The (Liz) Warren Commission and Financial Reform
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bmazA lot of hope was placed on the back of Elizabeth Warren and the financial reform act passed by Congress at the behest of the Administration and formally known as the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Concurrent with belittling the liberal Democratic activist base as ungrateful whiners, the Administration and Democratic leadership has touted Liz Warren and Dodd-Frank as prime examples of accomplishments that should thrill and satisfy the base. But are those “accomplishments” really all that and should they mollify Democrats, at least on financial reform issues? The initial returns indicate no.
Terror Trials In New York!!!
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bmazNot that anybody would know it, but there has been a terror trial going on all week in a real live Article III courtroom in the heart of Manhattan. Exactly like all the Republicans with vapors and trembling Democrats said could not be safely done.
Where's Cheney and His Freon Pump?
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bmazThe DOJ wants to be notified of human rights violators in the US; got any suggestions?
As Vaughn Walker Moves On, There Are No Replacements
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bmazVaughn Walker is retiring and President Obama is way behind the curve on maintaining the health of the Federal judiciary and liberal thought in the judiciary is on its deathbed.
Woodward's Secrets
Jeebus: Goldsmith may be getting a hang of this blogging thing, but I'm not: John Rizzo, not John Brennan. So the stuff I originally said about Brennan doesn't make any sense.
I may not always agree with Jack Goldsmith, but he's getting a…
DC Court: National Security Requires Dismissal of Suit Brought by Families of Men "Suicided" at Gitmo
Given that our President now holds that he has the authority to assassinate US Citizens with no due process--and he doesn't have to explain that authority to any court--it should be no surprise that the DC District Court has upheld its earlier…
The Compromise Intelligence Authorization
As DDay noted, it looks like we'll finally have an intelligence authorization bill. The bill is a partial win for Speaker Pelosi, as it makes full briefing to the Intelligence Committees within six months of the start of a program the default…
By October 24, 2001, They Decided They Could Detain Prisoners as Long as the Afghan War Continued
The reporting on the latest torture documents released in Binyam Mohamed's suit in the UK is damning enough (Beeb, Guardian). They show the highest levels of the British government--up to and including Tony Blair--were getting warnings that…
Obama Has Made Civil Liberties AND Foreclosures Worse
Greg Sargent and Steve Benen have interesting taxonomies of the Democrats who should buck up and clap louder. I think both bring some needed nuance to the discussion. As part of that, both include some kind of category of lefties who oppose…
Obama's Still Obfuscating about Domestic Surveillance
Adam Serwer does a pretty thorough job debunking Obama's lame effort to defend his civil liberties record.
When people start being concerned about, "You haven't closed Guantánamo yet," I say, listen, that's something I wanted to get done by…
A Defense of Tyranny?
I'm pretty fascinated by this attempt by one of John Cole's readers to defend the Administration's stance on assassinating US citizens. It's fascinating and not a little disturbing, but it deserves a response, if only to clarify precisely what…
This Raid on Peace Activists Brought to You By Elena Kagan
This article not only describes the hundreds of people who protested FBI raids of peace activists last week, but it provides more detail on what the FBI was looking for.
Agents were seeking "evidence relating to activities concerning the material…
Special Trash Talk Rubbish Row: Scotch
I realize some of you who, like me, are sitting right across the pond from Soldier Field might imagine this is just a special NFC North Edition of Monday Night Football Trash Talk.
But this is different.
I need your help.
You see, on…
Is this How the Yemeni-American Partnership Works?
In my post on the government's invocation of state secrets to hide the things national security officials have already leaked to the press, I linked to David Ignatius' largely-overlooked report that Yemen first asked us to target Anwar al-Awlaki,…
As Axe Slams Rahm from One Side, Greg Craig Slams from the Other
I trust it's not a coincidence that at the same time David Axelrod is skewering Rahm from within the White House, Greg Craig is getting picked up on a live mike (oops!) skewering him from the outside.
“The great thing about it, if Rahm goes…
Obama's Panopticon
It seems the Administration has declared today "Power Grab Monday."
Charlie Savage reports that the government is again asking for a "technical fix" (as they have during PATRIOT debates) that extends CALEA to cover all the Toobz.
Federal…
The Secrets They're Keeping Selectively Leaking about Anwar al-Awlaki
As I noted yesterday (and Glenn has examined at more length), in addition to asserting that the government can target Anwar al-Awlaki ... because they said so, the Obama Administration also invoked state secrets in its motion to dismiss the…
Sharktopus Live Extravaganza!
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bmazIt's Sharktopus time! Yes, we are taking the Emptywheel blog to new and fantastic heights tonight, all with you, our dear readers, commenters and friends in mind! Watch the world premier of a sure fir Oscar winner, Sharktopus, with us.
Obama Doesn't Know Why the Fuck He's Entitled to Kill Al-Awlaki, He Just Is, Damnit
The most striking aspect of the government's motion to dismiss the ACLU/CCR lawsuit challenging the use of targeted killing is that the government does not commit to the basis for its authority to kill an American citizen like Anwar al-Awlaki…