Ann Coulter vs. Elizabeth Edwards on Hardball

Anthony @ 08.00 BST

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Expert: Wiretap Subpoenas May Open Bush To Impeachment

by- Suzie-Q @ 8:44 PM MST

Keith Olbermann announced on Wednesday’s Countdown that the White House is refusing on grounds of executive privilege to honor Senate subpoenas and release documents relating to its warrantless wiretapping. In addition, Vice President Cheney’s chief of staff, David Addington, has sent a letter to Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) saying Cheney’s office will not comply with oversight by the National Archives because it is not “an agency.”

Olbermann then turned to law professor Joanathan Turley, who agreed tentatively that the administration might move slowly enough to “run out the clock” on its time in office. “But there is one thing that might concern them about the court,” Turley said, “and that is, you know, for many years, since we first found out about this program, some of us have said that this was a clearly criminal act that the president called for. … If we’re right, not only did he order that crime, but it would be, in fact, an impeachable offense.”

“Both sides, both Democrats and Republicans, have avoided this sort of pig in the parlor,” Turley continued. “They don’t want to recognize that this president may have ordered criminal offenses. But they may now be on the road to do that, because the way Congress can get around the executive privilege in court is to say, we’re investigating a potential crime.”

Olbermann went on to joke that the attempt to pin down Cheney’s real nature is starting to sound like a game of 20 Questions. Turley laughed and said, “The position adopted by Mr. Addington and Mr. Cheney, to put it bluntly, was absurd. … In past administrations, if someone like Mr. Addington made such a moronic argument as this one, they would be out of a job the next week. … I think that what it really shows is the lack of sort of adult supervision within the administration.”

Olbermann probed further into why Cheney has given up claiming he is not part of the executive branch but is still not complying with the order. “Is this an attempt to stop what Congressman Emanuel talked about yesterday, cutting off the funding? Is it just more smokescreen?”

“This administration, I have to say, has a certain contempt for the law,” said Turley. “They treat it like some of my criminal defendents used to treat it. … They come up with any argument that might work. … It’s a sort of shocking development. … But at the end of the day, they will lose, and they’re making the situation worse.”

The following video is from MSNBC’s Countdown, broadcast on June 27.

Video

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Updates #1 and #2: Jeane Palfrey

by- Suzie-Q @ 6:30 PM MST

UPDATE #1:

HELLO…

The United States Supreme Court denied my motion (Case #06A1110) to stay the criminal proceeding and return my case to the civil courts, this morning. The motion before the Supreme Court involved a time sensitive Congressional mandate, which clearly states that individuals who have had their property seized via the civil asset forfeiture process – as I have – are to receive a hearing within 30 days, once such a motion is made. In my situation, the motion was submitted twice to the lower District Court and ignored twice by the presiding judge, Judge Gladys Kessler. I now have gone well over 200 days, since last fall without any due process in the matter.

Based upon this morning’s decision, my civil attorney, Mr. Montgomery B. Sibley will be contacting post haste Senator Patrick Lehey, Chairperson of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Sincerely,

Jeane Palfrey

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UPDATE #2:

HELLO…

Attached please find my civil attorney, Mr. Montgomery B. Sibley’s letter to Senator Patrick Lehey, Chair, Committee on the Judiciary – United States Senate and Congressman John Conyers, Jr., Chair, Committee on the Judiciary – U.S. House of Representatives regarding the refusal by ANY of the federal courts – including the U.S. Supreme Court – to date, to grant my congressionally mandated right to a 30 day hearing for a determination of whether the Government’s confiscation of my property, on October 4, 2006 was proper.

As I noted in yesterday’s missive, Mr. Sibley has carried this matter all the way to the United States Supreme Court, where just yesterday the request before the Court to stay the criminal proceeding against me and return my case to the civil arena – in order to address this flagrant violation of my civil rights – unbelievably was denied without explanation.

One has to question how such an egregious breach of my rights under law, as an American citizen can be so blatantly abused. The law here is very clear. There is no ambiguity whatsoever. “Congress has imposed upon a district court a duty – within 30 days of a motion to return property – to determine if the claimant’s seized property should be immediately returned to her”. As previously stated, I am now well over 200 days without any due process.

Unfortunately, such practice is sweeping in this country and affects a myriad of individuals. More unfortunate is the fact the overwhelming majority of these persons go without redress ultimately. Even with stellar representation, the courts often disregard the law, as they have here in my situation.

