tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23222713694449846722011-12-28T13:12:59.835-06:00<BR>IN LIGHT OF THE CLEAR EVIDENCE OF “A HIGHER INVOLVEMENT” IN I. LEWIS SCOOTER LIBBY’S PERJURY AND OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE -- AND THEN THE JULY 2, 2007 PRISON SENTENCE AND IMMEDIATE, BREATH-TAKING JULY 2, 2007 PRESIDENTIAL COMMUTATION OF THAT SENTENCE -- IT IS HIGH TIME TO EXAMINE THE MERITS OF INDICTING THE VICE PRESIDENT, DICK CHENEY, AS THE LEADER OF A CONSPIRACY TO MISUSE CLASSIFIED INFORMATION, AND COMPROMISE C.I.A. OPERATIVES — ALL FOR PARTISAN POLITICAL RETRIBUTION.condornoreply@blogger.comBlogger6261100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-7698339706174551222011-12-28T12:54:00.013-06:002011-12-28T13:12:59.846-06:00

Per the consummate SCOTUS watcher, Lyle Denniston, and the authoritative SCOTUS Blog -- a bit:. . . .Taking on a case that grew out of a citizen’s arrest after he made an anti-war remark and jostled then-Vice President Richard Cheney, the Supreme Court agreed Monday to sort out when an arrest is invalid because it may have been carried out in retaliation for the exercise of free-speech rights.

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-55782117155513938072011-04-02T11:40:00.009-05:002011-04-02T11:47:08.741-05:00

We will keep an eye on this -- as this will ultimately lead to a ruling ordering Dick Cheney, now a retiree, with plenty of free time on his hands, to sit for a deposition, under oath, about his actions on that March day in 2006, in Beaver Creek -- during which Mr. Howards was arrested, and held for 24 hours, for simply expressing his views on the war in Iraq.See below -- from the United States

condornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-10411852988667661282011-03-18T06:50:00.020-05:002011-03-18T07:23:34.629-05:00

Here's a belated St. Patrick's Day present -- if Dick Cheney lives long enough to be deposed. This opinion was handed down on March 14, 2011 (a 42 page PDF file, of 136 kbs).And so, the day when Dick Cheney will be deposed, and asked under oath, what he did that day in 2006, in Beaver Creek, Colorado, to have Steven Howards arrested for his simple, and first amendment protected act of "

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-47475799444674949402010-11-28T17:53:00.008-06:002010-11-28T18:27:54.521-06:00

I think Simon Jenkins has it just right, tonight, for The Guardian -- do go read it all, but here is a bit:. . .America's foreign policy is revealed as a slave to rightwing drift, terrified of a bomb exploding abroad or of a pro-Israeli congressman at home. If the cables tell of the progress to war over Iran or Pakistan or Gaza or Yemen, their revelation might help debate the inanity of policies

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-44911532497012382902010-11-21T23:45:00.007-06:002010-11-21T23:53:38.980-06:00

I am simply astonished by howfrail, and decrepit Dick Cheney looks. Compare2010 edition -- with 2006 editions:That is all.Be excellent to one another; for if youdon't -- one day, this may be your fate.

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-60478564772392386792010-07-25T22:06:00.024-05:002010-09-26T18:05:30.877-05:00

In the coming hours, days and weeks, many other writers will, no doubt, do a better job than this of connecting the WikiLeaks trove to misleading statements by Dick Cheney, and George W. Bush. But in a bit of flash analysis, I found these passages from one of The New York Times' stories tonight worthy of highlight:. . .The Central Intelligence Agency has expanded paramilitary operations inside

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-58194378960957292242010-07-18T07:59:00.018-05:002010-07-18T08:51:14.504-05:00

My disagreements with Dick Cheney are -- and have always been -- about matters evincing his lack of ethical and moral governing principles. That said, those bloggers who are making "zombie" jokes, about the fact -- as reported in the Los Angeles Times -- that Mr. Cheney no longer has a pulse, nor blood pressure (in the conventional sense) seem to me to miss the mark. Aside from the cruelty of

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-69433333130035918762010-04-26T19:43:00.017-05:002010-04-26T19:55:17.321-05:00

As ever, EW has the goods on Dick -- do go read it all, at that link:. . .authorities claim to have killed Rauf (and Saleh al-Somali) with two separate drone strikes in late 2008. But it remains unclear whether Rauf actually died in that 2008 strike. So he may still be out there, because Dick Cheney wanted to boost Bush’s [2006] poll ratings rather than let the Brits develop their case and

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-3613144427558529712009-12-31T12:26:00.010-06:002010-11-21T23:59:22.131-06:00

Dick Cheney may be the most pungent former political hack this nation has ever known. I guess he still doesn't see that over seven years of his assinine policies are the reason we are where we are now. Actually, the truth is that he knows he is the cause of this mess -- and he is seeking to rewrite his personal history, via churlish grandstanding. We'd all do well to simply ignore this old man's

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-80067867062435040352009-11-01T13:25:00.016-06:002009-11-01T14:40:00.524-06:00

First, note that the image, at right -- of Dick Cheney's forehead -- contains his own handwritten notes, about U.S. Ambassador Joe Wilson, made in the margins of a July 6, 2003 New York Times opinion piece he read on his way back from Jackson Hole, Wyoming -- to Washington, DC. The opinion explained -- in detail -- what Ambassador Wilson didn't find while looking for evidence of any

condornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-89433561071367305302009-10-31T20:08:00.009-05:002009-11-01T12:22:28.036-06:00

First, go read Marcy Wheeler on this topic. Now, here is my little twist:From the FBI's May 2004 Inteview Notes, regarding an interview of Dick Cheney, then-sitting Vice President of the United States [click image to enlarge]:Note that these "lack of recollections" are at variance with every other piece of evidence gathered, and then presented to the jury -- in Scooter Libby's perjury and

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-17680238298372528622009-09-13T09:38:00.004-05:002009-09-13T10:25:44.293-05:00

a "star wars" line -- put to perfect use.just go read marcy wheeler, on it.now.

