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Alberto Gonzales Backpedals on Torture Probe

Posted by Steve Benen, Washington Monthly at 3:53 PM on September 3, 2009.


And to think, this disgraced former Bush administration official struggled to find a job in the legal profession. Imagine that.

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SOMEONE GOT TO ALBERTO.... It was a pleasant surprise earlier this week when former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales signaled his support for the Justice Department' investigation of alleged CIA interrogation abuses.

"We worked very hard to establish ground rules and parameters about how to deal with terrorists," Gonzales said. "And if people go beyond that, I think it is legitimate to question and examine that conduct to ensure people are held accountable for their actions, even if it's action in prosecuting the war on terror."

Apparently, when Gonzales said "legitimate," he didn't mean "legitimate."

Former Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales said Thursday that his previous assertion that it was "legitimate to question and examine" charges of CIA abuses of suspected terrorists did not mean he endorsed such an investigation.

"Contrary to press reporting and based on the information that's available to me," Mr. Gonzales said during an interview Thursday with The Washington Times, "I don't support the investigation by the department because this is a matter that has already been reviewed thoroughly and because I believe that another investigation is going to harm our intelligence gathering capabilities and that's a concern that's shared by career intelligence officials and so for those reasons I respectfully disagree with the decision."

On Monday, Mr. Gonzales told The Washington Times radio program that he understood Attorney Eric H. Holder Jr.'s inquiry would look at "the 1 percent of actors who went beyond the legal limits prescribed by the lawyers at the Department of Justice."

 

And as Zachary Roth noted, Gonzales "spent a portion of the rest of the interview twisting himself into knots to explain why his new position isn't really a contradiction of his old one."

You don't suppose Gonzales accidentally said what was on his mind on Monday, but was quickly told he had to change his mind, do you?

And to think, this disgraced former Bush administration official struggled to find a job in the legal profession. Imagine that.

Digg!

Tagged as: cia, torture, gonzales, roth

Steve Benen is "blogger in chief" of the popular Washington Monthly online blog, Political Animal. His background includes publishing The Carpetbagger Report, and writing for a variety of publications, including Talking Points Memo, The American Prospect, the Huffington Post, and The Guardian. He has also appeared on NPR's "Talk of the Nation," MSNBC's "Rachel Maddow Show," Air America Radio's "Sam Seder Show," and XM Radio's "POTUS '08."


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I'm SHOCKED! Do you hear me? SHOCKED!
Posted by: UnEasyOne on Sep 3, 2009 5:13 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Hoodathunkit?

Actually, I couldn't believe how many idiots were taking this seriously, yesterday.

Once a real investigation starts, there is a chance it can't be contained and confined to a few lower level flunkies - and Gonzoles was in it up to his eyebrows. No doubt someone with an IQ that actually registers mentioned that to the lyin SOS.

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JUST THE WAY I PICTURED IT WOULD HAPPEN
Posted by: VZEQICVA on Sep 3, 2009 6:55 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Chip away at small stuff, just enough to scare them. Now we can move on to the big things. Day by day memories are improving and attitudes changing. It won't happen overnight, but I believe they now know that we're serious. ANNA

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I just got a phone call
Posted by: Sister_Lauren on Sep 3, 2009 8:22 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The person did not identify them-self but said, "We have been watching your work."

Gee that sounds ominous. Am I supposed to be scared?

He said something else but I didn't hear it because I was saying, "Hello, hello." Then he hung up.

Crank callers better figure out I am kind of hard of hearing. Your threats are not going to be effective if I can't even hear them.

I wonder if I should report it to the police. Maybe it was the police. The thing is, hardly anyone has my phone number. Who has my number?

My mom, the Contra Costa Times, my husband and kids, a lawyer, the ombudsman at the Washington Post... I think that is about it. Must have been the CCT. Wow, maybe they are finally going to do a story.

Hooray! Now I really wish I had heard the rest of what he said. If the Contra Costa Times starts taking me seriously instead of treating me like the enemy, we could solve a lot of problems.

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» RE: I just got a phone call Posted by: harryf200
Back Pedal Gonzales?
Posted by: Razional Thinker on Sep 4, 2009 4:39 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
No surprize here. Can anyone say "weakess man I know"? And isn't that why Bush selected him?
Gonzales kneels, always.

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Who cares....
Posted by: JoshuaLudd on Sep 4, 2009 5:21 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Who cares if the people being investigated and those who stand to end up in prison... well... we know that won't happen no matter what... but at least have their names besmirched and their careers hampered think about whether or not it is right to investigate them???

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What annoys me about this kind of thing is that ...
Posted by: harryf200 on Sep 4, 2009 11:12 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
... the same people who will avoid seeing justice being served in their own country, against their own people, will shout the loudest when trying to prosecute the sins of others who are not of their own. Case in point: The Lockerbie Bomber: So much postulating from the moral high ground, about "justice being served", when they can't even see their own war criminals brought to justice.