Sincerely,

Jeane Palfrey

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The Spin; I’m In! Dying for Democracy ?!

by GEF @ 6:14 PM EDT

A DEDICATION TO OUR TROOPS IN IRAQ AND ELSEWHERE!

Metallica – One

WHERE’S THE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THEIR PAIN ?

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Do YOU want a President (ROMNEY) who would strap his dog to the roof of his car in a carrier for hours?

Posted by Basheert @2:34 PM MST

Well, he certainly has proven that he isn’t worthy of anyone’s vote – cruelty to animals is a big NO NO in politics!!!

here

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Welcome Jeane Palfrey!

by- Suzie-Q @ 1:10 PM MST

Good Afternoon Justice Bloggers!

I have been in communication with Jeane Palfrey, with a referral from my good friend, Prissy Patriot. Thank you Prissy! 😉

Ms. Palfrey has graciously granted me permission to share pieces from her blog with my viewers, so that you can get to know her better. With that said, she and her civil attorney, Mr. Montgomery B. Sibley,
may be reading our comments! 🙂

An update from Prissy’s blog:

Update: From The Globe Dick Cheney Call Girl Scandal National security expert Wayne Madsen says that while Cheney was the CEO and president of Halliburton in the 1990s, he used the escort service, where $300 bought a 90-minute-session of what Palfrey called “erotic fantasy.”

 

Deborah J. (Jeane) Palfrey’s assets and entire life’s savings were seized by the Internal Revenue Service, on October 4, 2006, without notice. This was done via the civil asset forfeiture process and based upon the government’s allegations that Ms. Palfrey had operated a prostitution business, in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, from 1993 through August of 2006, when she ceased operation and retired.

Ms. Palfrey adamantly disputes the government’s claims of illegal behavior. The business, Pamela Martin and Associates®, functioned as a high-end adult fantasy firm which offered legal sexual and erotic services across the spectrum of adult sexual behavior and did so without incident during its 13 year tenure.

Ms. Palfrey has chosen to stand up for what is right and not permit the government to do to her what it has done to so many other citizens embroiled in essence.

Jeane Palfrey:

“I just keep my head high. I guess I’m made of something that Brandy Britton wasn’t made of. You know, I’ve got something in me. What that is, it can’t be defined, but there’s something in me that won’t let ’em get away with it. And I’m not going to let these bastards get away with it.”

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~WMD and Dr. David Kelly?~All options are on the table~

by Geezer Power …1:09 PM PDT

Now that Great Briton has a new prime minister it is high time that there is some accountability there as well as in the US. The death of David Kelly was swept under the carpet and BBC News was called on the carpet for printing articles by him on WMD’s. The head of BBC and two of the journalists were fired over this, and the BBC has not been the fair and balanced news that it previously was.

Who Ordered the Assassination of Dr. David Kelly?

by Michel Chossudovsky

The British media has become embroiled in yet another set of distortions regarding the death of British government weapons inspector Dr. David Kelly in July 2003. Kelly died in mysterious circumstances in the woods near his home in Oxfordshire.

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Hypocrisy walks among us

by- Captain Kit @ noon PST

The immigration debate is heating up again, now that the war issue has chosen up sides and continues forward, no one really interested in stopping it. Those facing reelection pretend they are or will or might and speak loudly but carry a little stick.

Same with immigration. I lived in California for 40 years so I’m pretty familiar with illegals and the advantages and disadvantages. The difference now is that the problem isn’t limited to large coastal cities – easily ignored – but has permeated the heartland. They tend to welcome the first wave or at least treat them with benign neglect. Soon, however, as it goes from dozens to hundreds to thousands of poor people that impacts everything: schools, traffic, emergency rooms, shelters, neighborhoods.

Feeling isolated, needing to say under the radar, these groups congregate in ever growing numbers. People take notice and begin to worry. Yes, they add value by filling bottom-rung jobs but why so many? Because everyone benefits – schools are paid for every child, legal or not. Anyone with a rental soon learns they can look the other way as 20 people live in one unit and then charge more while ignoring repairs. Then get outraged that the two families they rented to soon brought over four more families to sublet. It’s equal opportunity sleazy behavior.

Forged documents aren’t even a challenge to get. Anyone wandering a border town or certain parts of LA will be approached with an offer of $500, the going rate for social security card and drivers license. This protects the employer from prosecution.

Take away the jobs, take away the illegals. But ask communities where that was done. The economy suffers. Plenty make money off the cheap labor. Many can’t find replacement workers at the same price. It’s a trickle down effect. So while people complain that it’s a problem few are willing to lose the benefits.

