Bush Loves Promoting Torture Promoters

Posted by Liliana Segura, AlterNet at 3:06 PM on January 25, 2008.

I know all eyes were on FISA, but also this week, the White House re-nominated one of its favorite pro-torture lawyers to a top DOJ post.

Steven G. Bradbury is, as reported by yesterday's New York Times, "the author of classified memorandums that gave approval to harsh interrogation techniques, including head slapping, exposure to cold and simulated drowning, even when used in combination." It's only natural that the Bush administration would want to promote such a man to head the Justice Department's Office of Legal Council. But in this case, he pretty much already has the job. In fact, he's been running the office for two years -- Senate confirmation be damned.

I find this mystifying, and apparently, so do the Democrats, who have been protesting for months that Bradbury occupies his post illegally.

For some back story, this post -- conveniently titled, "Who Is Steve Bradbury?" -- might help. Among other things, it provides some of his greatest hits:

Throughout 2006, Bradbury argued forcefully that the Supreme Court's rejection of the administration's military tribunals in terrorism cases was incorrectly decided. He argued that Geneva Conventions language barring "humiliating and degrading treatment" was hopelessly vague, and subject to "uncertain and unpredictable application." He was a leading advocate of the Military Commissions Act of 2006, which revoked habeas corpus for terrorism detainees. He authored an opinion immunizing ex-White House counsel Harriet Miers from testifying in the U.S. attorneys investigation…

A spokesman for Sen. Dick Durbin, who has been a leading critic of Bradbury's tenure, said yesterday that "the president has thumbed his nose at Congress" (again) by picking (again) "an individual who has been involved in authorizing some of the most controversial policies of this administration." Durbin, of course, is a member of the Senate Judiciary, which will have to, um, approve the nomination.

At least in theory.

Or something.

Liliana Segura is an AlterNet staff writer and editor of the Rights & Liberties section.