Author Archive for: emptywheel
About emptywheel
Marcy Wheeler is an independent journalist writing about national security and civil liberties. She writes as emptywheel at her eponymous blog, publishes at outlets including Vice, Motherboard, the Nation, the Atlantic, Al Jazeera, and appears frequently on television and radio. She is the author of Anatomy of Deceit, a primer on the CIA leak investigation, and liveblogged the Scooter Libby trial.
Marcy has a PhD from the University of Michigan, where she researched the “feuilleton,” a short conversational newspaper form that has proven important in times of heightened censorship. Before and after her time in academics, Marcy provided documentation consulting for corporations in the auto, tech, and energy industries. She lives with her spouse in Grand Rapids, MI.
Entries by emptywheel
Rove: It's Still the Absolute Immunity Issue
/in emptywheel, USA Purge/by emptywheelSorry I’ve been a bit distracted (yes yes, I know I promised a post on those missing OLC opinions!!) But until I get undistracted, check out this video from Turdblossom.
Note how he describes the issue:
I’ve been directed again … not to respond to a subpoena, exerting privilege on behalf of a former President.
Whitehouse and Leahy Scold Cornyn and Specter for Asking for No Prosecution Guarantee
/in Law/by emptywheelThe vote on Holder is already done, but in the dregs section as Senators explain why they supported Holder, Whitehouse and Leahy took the opportunity to scold Cornyn and Specter for trying to make Holder commit to no prosecutions for torture.
Whitehouse said (this was a liveblog approximation):
We came perilously close to seeking a prosecutive commitment from an AG candidate on an issue he would have to make a decision
Holder Vote in SJC Now
/in Law, Obama Administration/by emptywheelThere won’t be any news in today’s vote. Specter has cast his yes vote, Hatch is babbling on while making it clear he votes yes, too. And Leahy is just laughing about it, saying, “babble on, I know I’m going to win.” (Okay, he didn’t use the word, “babble.”
But in case you’re interested here’s the committee stream.
The Blagojevich Shakedown
/in emptywheel/by emptywheelThe IL Legislature has posted transcripts and tapes of the four conversations Fitz released to the Impeachment Committee. They basically portray a thuggish shakedown of racetrack owner John Johnston. While it’s not clear that Blago ever got his money, it’s not usually supposed to be the governor doing this kind of shakedown.
Rove's "Renewed" Privilege Assertion: Is It Absolute Immunity or Executive Privilege?
/in emptywheel/by emptywheelBush gave Rove a letter telling him he could blow off Congress–presumably after Conyers put continuation of last Congress’ suit against the Bush Administration in House rules. Depending on what’s in that letter, it may either lead to months of new litigation or–depending on the Obama Administration–a precedent that absolute immunity doesn’t exist.