There aren’t enough border agents to do the job. President Bush says he’s fighting terrorism but our borders are porous, thousands traipse across daily with forged or stolen documents. Soon enough terrorists will figure out that learning Spanish will get them into our infrastructure.

The Iraq War is costing us billions if not trillions of dollars and accomplishing little. In fact, it’s arguably making the Middle East more unstable and long term even more expensive. Again, while many discuss it, look at the cottage industry sprung up around this war, the books, the pundits, the consultants, the talk shows. The soldiers over there risking life and limb are almost an afterthought, a political sound bite. “If you don’t support this war you are putting soldiers in harms’ way!”

What if we had put all that money, all those billions into hiring and training border guards and airport screeners and the latest techno-gadgets so that we can track every person in this country? Not big brother-like, invasion of privacy, just knowing who is not supposed to be here. A person with an expired visa would be dispatched home because the State Dept would be given the resources to do so.

This war is a black hole sucking up money. We don’t want to fight terrorists or stop illegal immigration, we just want to feel good about doing something. That ambivalence opens up a great wide vacuum for our politicians and our pundits to offer us sound bites instead of solutions. As citizens we don’t want to be bothered, with 300 cable channels and phones that go with us, we got stuff to do. We want illegals to clean up after us and serve us but not march and demand basic rights. Now, realizing they are 12 million strong and infiltrating every industry, they are beginning to realize they can demand. Politicians see voters, business sess cheap labor, neighbors feel superior, human rights workers see purpose.

So really, what’s the problem?

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Cheney, others served with subpoenas by wiretapping investigators

Anthony @ 20:00 BST

The Senate Judiciary Committee has served Vice President Dick Cheney and other officials in the White House and Justice Department with subpoenas over President George W. Bush’s warrantless wiretapping programs.

“Over the past 18 months, this Committee has made no fewer than nine formal requests to the Department of Justice and to the White House, seeking information and documents about the authorization of and legal justification for this program,” Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in a statement released to RAW STORY. “All requests have been rebuffed. Our attempts to obtain information through testimony of Administration witnesses have been met with a consistent pattern of evasion and misdirection.”

The subpoenas were authorized last week by the Judiciary Committee by a 13-3 vote, and target “documents related to authorization and reauthorization of the program or programs; the legal analysis or opinions about the surveillance; orders, decisions, or opinions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) concerning the surveillance; agreements between the Executive Branch and telecommunications or other companies regarding liability for assisting with or participating in the surveillance; and documents concerning the shutting down of an investigation of the Department of Justice’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) relating to the surveillance,” according to the release.

In the subpoena letters, Leahy made particular reference to the Bush administration’s attempts to roll back existing oversight of the domestic spying program conducted through the National Security Agency.

“This Committee’s inquiry into this warrantless electronic surveillance is essential to the performance of its constitutional legislative and oversight responsibilities,” he wrote. “The Administration has asked Congress to make sweeping changes to FISA – a crucial national security authority over which the Judiciary Committee has jurisdiction. It is impossible to make informed legislative decisions without understanding fully the Administration’s interpretation of FISA and the perceived flaws in that legislation that led the Administration to operate a program outside of its provisions for more than five years.”

More

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A GOP Plan To Oust Cheney

Anthony @ 19:01 BST

Dick Cheney out in the cold, hopefully sometime soon.

Sally Quinn
WaPo

The big question right now among Republicans is how to remove Vice President Cheney from office. Even before this week’s blockbuster series in The Post, discontent in Republican ranks was rising.

As the reputed architect of the war in Iraq, Cheney is viewed as toxic, and as the administration’s leading proponent of an attack on Iran, he is seen as dangerous. As long as he remains vice president, according to this thinking, he has the potential to drag down every member of the party — including the presidential nominee — in next year’s elections.

Removing a sitting vice president is not easy, but this may be the moment. I remember Barry Goldwater sitting in my parents’ living room in 1973, in the last days of Watergate, debating whether to lead a group of senior Republicans to the White House to tell President Nixon he had to go. His hesitation was that he felt loyalty to the president and the party. But in the end he felt a greater loyalty to his country, and he went to the White House.

Today, another group of party elders, led by Sen. John Warner of Virginia, could well do the same. They could act out of concern for our country’s plummeting reputation throughout the world, particularly in the Middle East.

For such a plan to work, however, they would need a ready replacement. Until recently, there hasn’t been an acceptable alternative to Cheney — nor has there been a persuasive argument to convince President Bush to make a change. Now there is.

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