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-90650023341068151292009-07-13T22:53:00.015-05:002009-07-14T10:05:06.851-05:00

Per EW's able direction, we learn that the best of today's print came from across the pond -- The Guardian (UK) claims that. . .One of the most sensitive areas has been what we do in friendly countries that don't want to co-operate or maybe we don't have enough confidence to entrust them with information. If you have an al-Qaida guy wandering around certain bits of the world we might decide that

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-32337838072159589732009-07-13T19:44:00.014-05:002009-07-13T20:20:31.984-05:00

Scott Shane (about 20 minutes ago) at The New York Times has filled in much more detail, here, going well-beyond what was learned from The Wall Street Journal, overnight -- do go read all of this meaty new article: . . .The program was designed in the frantic weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks when President Bush signed a secret order authorizing the C.I.A. to capture or kill Qaeda operatives

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-84919378018996904172009-07-12T21:02:00.014-05:002009-07-13T08:55:45.950-05:00

The Capitalists’ Paper of Record, the Wall Street Journal, is reporting (as of about 10 minutes ago!) that the “unspecified” CIA program Cheney ordered the agency to withhold from legally-required Congressional intel briefings, and the Gang of Eight, more precisely, was a “covert capture or kill”* operation. Per the WSJ:. . .capture or kill al Qaeda operatives, according to former intelligence

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-88889158311962317712009-07-11T16:17:00.022-05:002009-07-13T20:04:06.819-05:00

Per the NYT's Scott Shane, today:. . .The Central Intelligence Agency withheld information about a secret counterterrorism program from Congress for eight years on direct orders from former Vice President Dick Cheney, the agency’s director, Leon E. Panetta, has told the Senate and House intelligence committees, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said Saturday. . . The law requires the

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-59871504716830916402009-05-17T08:37:00.002-05:002009-05-17T08:44:06.184-05:00

EW is on fire -- again! -- here is the definitive meta-narrative, eight years in the unmasking -- it ties dick cheney directly as the hand behind the plame outing, and now, the torture tragedies. . . do go read it all. . . but quoting joe wilson now:. . .The disinformation campaign to manipulate public opinion in favor of the invasion, the torture program, and the illegal exposure of a

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-85832089942476109392009-04-14T20:33:00.009-05:002009-04-14T21:23:39.081-05:00

[do note the irony of that date.]steven howards won an important setof victories, in court, today. the dickster(cheney) will likely be feelin' a pinch, tonight.earlier, the court had granted howardsthe right to take former vice-presidentcheney's deposition -- today's order allowshowards' lawyers ample time to get that scheduledand completed, well before a now-extended (to a final september 11,

condornoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-29385677235855461482009-03-02T19:33:00.011-06:002009-03-02T19:59:45.149-06:00

in a 16-page order, entered today (PDF), federal district court judge christine m. arguello has ruled that dick cheney mustallow the plaintiff's lawyers to serve himwith a subpoena -- and eventually sit for a sworn deposition -- about the events in beavercreek, colorado, on the afternoon of june 16, 2006.this is all about whether we, ordinary citizens ofthese united states, do still possess the

condornoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-45407304832669341462009-01-22T19:38:00.004-06:002009-01-23T11:10:39.407-06:00

this, i suppose, is fitting:in many ways, dick cheney crippledour once proud nation's commitmentto individual liberty and privacy -- so,it seems ironic that he would hurt hisback (moving a "man-sized" safe, all byhis lonesome -- in secret -- perhaps?) -- andleave office in a wheelchair, looking suspiciouslylike the second runner-up in the "old man potter"look-alike-contest (reference capra's "

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-69814739239617120012008-12-06T09:39:00.011-06:002008-12-06T10:08:08.622-06:00

. . .'twas a long-time comin' but the winds seem,finally, to be shifting -- unfurling a flagthat offers some semblance of the return tothe rule of law, and egalitarian justice. the new york times is reporting that five of the blackwater mercs involved in the killing of 17 iraqis -- some unarmed, andseveral clearly ordinary civilians -- inbaghdad's nisour square -- some partsof which were caught

condornoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-90751683456398696602008-12-06T08:46:00.013-06:002008-12-06T09:33:18.448-06:00

as mr. howard's appeal from the denialof his request to depose the vice president(about the circumstances of their conversation,in the moments before he was arrested) wends itsway through the courts, the parties continue toprepare for trial on the merits. to that end, page12 of a proposed agreed final pre-trial order israther illuminating -- as it makes plain that mr.howard's lawyers intend to

condornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-43084426176253253612008-10-24T10:44:00.004-05:002008-10-24T10:56:43.919-05:00

judge wiley b. daniel has been taken off this colorado civil case,a case in which it is alleged thatthe vice president had steven howardarrested, and held for 24 hours -- forthe "crime" of expressing his disagree-ment with dick's iraq war policies, face-to face, in non-profane terms, at a publicity-stop by cheney in beaver creek, back in late summer of 2005.now -- it could be a simple as this

condornoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-49297323062736171782008-10-19T09:32:00.006-05:002008-10-19T10:09:02.082-05:00

this is a towering figure -- making a clean break from the politics of division and hate:the more cynical side of me wonderswhether former general powell will nowthrow his hat in the ring for secretaryof state, or defense, in the emergingobama cabinet for 2009. . .i do not want to detract from his couragein making this break, though -- he has done so on first principles -- saying the

condornoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-71843341797248445112008-10-16T20:48:00.005-05:002008-10-16T21:03:25.652-05:00

it would appear that. . ."yes, we can. . ."we can change the politics ofdeceit, and fear, and secrecy. . .to the politics of common decency,shared ground, open discussion, andrespect for our differences -- whilestill moving inexorably forward. onward.upward.yes, we can:

condornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-38140098284109521882008-10-14T15:00:00.002-05:002008-10-14T15:06:53.706-05:00

