Rep. Jerry Nadler: Impeach Judge Bybee
By John Amato Tuesday Apr 21, 2009 11:45amThe air all around is percolating with the sounds of impeaching Jay Bybee, author of a torture memo. Rep. Jerry Nadler is calling for it now.
Rep. Jerry Nadler, a senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, called Monday for the impeachment of federal judge Jay Bybee, one of the principal authors of the torture memos released last week by the Obama administration.
"He ought to be impeached," Nadler said in an interview with the Huffington Post. "It was not an honest legal memo. It was an instruction manual on how to break the law."
Nadler, a New York congressman, is chairman of Judiciary's Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties Subcommittee. Bybee is currently serving a lifetime term on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, appointed in 2003 and confirmed before it was publicly known that he had authorized the torture of detainees.
Nadler is meeting with Attorney General Eric Holder on Tuesday to argue that the release of the torture memos further buttresses a call he had made earlier for a special prosecutor on torture.
Digby finds that Bybee has retained legal council because so far, President Obama has been mum on him:
The Obama Administration assured CIA employees Thursday that they would not be prosecuted, but the White House has offered no cover to Bybee or other government lawyers.So for now, Bybee is on his own. The good news, however, he’s got a nationally recognized lawyer on his side, Latham & Watkins’s Maureen Mahoney, who’s handling the case pro bono. In an e-mail Thursday, Mahoney said Bybee has recused himself from Latham cases, but offered no further comment on his case.
Of course Rahm said yesterday that Obama didn't want to prosecute any former officials. But it's not really Obama's decision and it certainly isn't Rahm's. And the fact that they are out there saying it is --- for political reasons no less ("national unity" etc) --- means it behooves Holder to appoint a special prosecutor.
Bybee certainly seems to understand that he's got some issues if he has one of the top conservative lawyers in the country as his defense lawyer. He's smarter than he seems.
You can sign the petition to have the California Democratic Party Convention vote to impeach Bybee, here.
Please sing the petition. Holder was appoint a special prosecutor not named Starr to investigate.
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Impeach Bybee
also: shame, mock, and humiliate
shouldn't be a judge, but in the grand scheme of things, small potatoes. He was pushed and couched.
isn't he just once removed from the SCOTUS?
What I'd like to understand, is why isn't the California Bar being questioned about disbarring Bybee???
If he's disbarred he can't be a judge any longer me thinks.
Correct me if I'm wrong here someone. Thanks.
That's my question too. I wish someone with knowledge would answer both your questions and mine too.
Judges get disbarred every once in awhile. But disbarment is not necessarily permanent unless he is also convicted of a crime.
Also disbarment can only apply to that particular jurisdiction the lawyer or judge works in although it can lead to disbarment in other jurisdictions. Plus in some cases disbarred judges can retain their pay.
Thank you so much for that information.
Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, says that impeaching federal appeals court judge Jay Bybee — a Brigham Young University law graduate who wrote memos allowing possible CIA torture of suspected terrorists — would be destructive and merely an attempt by Democrats to "punish differences of opinion."
What a tool. I do wonder if the Dems could get enough votes to convict.
opinion and I have mine. All repugs will no longer be able to BREAD. people(assholes like) the drugie limpbaugh,hanindie,that nut case beck and others like him.
I'm pretty sure it's the all-white kind.....;)
and let the rest of the investigations and trials begin. In the words of Howard Dean, "YEEHAAHHHH!"
I thought for a second it was Ralph Nader wanting to impeach Judge Bybee.
By the way where is Ralphie, getting ready for his 2012 run for the presidency?
to start campaigning.
I'm ready when she is.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1122/867616642...
I'm sure if you asked Ralph's opinion, he'd be on board with impeachment too.
While the Iron is Hot! Are you ready to rumble!
"life tenured activist liberal judges" to me, said Ricky, carefully adjusting his tin foil beanie to prepare for the caca falling from the sky. "Crap away" he cried! "My propeller is in reverse so it will fly back in your face while screwing me safely into the ground."
Now if he wants to forgive and forget that is not a good Idea. The world has it in writting just what the bush crim people have done.Obama has said on the campaine that if people have broke the law, they must face the CONSEQUENCE. If Obama lets these people off, the world I think will look at him as protecting any Anericans from breaking the LAW. He needs to let the AG do his job. If not he is no better than bush telling his AG what to do. Rember President Obama, there 3 seperate branches of Goverment.
But it's time to rumble!
It will be wonderful if we can make this happen.
"Bye bye Bybee, good bye, goooood byeeeee ..."
(stolen from Gentlemen Prefer Blonds)
*
You are very clever, Trittydi. That's a song I want to hear!
After all, we were asked to "sing" the petition.
They cons will kick em out of Washington again at some point.
being soft.
the repugs wanted to impeach Bill for getting a BJ. for 8 years the bush admin did all the shit they did, the list goes on forever, just think of the shit they did that we do not know of. Right up to the end of his 8 years of shit, this guy was fucking over the people of the US. Rember it was that shithead bush appointed to fix the banks. pulled the 700 billion out of his ass and gave 335 billion out and said spend it, we wont care how. Pres Obama never had a chance to put any restrictions on the first part of the TARP.
...is a great idea. Barbershop quartet style for even more poignant hilarity.
I loves me some Jerry Nadler. He rocks.
Put it this way, considering this man's callous disregard for human life, would YOU want to appear in court before him and have him deciding your fate?
NO WAY the taxpayers should be funding this war criminal's salary for LIFE. Rather, we should be funding his incarceration for life. Hell, it'll probably be cheaper too.
Bybee can lawer up all he wants but that wont make a bit of difference if the congress decides to impeach him. He should resign if he doesn't want a spectacle.
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