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"I believe that another investigation is going to harm our intelligence gathering capabilities "
Posted by: Ian MacLeod on Sep 4, 2009 11:14 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Translation from the Gonzo: "If the whole, real truth gets out there, I'm gonna get yanked through the wringer by my boxers..." Poor old Gonzo. He helped enable the illegal kidnapping, incarceration, suffering, torture, murder and other slightly lesser destruction of probably tens of thousands of innocent people of all ages and both genders. If he gets what's coming to him (and don'tcha just know he'll panic and squeal and take a bunch of other assholes and sociopaths with him!) he'll have to live another two hundred years just to be able to suffer that much! And personally I hope that he, John Yoo and that whole sadistic, greedy, lying, thieving,crowd of career criminals get everything that's coming to them!

Ian MacLeod
Activist PRN, Nonprofit, Nonpartisan, 501(C)(3) Corporation.
Veteran, Disabled, Chronic Intractable Pain Patient, 25 years
Oathkeeper.
Primum, non nocere!
Illegitimis non carborundum!

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It always figured Gonza would be the weak link.
Posted by: zipper696 on Sep 4, 2009 1:05 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The fact that he was totally compliant in every "request" from the gangster Cheney and under oath "could not recall" a single answer to any question made it clear that he was not made of the stuff that takes a bullet for the Boss.
This is still the guy to concentrate on, he really does know where the bodies are buried and he still has an outside chance of cutting a deal that would get him 12 months in a country club and probation if he rolled over on those both below and above him.

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DOJ and Homeland Security 1999 - 2009
Posted by: Kimberly on Sep 5, 2009 12:06 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
[CITE: 48CFR3][Page 38-62] TITLE 48--FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM CHAPTER 1--FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION PART 3--IMPROPER BUSINESS PRACTICES [ HHS|HMO illegal agreement T42CFR417.1 systematic Denial of COVERED Claims ] AND PERSONAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST Subpart 3.1--Safeguards The general rule is to avoid strictly any conflict of interest or even the appearance of a conflict of interest in Government-Contractor Relationships. While many Federal laws and regulations place restrictions on the actions of Government personnel, their official conduct must, in addition, be such that they would have no reluctance to make a full public disclosure of their actions
.
Under current United States law, set forth in the USA PATRIOT Act, acts of domestic terrorism are those which: "(A) involve acts dangerous to human life [ HHS|HMO T42CFR417.1 adverse determination - systematic denial of existing Federal Hospital Insurance T42CFR409.33 Claims ] that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States [ T18CFR24CRIMES ] or of any State; (B) appear to be intended-[ T5CFR890.107 FEHB|HMO T42CFR417.1 systematic denial of covered claims - grievance procedure|DOJ Alternate Dispute Resolution T18CFR1518CRIME ] (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population [ to force, fraud by fright, illegal HCFA State OFIS Medicaid Kickback Conversion ]; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and (C) occur primarily within the territorial Jurisdiction of the United States."[3]
.
Investigation and prosecution of fraud related to Federal Health Care Programs is the responsibility of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the FBI and the Department of Justice | U.S. Attorneys
.
2007 - H.R. 3199 SENSENBRENNER - COLOR OF LAW - Judiciary (Subject to a Rule) (Sec. 4) Requires the ATTORNEY GENERAL, on an ANNUAL BASIS [ misprison of a felony ~ T18CFR242CRIME ], to submit to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees a report containing: (1) the Number of Accounts [ Federal HMO HAPCORP.ORG et al racketeering ] from which the Department of Justice (DOJ) has received VOLENTARY DISCLOUSURES [ 1998 U.S. Attorney General and HHS OIG Provider Self-Disclosure Protocol (SDP) Program, see 63 Fed. Reg. 58,399 ~T18CFR286CRIME 1996 HIPAA Violation T18CFR371CRIME Color of Law ] of customer communications or records under provisions authorizing disclosure of the contents of electronic communications in Emergencies [ Federal Hospital Insurance Services ] INVOLVING IMMEDIATE DANGER OF DEATH OR SERIOUS PHYSICAL INJURY [ T42CFR417.1 HHS Employee grievance procedure | Alternate Dispute Resolution 42CFR438.704 adverse determination T42CFR409.33 Anti-dumping Violation ]; and (2) a summary of the basis for voluntary disclosures to DOJ where the pertinent investigation was CLOSED WITHOUT the filing of CRIMINAL CHARGES ( 9-110.100 Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Willfully failed to keep an individual from harm .... 42CFR438.704 misprison of felony T18CFR286CRIME ALLOWING ~ OIG, HCFA, FBI & U.S. Attorneys to conduct Federal HMO Hospital Insurance & HCFA State Medicaid kickback fraud, against American Citizens - Entitled INDIVIDUALs - COLOR of LAW T18CFR242CRIME ~ illegal kickback conversions - Anti-Dumping Violations - Consumer Fraud ) Contact - THOMAS (Library of Congress) . 9-110.800 Violent Crimes in Aid of RACKETEERING Activity (18 U.S.C. § 1959)
.
[CITE: 42CFR1003.105] Sec. 1003.105 Exclusion from participation in[ HCFA ]Medicare, Medicaid and all Federal health care programs [ OPM FEHB, TRICARE, CHAMPVA ]A gross and flagrant violation is one that presents an IMMINENT DANGER[ 1998 HHS OIG Provider Self-Disclosure Protocol(SDP),see 63 Fed. Reg. 58,399 ~ HHS T42CFR417.1~1996 HIPAA Violation ~Denial of COVERED T42CFR409.33 Claims~ 42CFR438.704 RICO