EW quite cogently notes: ". . .Retiring GOP Congressman Tom Davis must have accepted that we'll soon have a Democrat in the White House. He has joined Henry Waxman in declaring Bush's (Mukasey's, really) invocation of executive privilege with regards to the Cheney interview notes in the CIA Leak Case to be improper. . ."read more | digg story

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-65812206589493211432008-10-11T09:24:00.003-05:002008-10-11T10:27:04.051-05:00

strictly speaking, the below is slightly tangential to the main topic of this blog -- but it foretells the end of cheney/bush "opacity/secrecy in governance" initiatives. so, the wheel finally begins to turn -- first gonzales, now this. . .we, the people, have both a right -- and a responsibility -- to demand complete candor from our would-be elected officials -- especially where the allegations

condornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-5139552547265663312008-09-20T21:13:00.012-05:002008-09-21T11:13:30.762-05:00

in a special saturday order, d.c. federaldistrict court judge colleen kollar-kotellly has issued a preliminary injuction in CREWv. Cheney, et al. -- running in favorof CREW, to prevent the vice president's offices from dumping any [more] records that dick cheney unilaterally decides need not be pre-served under his highly dubious narrowed-inter-pretation of the presidential records act.cheney had

condornoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-56838327589544391152008-09-04T09:00:00.011-05:002008-09-04T09:39:06.347-05:00

i seem to be one of the very few bloggers following, or ever even mentioning this matter -- so,as a public service, and to completethe freely-searchable record, here, i will now reproduce the entire-text of mr. howard's latest motion to depose thedick (i've only redacted internal foot-notes, and internal references to other court-filed exhibits, for clarity, in this case). this was filed only

condornoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-55364905824116409202008-08-28T23:00:00.007-05:002008-08-28T23:19:03.551-05:00

does dick cheney deserve to betried for war crimes? does georgebush? of course, in both cases.but both of them are -- after senator obama's speech, thisvery night, on the 45th anni-versary of the march on wash-ington -- the increasingly ir-relevant past.this is the future, then:we can afford to look backwardno longer. barring something trulyastonishing, it is not likely thati'll post very much

condornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-37364046202797649112008-08-13T17:50:00.008-05:002008-08-13T18:35:38.086-05:00

[for some background, read this. or this.]as colorado district court judge wileyb. daniel had much earlier indicated, steven howardshould be free to renew his motion to depose thevice president -- dick cheney -- about what dickclaims happened that justified his 2006 arrest, afterdisagreeing face-to-face with the vice president, in beaver creek, colorado, at a smaller, "hand-shaking, meet and

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-3012488591169178872008-08-02T23:51:00.002-05:002008-08-03T12:47:53.328-05:00

do go read this:emptywheel Friday August 1, 2008 7:05 am When evidence from the Scooter Libby trial showed that Dick Cheney had probably ordered Scooter Libby to leak Valerie Plame's identity, Cheney built a firewall that legally excused the leak--but still insulated George Bush from involvement in knowingly outing a CIA spy. . .read more | digg story

condornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-23130875722745907382008-07-31T15:10:00.009-05:002008-07-31T15:44:59.166-05:00

while this trial court decision will no doubt be appealed, and quickly,by the cheney/bush attorney-operatives,it is refreshing to see some serious legalscholarship applied to this unprecedentednotion of "absolute immunity" -- which isa polite way of saying "it doesn't reallyexist -- for all intents and purposes. . ."just suck on that a while, dick.let's read from judge bates' opinion [a pdf file]

condornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-70622946056381595532008-07-17T00:04:00.018-05:002008-07-17T01:02:31.898-05:00

i am hopelessly behind in getting thisup on my blog; so many others have coveredit more ably than i could -- do go readthose three in a row -- but thismuch will echo throughout our history,perhaps for untold numbers of futuregenerations, upon generations. . . so -- doread it slowly -- as you will want to rememberwell the moment these somber, majesticthoughts first soaked into your consciousness:.

condornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-2131235142386997242008-07-15T10:51:00.003-05:002008-07-15T13:03:08.070-05:00

Per EW: ". . .It's going to be a busy day for me, but one thing I'm hoping to do is. . . to find out more about the meeting between John Helgerson, the CIA Inspector General, and Dick Cheney. . ."it's all about the torture torture torture, with the king of hush, dick cheney. . . and yet, no prosecutions -- after being summoned to meetings with dick cheney. how entirely. . . UN-surprising.read

condornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-4875849231517482252008-07-14T19:43:00.004-05:002008-07-14T19:49:00.751-05:00

per a minute order entered on july 10, 2008 -- and just like all those other gitmo cases now pendingbefore judge horan, obaydullah's -- stillpending before judge leon -- is due for astatus report into his court by july 18, 2008.we'll keep an eye on this one in particular,for all of the reasons we earlier suggested.

condornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-51094434175393725362008-07-12T09:03:00.013-05:002008-07-12T09:43:44.387-05:00

entered last night, judge hogan hasnow set out the timeline for complyingwith the u.s. supreme court's holdingsin boumediene -- here are the highpoints, and key dates:july 18, 2008 -- a five page summaryof the status of each detainee at gitmodue into the court. that's this thursday.july 21, 2008 -- joint report, setting outmost significant issues on all gitmo detaineesdue into court -- filed by

condornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-56567087993313524792008-07-11T06:18:00.009-05:002008-07-11T07:36:47.266-05:00

this also appears on the endof the post about the proceduralwake rolling behind the supremecourt's ruling in boumediene v. bush(ussct no. 06-1195, slip op. at 66 june 12, 2008), but i wanted it to have its own post.so, here is what is known ofgitmo prisoner obaydullah (no. 762) -- who has been held, without charge, for six full years.he is an afgani by birth, held at gitmo,without any formalized,

condornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-30595764833435956542008-07-10T11:45:00.018-05:002008-07-11T07:37:09.479-05:00

in the wake of the supreme court's most-recent holdings in boumediene v. bush (ussct no. 06-1195, slip op. at 66 june 12, 2008),on the Gitmo processes, the fundamental flaws,and profound infirmities related to the same, allthe gitmo prisoners' cases are being transferredto judge thomas f. hogan, in the federal district court for the district of columbia -- save one, to be retained by judge

condornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-7780397083507238802008-07-09T11:31:00.005-05:002008-07-09T11:38:19.447-05:00

this is only two minutes -- but itdoes let us all know that AG mukasey will simply be a water (torture) carrier for cheney,for the last 194 days of this mal-administration:

condornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-45503338345897046962008-07-09T00:02:00.006-05:002008-07-09T07:25:17.577-05:00

were it any other veep, i'd be shocked.with the "king of hush", it's just anotherday in the office (of a megalomaniac, it seems). . . .quoth tomorrow's print version new york times:. . .The vice president’s office pushed for major deletions in congressional testimony on climate change, a former E.P.A. official said. . .dick cheney -- never a guy to let scientific factsget in the way of his

condornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-20236339643061347262008-07-08T18:00:00.006-05:002008-07-08T18:41:38.879-05:00

in the to-and-fro' kabuki theatrenow unfolding between the houses ofcongress and the vice president, theabove letter's final paragraph means that there is no longer any reason, at law, or in comity, from at leastthe perspective of patrick fitzgerald,the plame CIA leak special prosecutor, towithhold the FBI interview transcripts inthat matter related to richard b. "dick"cheney [if not as to george

condornoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-62361159906052739862008-07-08T14:12:00.003-05:002008-07-09T00:10:52.089-05:00

via thinkprogress.org today:. . .Inquiring about Vice President Dick Cheney. . .CBC Radio One host Jim Brown noted that Cheney “doesn’t strike me as someone who would be particularly motivated by idealistic visions.” McClellan agreed, adding that Iraq’s oil occupied Cheney’s mind more than anything else. . .During a speech at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco last month, McClellan suggested

condornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-66853426747827348232008-07-04T08:41:00.014-05:002008-07-04T09:34:02.956-05:00

like a few before him, karl rove's attorneysover at the texas power-firm, patton boggs, wrotehouse judiciary committee chairman john conyers tosay that mr. rove would not comply with a lawfully-issued subpoena -- that he would not even appear.this is the route taken by former white house counselharriet miers -- but the opposite of the route takenby dick cheney's favorite office lawyer, david

condornoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-45783834631819564902008-07-02T11:56:00.006-05:002008-07-02T12:12:43.901-05:00

on june 26, 2008, before the house judiciary committee chairman john conyers (i.e., while under oath), john yoo -- the chief architect of the hopelessly-flawed purported "legal analysis" condoning cheney and bush's policies of torture from at least early 2002 through late-2006 -- admitted that he believes the question of whether the executive branch -- the president or vice president -- have the

condornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-60996323914250471032008-06-29T15:42:00.003-05:002008-06-30T09:18:57.813-05:00

EW's spot on it, again: ". . .I'll have several things to say about Sy Hersh's latest. For the moment, though, I just wanted to lay out his central argument: that Dick Cheney is abusing the structure of command and Congressional oversight to launch a covert campaign against Iran. . ."read more | digg story

condornoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-68765872479802960432008-06-28T20:20:00.016-05:002008-06-29T09:11:18.687-05:00

at the top, let me say that wheni saw this in the new york times, thisevening -- i immediately went over toread what EW had to say -- knowing shewould have already carpet-bombed the topic -- and she does not disappoint.best of all, of course, is that herthoughts are written down in a far more succinct, and comprehensible, fashionthan in any newspaper on the planet. do read hers, first.okay. now

condornoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-8336842773856841982008-06-28T12:09:00.016-05:002008-06-28T13:02:52.864-05:00

i've been meaning to post this bit for many months -- today, it seems particularlytimely(!), given the latest yoo-addington "barnaclebranch" of government claims -- i thoughtit well-past-time to set forth succinctly, here,what the highest court in the land most-recently had to say, in u.s. v. hamdan, on this point:. . .[this administration has made it an official policy -- as the yoo/bybee/

condornoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-58191339361101756772008-06-28T09:48:00.016-05:002008-06-28T10:27:08.120-05:00

after months -- nay, years -- of foot-dragging by the gonzales-cum-mukasey DoJ,finally chairman conyers has had enough.yesterday -- in his role as chairman of the u.s. house judiciary committee -- (see videos, below) he issued a very broad subpoena -- due back on july 7, 2008[though, in an obvious typo, the press release(at bottom) recites a subpoena return date ofjuly 9 -- while the actual

condornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-7913738472012596532008-06-27T13:47:00.013-05:002008-06-28T13:20:19.229-05:00

it is only one minute 37 seconds,but an all new "nightly nolo" is out -- andit lays waste to the unitary executivetheory -- as an excuse for torture and lies about pre-war intel, and commitingwar crimes against "any person" capturedby the u.s.a. on any "field of battle" -- thatis the universe of persons protected bythe u.s.a.'s signature on article fourof the geneva conventions. . .btw, here are

