Most underrated villain in Bush admin.: John Yoo

[Cocoa]

here he is in the excellent New Yorker article about the U.S.'s extraordinary rendition program, responding to the torture question with a version of one of the stupidest things Bush has ever said, his "accountability moment..."

Keep in mind, this guy is a fucking law professor.

http://www.newyorker.com/printable/?fact/050214fa_fact6

<snip>

Yoo also argued that the Constitution granted the President plenary powers to override the U.N. Convention Against Torture when he is acting in the nation’s defense—a position that has drawn dissent from many scholars. As Yoo saw it, Congress doesn’t have the power to “tie the President’s hands in regard to torture as an interrogation technique.” He continued, “It’s the core of the Commander-in-Chief function. They can’t prevent the President from ordering torture.” If the President were to abuse his powers as Commander-in-Chief, Yoo said, the constitutional remedy was impeachment. He went on to suggest that President Bush’s victory in the 2004 election, along with the relatively mild challenge to Gonzales mounted by the Democrats in Congress, was “proof that the debate is over.” He said, “The issue is dying out. The public has had its referendum.”

More…