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U.S. Attorney General and HHS OIG racketeering T42CFR417.1
Posted by: Kimberly on Sep 5, 2009 12:20 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Under current United States law, set forth in the USA PATRIOT Act, acts of domestic terrorism are those which: "(A) involve acts dangerous to human life [ T42CFR417.1 adverse determination - systematic denial of Covered T42CFR409.33 Claims ] that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State; (B) appear to be intended-[ DOJ Alternate Dispute Resolution T18CFR1518CRIME ] (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population [ to force, fraud by fright, illegal HCFA State OFIS Medicaid Kickback Conversion ]; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and (C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States."[3]
.
Hospitalized ENTITLED Individual's, are not able - physically or mentally - to fight T42CFR417.1 grievance procedures - for their DENIED Covered T42CFR409.33 Hospital Extended Care Claims.
CITE: 42CFR438.704 -- Federal HMO T42CFR417.1 Adverse Determination | Anti-Dumping Violation Sec. 438.704 Amounts of civil money penalties (1) The limit is $25,000 for Each Determination under the following paragraphs of Sec. 438.700: (i) Paragraph (b)(1) ( Failure to provide services ). T42CFR417.1 systematic denial of covered claims ....................
.
OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT - OPM Sec. 900.401, Title VI of the CIVIL RIGHTS Act of 1964 Authority: Sec. 602, 78 Stat. 252 (42 U.S.C. 2000d-1). Source: 38 FR 17920, July 5, 1973 - A PERSON [ Entitled Individual ] SHALL NOT BE DENIED [ HHS T42CFR417.1 and OPM T5CFR890.105 racketeering ] THE BENEFITS OF or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under a program ( OPM FEHB Health Insurance Program ) or activity receiving Federal financial assistance from OPM
.
TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 13 > § 242 Prev |
Next § 242. Deprivation of rights under color of law - DOJ|HHS Alternate Dispute Resolution HHS|HMO ILLEGAL AGREEMENT - T42CFR417.1 MANAGED CARE GOVERNMENT GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE - T18CFR1518CRIME - T18CFR286CRIME - 1128b SSA - T18CFR371CRIME.
Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person | INDIVIDUAL in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any rights [ OPM T6CFR900.401], privileges, or immunities [ OIG|DOJ Alternate Dispute Resolution HHS T42CFR417.1 and OPM T5CFR890.105 systematic denial of COVERED HMO post-hospital extended care T42CFR409.33 service claims, to force illegal HCFA State Medicaid T42CFR409.33 Kickback Conversions T18CFR286CRIME ] secured or protected by the Constitution [ Due Process and Equal Protection ] or laws [ T18CFR24CRIMES ] of the United States, or to different punishments, pains, or penalties, on account of such person being an alien, or by reason of his color, or race, than are prescribed for the punishment of citizens, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and IF BODILY INJURY RESULTS from the acts committed in violation of this section [ HHS|HMO T42CFR417.1 anti-dumping & anti-kickback violation ] or if such acts include the use, attempted use, or threatened use of a dangerous weapon, explosives, or fire, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and IF DEATH RESULTS from the acts committed in violation of this section [ HHS|HMO T42CFR417.1 anti-dumping & anti-kickback violation ] or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death

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Only in Texas
Posted by: jmmartin on Sep 5, 2009 7:24 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The craziest thing about Alberto (VO-5) is that he is a professor at Texas Tech, a state-subsidized university in Lubbock, Texas, not that far from Shrub's old stomping grounds, Midland. As a Texan, I am incensed that my tax money is going to his salary. This asshole should not be allowed to teach auto mechanics much less law, government, whatever it is he lectures on. I know that many current professors and some alumni complained when this shithead got his appointment there, but it did no good. One supposes that the secessionist governor Hair (real name: Rick Perry) put in a good word for him. We need a Democratic governor in Texas, and if he makes it out of the primaries, I will be supporting Kinky Friedman.

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