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-43693153346179659932008-06-27T10:46:00.011-05:002008-06-28T11:46:09.616-05:00

watch this video!it is only one minute, 28 seconds long -- but it quitesuccinctly-captures an eight-yearhistory of distain for the ordinary, widely-well-understood rule of law, in dripping sarcasm, fromthe vice president's ownfavorite in-office lawyer:mister david addington.just watch:it would all be just entirely-hilarious -- if this shameful nonsense wasn't a large part of the reason dickcheney

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-25661127887483562642008-06-20T13:48:00.008-05:002008-06-20T13:57:18.280-05:00

or, "just say no to immunity. . ."chairman conyers' full statement opposing today's FISA-farce compromise vote:Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) opposed H.R. 6304, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Amendments Act of 2008. Conyers condemned the telecommunication immunity provision. "This is a pre-ordained outcome and it is unacceptable," he said. “

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-49333783907709912572008-06-20T12:14:00.005-05:002008-06-20T12:56:33.725-05:00

new nightly nolo footage:from scottie mcCee's opeing statement:". . .Back in 2005, I was prohibited from discussing it by the White House ostensibly because of the criminal investigation underway, but I made a commitment to share with the public what I knew as soon as possible. That commitment was one of the reasons I wrote my book. Unfortunately, this matter continues to be investigated by

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-73045838986625599902008-06-20T09:42:00.009-05:002008-06-22T07:07:47.084-05:00

here it is -- video coming shortly now up:Statement of the Honorable John Conyers, Jr.on the "Hearing on Revelations by Former WhiteHouse Press Secretary Scott McClellan"Committee on the Judiciary2141 Rayburn House Office BuildingJune 20, 2008I would like to officially welcome Scott McClellan, former White House press secretary under President George W. Bush. We appreciate that Mr. McClellan has

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-26289176712812412782008-06-16T19:03:00.012-05:002008-06-16T19:26:30.435-05:00

given the news, this morning, thatperjury charges are finally being pre-sented to a grand jury, related to onemr. bradley schlozman, i thought itwould be enlightening to watch, onceagain, at least part of the reasonwhy -- from the day he last told somefishy tales, in public, on the recod,and under oath, before the senate judiciary committee -- on june 5, 2007, a full-year, and eleven days, ago

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-12897388390145122602008-06-14T16:08:00.004-05:002008-06-14T20:46:57.616-05:00

EW's latest is flawless -- as an answer to John Dean's suggesting that Patrick Fitzgerald may have been "outfoxed" by the White House -- on Plame. One quote:". . .Large amounts of OVP email have disappeared, under extremely dubious technical circumstances, for the days when Cheney and Libby were concocting their cover story. . ."Here's another:". . .Enter the abundant circumstantial evidence that

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-58485718324542106892008-06-11T10:12:00.005-05:002008-06-12T07:44:38.555-05:00

if you have ever wondered why thereis some of dick cheney's own hand-writing, scribbled on his forehead, inthe masthead, and main right side-barimage, here -- well, wonder no more.rather than reading about 50 less-cogent posts of mine, just go read this one post by emptywheel. scottie mcCee is about to make dick cheney's atrocious penmanship front-page news, once again! the last time, patrick

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-46705578398000683362008-06-10T07:23:00.003-05:002008-06-10T07:28:10.097-05:00

set a bookmark to this post -- i'llfloat it on the morning of his appearance.here is house judiciary committee chairmanconyers' engraved invitation to scottie mcCee [as ever, click it to enlarge]:see you here, in just ten days' time.

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-35465239175163075072008-06-09T21:47:00.013-05:002008-06-17T11:31:19.709-05:00

UPDATED -- 06.10.08 PM -- this one bobble-headed FOX numb-skull (below) has been relievedof her on air duties -- her show has been cancelled, and she is supposedly going to be re-assigned. . . too little -- too late, mr. murdoch. courtesy of think progress, and it,via media matters -- we were alerted to thistruly-mind-numbed piece of "tee-vee journal-ism", handled as only rupert murdoch's FOX

condornoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-35753809829695799462008-06-05T19:57:00.002-05:002008-06-05T21:20:36.288-05:00

. . .Let's see. Fitz "respectfully decline[s] to discuss matters currently at issue in a trial ongoing." The trial is over. And on the day the trial ends, Fitz says, "I owe Congress" a response about Kjellander's and Rove's efforts to get him [Patrick J. Fitzgerald] fired??? I'm reading that message loud and clear, Chairman Conyers. Are you?. . .read more digg story

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-90760316033743084532008-06-05T19:55:00.003-05:002008-06-05T21:16:02.468-05:00

. . .if you want to know what Senator Whitehouse(D-RI) thinks about the SSCI Phase II reports, you can see his speech here. Or you can read it below. . .read more digg story

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-61849140986447183432008-06-05T12:12:00.017-05:002008-06-05T21:21:47.954-05:00

well -- this is more like it![the background on all of this, here. . .]with the scottie mcCee revelationsincreasing the pressure on the vice-president -- by rather directly assertingdick cheney oft-times has a problemwith his "truth-i-ness", i think mr. howards'lawyers have struck the perfect tone, here.next up: a ruling on this reply motion.do check back, in just a few weeks -- we'llbring it --

