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Senator introduces bill to ban practice allowing Bush to secretly change meaning of laws
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Nick Juliano
Raw Story
September 17, 2008
The Bush administration’s practice of relying on classified legal “opinions” from the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Council to reinterpret laws to mean whatever the president needs them to mean has produced such gems as “extraordinary rendition” and “enhanced interrogation.”
With George W. Bush just a few short months from returning to his Texas ranch full time, two Democratic lawmakers have introduced legislation that would prevent the White House’s next occupant from engaging in similar efforts to rewrite the law.
“This administration has used OLC opinions to develop a secret set of binding rules that fly in the face of laws passed by Congress on matters ranging from torture to warrantless wiretapping,” Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) said in a news release. “By hiding these opinions from view, the administration prevents Congress from restoring the rule of law through oversight or legislation. This bill represents an important step toward curbing secret law and restoring the balance of power between the White House and Congress.”
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Feingold, who has been among the fiercest critics of the administration’s power grabs, introduced the OLC Reporting Act in the Senate, with Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC) introducing companion legislation in the House. It’s unlikely the bill will be passed this year — and even if it was, Bush would almost certainly veto it — but the legislation provides a starting point for the next Congress to begin undoing Bush’s damage.
According to a release from Feingold’s office, the bill would:
· Require the Attorney General to notify Congress within 30 days when the Justice Department issues a legal opinion that:
o concludes that a federal statute is unconstitutional;
o relies on the “doctrine of constitutional avoidance,” which was used by Yoo and his colleagues to justify strained interpretations of the law;
o relies on other interpretive tools to avoid applying the law to the executive branch; or
o decides that a federal law has been repealed by a later statute when the later statute does not say so explicitly.
· Retain existing statutory protections for privileged information, while ensuring that Congress receives the information necessary to perform its legislative and oversight functions.
· Protect national security through special procedures for the submission of classified information.
Feingold recently held hearings on Bush’s reliance on secret law in the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, which he chairs.
The Wisconsin Democrat is among the Senate’s fiercest civil libertarians and was an outspoken opponent of the Foreign Intelligence Service Act amendments Congress adopted earlier this year. In keeping with his focus on instituting corrections in the next administration, Feingold held a hearing Tuesday on restoring the rule of law.
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September 17th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Sounds like a band-aid for a severed aorta, and possibly just more chicanery. Why not just prosecute Bush for the crimes he’s already committed? “But, but, but, we can’t because he changed the laws to protect himself.” Yeah, but didn’t he ILLEGALLY change the law, IN VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION!?!?!?
“· Require the Attorney General to notify Congress within 30 days when the Justice Department issues a legal opinion that:”…
Break the law and violate the Constitution, but just let us know about it, would ya? …Within a month or so…
Hmmm, couldn’t the damage already be done by then?
September 17th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
introduce a bill to eliminate presidential directives also !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
youtube.com/goldieshome
September 17th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
#2 Rich, I think you might be referring to ‘executive orders’, a true sign of martial law being developed in the US. Point taken and I agree!
September 17th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Smoke and mirrors. Who is that Wizard pulling the ropes? Oh yeah, The Great and Wonderous OZ and a munchkin named G.W. Bush with his flying monkey, Cheney. The Republicans and Democrats are a bunch of liers and prostitutes for big money corporations. Anything that helps them make money is what the president has supported. More blood, more money and more lies. The whole bunch needs real justice administered on their lame bodies in a vigourous manner and with leather whips. Let them eat cake!!!!
September 17th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Below gives answers to author of patriot act and founder of homeland security.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....re=related
September 17th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
More smoke and mirrors, oour government is so corrupt and stupid new world order puppet cowards they are pathetic, discusting, and sorry as hell as the saying goes. He is not going to do anything, he is simply looking for votes, and or pertending like he understands and or has some intentitions on obeying the Constitution that he took an oath to obey!!! Until I see some of thses puppet cowards put some of these crimnal idiots in our governnent in jail for the crimes they are comiting, not one or two years, 10+, then and then only will this country be saved from destruction, otherwise i wouldn’t trust any good intention crap and or bulls--- that comes from kone of these government tax consuming pupblic criminal servants, talk is cheap!!!!!!!
September 17th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
“A government of the people”? Or a GVT by a single individual?
