

[Thothmes]

2. Harry Reid cannot impeach Bybee

Nancy Pelosi has to do that. All Harry Reid can do is hold the trial if Bybee is impeached by the House of Representatives.

[spanone]

3. harry the wimp

[Canuckistanian]

4. Oh, god, no, let's not rush into anything

Let's just do what we always do. Ruminate, fuss, and dither before drafting the strongly worded letter.

A real "profile in courage", there, Harry.

[backscatter712]

5. God, I'm sick of that spineless twat! n/t

[FiveGoodMen]

7. +1!

[depakid]

6. Reid is worthless- best played on the Republican team

His defeat in 2010 would be a blessing for the Democratic party.

[hvn_nbr_2]

8. Your subject line may be three words too long. nt

[THX1138]

9. Like

a "reed" in the wind this guy :7

Harry is becoming my least favorite Dem. At least Pelosi throws us a bone now and then. Granted they're stale, and not very filling, but she makes the effort.

I say we modify our Primary rules, er Constitution (?) to allow our Congressional leadership to be chosen directly by the people. I'd like to see Nancy and Harry have to work for it.

[salguine]

10. If anyone needs to be impeached it's Harry Reid.

[KharmaTrain]

11. He Won't Have A Choice...

Of course Harry doesn't want to move forward...he knows he'll have a major shitstorm to deal with. And, yes, sadly, not the 2/3rds neeeded to impeach, unless several GOOPers dare to leave the plantation, and that's highly doubtful. But Harry doesn't matter.

The ball is in the Houses' court right now...and I see Speaker Pelosi giving the Green light. This is where the process begins...and where prosecutions can generate from. The Senate will hold its own hearings, but whatever Leahy comes up with will defer to the Houses' investigations...and Pelosi has a far easier time moving this through than spinless Harry does.

Yep...I honestly believe, right now, Bybee won't be impeached by the 2/3rds needed in the House as too many rushpublicans can't do the right thing and will vote to acquit. Hopefully a House impeachment along with a criminal indictment will have more of a punch to it.

[DonCoquixote]

12. I will say this once twice and thrice

Obama's number one enemy will not be anybody with an R to their name, but the so called D's that have been riding the gravy train, namely Reid, Pelosi, Bayh and the rest of the damned Dinos!