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-38639446246909764862008-06-03T21:37:00.013-05:002008-06-04T07:31:12.357-05:00

i'll add more on this in a few minutes,but i wanted to get it right out -- it is now very clear that DoJ knows that i know that "they"are looking at me -- or, mine -- or, at matthew w. friedrich's testimony, more precisely -- made public a year ago, in may of 2007, by HJC chairman john conyers.see the latest (statcounter.com)screen-cap image [click to enlarge!]:note that the above is just one of

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-11362538738287546932008-06-03T17:41:00.017-05:002008-06-04T07:28:43.348-05:00

well, now -- what with all the well-deserved scottie mcCee pot-stirring and triangulating now underway, on a whim, i decidedto take a very careful look at my last few weeks' worth of visitor-logs. . .what emerged was well-worth looking for.it seems i have been visited, and repeatedly, over at least the last eight days, by variousdiffering dynamic IP sub-addresses, but all emanate from one main

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-43746083627132382082008-06-03T12:54:00.013-05:002008-06-03T13:47:00.592-05:00

EW's tipped me off to rep. waxman'slatest salvo. I'll simply set itforth in full, below:June 3, 2008The Honorable Michael B. MukaseyAttorney GeneralU.S. Department of Justice950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20530Dear Mr. Attorney General:On December 3, 2007, I wrote to request that you arrange for the production of documents relating to Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald's investigation

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-1810514525399285432008-06-02T14:36:00.005-05:002008-06-02T14:54:35.633-05:00

but first, scottie mcCee, on dick cheneycourtesy of thinkprogress, today:. . .lurking behind it all remained the magic man, Vice President Cheney. No one knew better how to orchestrate what was happening from behind the curtain while the grand production was playing out on stage. Quietly slipping in and out of internal deliberations, his influence and wand waving barely discernible to the outside

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-38682367469010196842008-06-02T11:01:00.011-05:002008-06-02T11:18:15.334-05:00

firedoglake -- and many blogs with smaller audiences than theirs -- are sporting "Gilly-Day"posts today. i am definitely on that.hey, gilly -- peace to your friends and family. . .while the Universe is brighter -- foryour return to the Infinity of it all. . .we, here, are a little dimmer, for it. . .and so, man, i say:n a m a s t é. . .

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-36737177506079258732008-06-01T15:02:00.015-05:002008-06-02T12:58:44.688-05:00

over at digg.com, commentary has ensuedon EW's fine writing, of earlier this week.bar none, the lamest was this one, from aguy using the handle "joe hague" JoeHague on 05.30.08:I know I could get about 100 Diggs for jumping on the band wagon and saying -Impeach Bush- or something to that nature. But I don't care. I don't care if this comment goes to 1000 minuses. Because I know that no Digger can

condornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-31288702878230227962008-05-31T12:01:00.011-05:002008-05-31T12:16:31.119-05:00

sometimes, a thing speaks for itself -- this is one of those times:May 29, 2008McClellan Must TestifyUnder Oath Before the House Judiciary CommitteeToday Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL) called for former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan to appear before the House Judiciary Committee to testify under oath regarding the devastating revelations made in his new book on the Bush

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-67145677398267936502008-05-30T18:02:00.013-05:002008-05-30T18:26:00.921-05:00

a hearing on the hill, next month,may lead to sworn testimony that andy card directed scottie mcCee to vouch forscooter libby's credibility -- while fitzwas at work investigating l'affair d'plame.and that, my friends, smells a lot like felonyobstruction of justice, and relatedconspiracy counts, if scottie's version is to be be-lieved -- deemed credible. and so thinks chairman conyers. we may have

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-52578183054052573462008-05-29T22:39:00.011-05:002008-05-30T06:42:52.152-05:00

EW is in very fine form here. . .[the final paragraphs below, actuallyappear in a later post than the onedugg, and linked, so you should goread everything she writes about this"scottie mcCee" book -- just don't. buy. the. book. ever. -- she'll give us allwe need to know about it -- withoutlining that unctious man's pockets.]do follow this link.". . .Scottie McC doesn't know it yet. But that's

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-9395255456429825852008-05-21T13:02:00.015-05:002008-06-05T12:42:22.899-05:00

the issue of whether dick cheneymay be deposed at all, may ultimatelyend up before the tenth cicuit, andthen on to the s.c.o.t.u.s., i guess.last night, the "king of hush" filed hislatest effort to resist even being servedwith a notice of deposition, in the falsearrest case filed by a first amendmentplaintiff, steven howards in the coloradofederal district courthouse.dick's defense? i am [

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-76389970000555944262008-05-12T18:12:00.004-05:002008-05-12T18:16:34.935-05:00

do take a look:

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-1667150012678856852008-05-09T22:50:00.006-05:002008-05-09T23:01:07.882-05:00

tonight the new york times isrunning a very disturbing story -- erikprince's blackwater worldwide still does contract work, providing security in iraq forthe united states state department, undercondoleezza rice. disgusting:. . .The chief reason for the company’s survival? State Department officials said Friday that they did not believe they had any alternative to Blackwater, which supplies about

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-34337142644267983172008-05-01T12:55:00.015-05:002008-06-06T16:21:11.356-05:00

[IMPORTANT UPDATE -- 06.05.08 -- all-new court filing here.]our faithful readers will recall that we are awaiting a final, appealable ruling of the preliminary -- magistrate's -- denial of mr. howard's right to make public the video depositions referred to below. this is from howards' counsel -- and, his latest motion (just filed this very morning!) to free the video-tapes. let's listen in, shall

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-63899955917585697862008-04-28T14:05:00.010-05:002008-04-30T07:44:09.544-05:00

