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Of course, we don't punish the executive branch for fabricating reasons to invade a sovereign nation. And we certainly should look the other way about icky things like torture, because complaining about it would be downright un-American. And wiretapping—well, we've all gotten used to that by now, so what's the big deal? Plus, it would be too partisan to actually hold them accountable when we've got all those medical marijuana users to catch:

Former Rep. Elizabeth Holtzman (D-NY) told MSNBC’s Martin Bashir on Thursday that former President George W. Bush and former Vice President Dick Cheney could still be held accountable for violating federal criminal statues.

“As a former prosecutor and a former member of the House Judiciary Committee during Watergate, I spent a lot of time taking a look at the statutes,” she explained. “It’s one thing to abuse power, and it’s one thing not to do the right thing, but it’s another thing to commit a crime.”

Holtzman said Bush and Cheney appear to have “knowingly” violated at least three statues.

She said Bush and Cheney likely committed conspiracy to defraud the United States, for the “deceptions” involved in going to war with Iraq. Secondly, she claimed they violated federal statues regarding the wiretapping of Americans without a court order. Thirdly, Holtzman said Bush and Cheney violated federal laws prohibiting torture.

“What we can’t afford to do is allow a president to say he is above the law,” she remarked.