September 18th, 2008 at 2:07 am
These people are master manipulators! For instance the corrupt individuals in the dallas ftworth are known for framing people and then feeding the innocent person just enough information to manipulate them. If you don’t know anything don’t worry they will teach you. Just not in the traditional legal sense. It has to always be with plausible deniability so they don’t have to face any legal consequences. Baiting for instance, if you are going to use bait on someone doesn’t it need to be inconspicuous. The only way I can explain their techniques is they seem to be pavlovian in nature where they will identify a paticular idea with any number of things. They often use something out of a news story. Once you have learned the idea and it’s trigger they can drill it into you thousands of times and expand into other directions with the ideas with complete plausable deniability. It becomes a secret language they can use right out in the open. It then becomes a tool of bondage and oppression once these techniques are taught to the general public. These are secret torture techniques currently being used. They can be used to brainwash people or force them to talk. Several years ago a man walked into the wedgewood baptist church in ft worth texas and started shooting everyone. He had been experiencing many problems which where well documented. He had gone to the police on several occasions saying he thought he might be a suspect in several area crimes. Now what might have given him the idea that he would be a suspect in any crimes. I suggest he was a target of these same techniques. Im not sure if they are secretly shopping for patsies or someone who will be dumb or weak minded enough to be molded into the person they need. It makes for the perfect victim because the person is unable to seek help or articulate what might be happening to them. Once the individuals mind has been taken over by the thousands and thousands of repedetive suggestions and ideas with no real way to respond the person gets increasingly frustrated. At this point is where they might use provocatuers or other techniques to make the person snap. Then you get things like a wedgewood or maybe colombine? Like I said I am not really sure if these are legitimate agencies or some black ops for creating mass shooters. I do know they need to be exposed.
September 18th, 2008 at 3:33 am
Did anyone watch Shia Lebeuf the other night on Jay Leno? He was on promoting his new movie, Eagle Eye. He stated there were FBI (current or former) personelle on set to make sure that the movie was accurate. He was not believing at first until the gentleman played back a phone call that Shia had made 2 YEARS AGO. The agent then explained they tape about 1 in 5 phone calls of all types. They are also able to listen into your house through your ADT speaker system and shut down your car using your onstar system. After saying that, Jay Leno and the entire crowd was stunned and for once that idiot, Jay, was speechless. HE SAID HE WAS LITERALLY STUNNED, as was I when i first heard it and had to rewind the dvr to hear him again. Sooooo, basicly we have this admission on tv, now who’s gonna say something about it?????
September 18th, 2008 at 5:46 am
Unite !
September 18th, 2008 at 8:57 am
why should we need a law saying the executive can’t break the law? Just f---ing enforce the law he’s already broken! Impeach already!
September 18th, 2008 at 9:22 am
The name of the Bill which this article refers to is:
the OLA Reporting Act (S.3501).
For more info. on it, go to:
http://www.fas.org/sgp/congress/2008/s3501.html
Contact your Senators and Congressmen/women and tell them to support it.
September 18th, 2008 at 10:07 am
#11, you got that right.
September 18th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Hmm… This coming from the man who, with John McCain, created a law that limits free speech.
September 18th, 2008 at 11:31 am
I’m with #1. They could just enforce the Constitution.
September 18th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
I love it finally some steps forward go dems.
September 18th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
you all better hope Bush leaves office! it’s still uncertain if he’ll decide to just stay president…
even if he leaves we are forever tainted with the fact that we didn’t impeach him and remove him from office!
September 18th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Is this a good sign that at least some Lawyers know what is going on, or that they are at least willing to uphold the Law.
get the info out to the Troops, we need them aware also. Dont assume they Know what is going on, the human mind can only concentrate on so much, the NWO knows this, thats why they are bombarding us with Rubbish all day, every day.
September 20th, 2008 at 2:48 am
Too little, way too late.
September 20th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
What about all the other s--- that maggot has done.
September 20th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
this is a good thing !!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-t7PmonBEA
September 21st, 2008 at 5:33 pm
BUSH, THE NEW HITLER, IS DOING HIS BEST TO DESTROY THIS NATION. IT MAY BE A LITTLE TO LATE TO STOP THIS NEW WORLD ORDER PUPPET. THE CONSTIITUTION IS NOTHING TO THE FASCIST BUSH BUT SOME WILL NOT TURN THEIR HEADS. NEVER GIVE UP. NEVER QUIT. GOD IS BEHIND THE RIGHTOUS!!
September 22nd, 2008 at 7:43 am
The constitution will survive. Whether by peaceful means or forceful it will not fall. Good will always prevail over evil.
September 22nd, 2008 at 2:54 pm
f--- bush I can’t stand his ass. I hop he burn in hell.. I don’t y he didn’t get inpeach yet…