. . .we might live in a muchmore peaceful world, right now. . . i post this, as hopeful evidencethat the young people -- the peopleinto whose hands this rather sordidlegacy will fall -- are likely, eventhough hobbled by our prior choices -- togovern more more wisely, and live morepeacefully, than this outgoing generationof people -- those running things, but for these last few moments, only. . .

condornoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-3902866204705893692008-04-22T21:45:00.006-05:002008-04-22T22:40:21.863-05:00

again, H/T thinkprogress, here. . .the "king of hush" falsely claimed, ina speech before the manhattan instituteyesterday, that FISA had been allowed toexpire. in fact, it was the atrocious"protect america act" (that um. . .didn't),that expired.never fear -- he'll slap a restraining order, followed with a full-on ball-gag-order, on anyone who tries to straighten him out about this.so -- forget i

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-42953552965303810542008-04-22T21:18:00.008-05:002008-04-22T21:43:50.401-05:00

more of dick cheney's now-goofy quest for secrecy -- abouteverything -- everything! -- hetouches, arrests, tortures or laterlies about. [today, H/T thinkprogress, we learned that addington personallyapproved the jack bauer-esque approachto interrogation down at gitmo -- now,he did so, with 'berto plainly in tow, but when he did so -- yep! -- he was dick's no. one -- chief lawyer. this little fact

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-39834553904152988732008-04-17T07:49:00.008-05:002008-04-17T08:32:44.313-05:00

more in a few moments, but the judge's magistrate, craig b. schaffer just published his order:. . .In particular, the court expressed a concern that any method of service would merely precipitate a motion to quash. If those suspicions were correct, it might be more efficient to address as a threshold matter whether an involuntary deposition of the Vice President should go forward on any basis. .

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-46571772975485272472008-04-15T10:05:00.005-05:002008-04-15T10:14:04.476-05:00

per the minute order, entered April 11, 2008:IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURTFOR THE DISTRICT OF COLORADOJudge Wiley Y. DanielCivil Action No. 06-cv-01964-WYD-CBSSTEVEN HOWARDS,Plaintiff,v.VIRGIL D. “GUS” REICHLE, JR., et al.,Defendants.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~MINUTE ORDER~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ORDER ENTERED BY JUDGE WILEY Y. DANIEL~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Office of the Vice President’s Unopposed Motion for an

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-3301061618399291702008-04-10T09:00:00.006-05:002008-04-10T09:06:04.824-05:00

no words will capture this adequately; just watch it:

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-63816179260520232612008-04-08T20:03:00.010-05:002008-04-08T20:29:32.564-05:00

chairman conyers expects prof. john yoo to appear and answer questions,before the house judiciary committee, onmatters related to his issuance of the OLClegal opinion cheney relied upon to torturedetainees at guantanamo, and at secret blacksite prisons elsewhere around the world.this is the opinion that michael mukasey called "worse than a mistake -- it was a sin."it seems john yoo has been busy

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-8828671607854722602008-04-04T18:51:00.010-05:002008-04-04T19:08:00.697-05:00

this case has already receivedpretty wide-spread attention, in theprogressive blog-space, but it bearsrepeating -- this goodling-driven firing showcases the very worst ofthe pernicious discrimination under-way in the department of justice, untiljust very recently -- all fostered by the towering ineptitude of alberto gonzales,and the tacit approval and endorsement of the dick (cheney, that is --

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-74071959424317390252008-03-27T21:43:00.007-05:002008-03-27T22:03:35.335-05:00

this, from the incomparable john prine[he, of "sabu the elephant boy", now three decades ago] -- this was offered, a fewdays back on firedoglake, sansthe lyrics -- so, i repost it here, withlyrics, this time, because prine's poetry is far too sublime, and simple, in afolksie-elegant-way, to miss. . .lyrics:Some Humans Ain't HumanJohn Prineuuum-huuum ummm-huuumuuum-huuum ummm-huuumSome humans

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-82770616744184306752008-03-25T21:52:00.007-05:002008-03-25T22:24:20.756-05:00

this is slightly O/T for my blog, butper the fine suggestion of liberality, iurge everyone to watch this sixty-second clip.[or watch the longer one on now, over at liberality's joint.]if you like what you hear and see, do gohere to find a theatre simulcasting theevent tomorrow -- the 26th -- near your town:increase thep e a c eand, as james whitmore so wisely ">suggests above, let us all feel

condornoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-64979091792668303272008-03-24T21:54:00.010-05:002008-03-25T09:40:24.038-05:00

this is every bit as well-run-downas the earlier, stellar "cheney's law."do go watch all of both episodes on-line at pbs.org, but here is a tasteof what you're in for:. . .In the fall of 2001, even as America was waging a war in Afghanistan, another hidden war was being waged inside the administration. . . Bush's War tells the story of this behind-the-scenes battle over whether Iraq would be the

condornoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-83068060255672811642008-03-24T17:07:00.018-05:002008-03-25T07:43:56.959-05:00

did dick cheney -- as one secret serviceagent suggested (under oath) -- order two other secret service agents, guarding dick,to file false reports about the incidentthat led to the arrest of coloradoan steven howards? did dick?that is what this is all about.and, i believe this is a web-exclusive:here is the salient portion of stevenhowards' argument for access, by thepress, and public, to the

condornoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-65293278308464578762008-03-24T07:45:00.011-05:002008-03-26T07:03:48.056-05:00

this is truly tragic -- over 97 percentof these deaths came AFTER cheney-bushidiotically declared "mission accomplished!"in may, 2003. . .4,000 of our uniformed service-people, nowvanished into the mists of eternity -- onein six were not even old enough to drink. . .two dozen were old enough for an AARP card. . .twenty-two died on thanksgiving days, or on christmases, and at least five on their

