Obama’s I’m-No-Dick-Cheney Standard for Government Secrecy

[KoKo]

Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, upset about not being provided with memos containing the legal justification for targeted killing operations, such as drone strikes, was apparently told by President Barack Obama not to worry because he is not Vice President Dick Cheney.



Near the outset of his closed-door session with the Senate Democratic conference on Tuesday, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) confronted the president over the administration’s refusal for two years to show congressional intelligence committees Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel memos justifying the use of lethal force against American terror suspects abroad…

Obama apparently responded, “This is not Dick Cheney we’re talking about here.” He argued his administration was “more open to oversight than that of President George W. Bush, whom many Democratic senators attacked for secrecy and for expanding executive power in the national security realm.” He also said, as if it was some kind of valid justification for secrecy, he was “not involved in drafting such memos.”

This is the “Trust Us” defense for secrecy. It is in line with what Attorney General Eric Holder said to Republican Representative Ted Cruz when he was asked about whether it would be legal to target American citizens on United States soil. Holder said it would be inappropriate. But, the trustworthiness of an administration should never justify keeping official interpretations of the law secret.

Who is deciding whether the administration is trustworthy? In this case, it is Obama, a key beneficiary of keeping the legal basis for targeted killing secret. Secrecy ensures there is no scandal or controversy he has to confront as president.

Incidentally, Cheney has praised Obama’s use of drones. “I think it’s a good program and I don’t disagree with the basic policy that the Obama administration is pursuing,” he said in an interview on CBS’ ”This Morning” in February. He also “endorsed the drone strike against Anwar al-Awlaki, an American citizen living in Yemen, saying ‘he was clearly part of al-Qaeda.’”


By: Kevin Gosztola Thursday March 14, 2013 1:18 pm

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/

[Angry Dragon]

1. All of this transparency is blinding me .............

[kenny blankenship]

2. "This is not Dick Cheney we’re talking about here."

"Proof? You want proof? I'm afraid you'll just have to take my word on it. And if that's not good enough, we'll just have to ask Director Brennan if he can squeeze you in for an interview."

[KoKo]

3. That's Amazing...but I think CHENEY is a ZOMBIE...

I don't have some great GRAPHIC LIKE YOU You Do...but if you can find DICK CHENEY...the MAN WHOSE DEAD HEART ...Lives FOREVER...it would be Appreciated!

[kenny blankenship]

6. That pic of Brennan was hard to find, but Cheney is easy peasy

[mwrguy]

4. "Obama apparently responded"

Well, that certainly meets the burden of proof to pillory our president.

[KoKo]

5. Yes...if someone can post his response...it would be helpful. n/t

[blkmusclmachine]

7. "Less bad than the last bad guy. Trust us."

Uh, NO.