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-19847753182359920882008-03-23T19:58:00.021-05:002008-03-24T07:38:28.970-05:00

join me! celebrate the fiftieth of themost famous symbol of disarmamentthe world has ever known -- and, no,it is not a satanic symbol (some-times falsely-called an inverted, "broken" christian cross -- nope!) -- as the below nyt-derived graphic makes visually-plain, it isthe combination of the "N", and "D" flag positions, fromamerican semiphore -- flag signing -- coupled with the wholeworld (thus

condornoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-72131139812476257492008-03-21T18:02:00.014-05:002008-05-28T15:29:45.815-05:00

UPDATE -- 05.28.08:i think what so many of you aresearching for today, actually wasposted to the back-up site for thisblog -- if you have heard aboutsome rather outrageously libelousremarks regarding this young man,on the web -- they were posted inthe comments to the back up site,at wordpress -- used only when thissite experiences outages -- which itrarely does, any longer.click the above link,

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-19552501382408003162008-03-20T21:14:00.009-05:002008-03-21T11:34:01.079-05:00

the raw footage is everywhere,but, for whatever reason, tonight, ifeel an abiding need to speak truthinto the face of his arrogance. this man is paid by me -- he works for me -- he is supposed to listen to me.dick -- are you listening? two-thirdsof us, your bosses -- we are speaking toyou -- and we have been, for nearly threeand one half years, now. this is not afleeting "fluctuation" of fickle

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-2927045654835556712008-03-20T11:45:00.002-05:002008-03-20T11:51:05.994-05:00

to go read it, click below -- as EW so cogently sez:"An entire party full of corrupt lawyers yet to be disbarred. "A three-judge panel on the D.C. Court of Appeals stripped Libby of his ability to practice law after he was found guilty last year of obstructing the investigation in the CIA leak investigation, WTOP radio reported." Next up, Alberto Gonzales? Harriet Miers? John Yoo? David

condornoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-67369247538476334222008-03-19T13:32:00.007-05:002008-03-21T19:39:00.792-05:00

think progress has it, on video.it is only about 45 seconds -- butit is of truly-napoleonic proportions. . .do go watch.or just click below, now: [higher-res version] Click To Play he is a wanna'-be emperor.d i c k.three-and-a-half yearsis no "fluctuation", mr.clusterf#@k. . .full-stop.[UPDATE: back-up data for AP pollgraphic in my video

condornoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-36260316122212141112008-03-19T10:11:00.016-05:002008-05-28T15:28:40.911-05:00

UPDATE -- 05.28.08:i think what so many of you aresearching for today, actually wasposted to the back-up site for thisblog -- if you have heard aboutsome rather outrageously libelousremarks regarding this young man,on the web -- they were posted inthe comments to the back up site,at wordpress -- used only when thissite experiences outages -- which itrarely does, any longer.click the above link,

condornoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-13697446505151390092008-03-19T00:06:00.008-05:002008-03-20T16:03:03.134-05:00

[click above image, to enlarge it.]. . .At the outset of the Iraq war, the Bushadministration predicted that it would cost $50 billion to $60 billion to oust Saddam Hussein, restore order and install a new government. Now, five years later, the Pentagon says the cost of the war is "roughly $600 billion and counting". . .-- Joseph E. Stiglitz,Nobel Prize-Winner,Economicsthere are hundreds of

condornoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-58403740701566481402008-03-19T00:03:00.000-05:002008-03-19T04:07:45.669-05:00

30,000 strong, we marched, sang, danced, meditated, prayed and spoke for peace -- nation- wide, over 120,000 did so, on 10.27.07. some of the stills are also here; and a more-complete flickr-set is now here -- but here is a three- minute video of all that it was -- and can be:apparently even the commander of the eques-trian unit of the city's finest had to agree -- it was a thing of beauty,

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-91067187218426189712008-03-18T10:32:00.013-05:002008-03-20T11:54:24.042-05:00

finally(!) -- he puts it to rest -- not that he shouldhave to, mind you, but politicalrealities are what they are. of course, it will all come up, again,for that is the nature of our nationalfascination with skin color; but for now,he has made a defining statement. and itis, to my eye, of historic proportions.we must move forward; not back.this is from his ongoing remarks, right now:“We the

condornoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-49514326701867474602008-03-18T09:23:00.014-05:002008-03-18T10:08:08.969-05:00

as has been widely-reported, ex-qwestCEO joe nacchio has been granted a "do-over" on his criminal insider-trading (basedon so-called "soft information" -- heput out, that then didn't pan out) convictions.what interested EW, talkleft, andnow, me (late to the party, as ever!),is the breadth of the new trial order.it grants nacchio an entirely new court,new judge and new jury -- thus, it portendsthe

condornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-70132996757334637852008-03-16T18:53:00.021-05:002008-03-16T20:46:40.146-05:00

this post wonders whether thevice president is truly above the law.[the background on this is here.]remember, of course, that our 42ndpresident of the united states acceptedservice of a subpoena, and actually sat fora deposition, in a civil matter, while hewas the sitting president -- because heunderstood that the rule of law appliedeven to a sitting president, and he had knowlege of matters that

condornoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2322271369444984672.post-87951772119319796352008-03-15T07:47:00.002-05:002008-03-15T07:50:28.158-05:00

EW writes: "In addition to Leonard Boswell, the following Representatives who originally signed the Blue Dog letter to Nancy Pelosi in support of the SSCI bill voted for the House bill today. . ."read more | digg story

condornoreply@blogger.com1