Mukasey Makes First Big Move

[babylonsister]

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/058738.php

Mukasey Makes First Big Move
11.13.07 -- 4:38PM
By David Kurtz

The new attorney general has already restarted the DOJ's internal investigation into warrantless wiretapping--an investigation once blocked when the White House refused to authorize security clearances for the investigtors from the Office of Professional Responsibility.

Related article:

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2007/11/domestic_spying_inquiry_restar.php

[MrCoffee]

1. i hate him! what a fascist! he's Hitler redux!

oh, wait, this is a good thing...

[fenriswolf]

2. think he will reopen 9/11?

[cali]

7. no. but it's possible that he

will not kiss bushco's ass at every turn. For one thing, it's an appointment of one year, and for another, he has a reputation that I imagine he doesn't want to see destroyed for such a brief tenure.

[TwilightGardener]

3. Well, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, if he actually does some

serious investigating and stays apolitical--withholding criticism for now.

[SharonRB]

4. That's a good start

Let's see where it goes from here.

[cali]

5. This is a hopeful sign

and I want to note that I was thoroughly mocked when I said, last week, that though I opposed his confirmation, I was going to hope that Mukasey would do his job right. It's certainly not definative, but it's one good thing that would never have happened under Keisler. More from the article:

The investigation by the department's Office of Professional Responsibility was shut down after the previous attorney general, Alberto Gonzales, refused to grant security clearances to investigators.

"We recently received the necessary security clearances and are now able to proceed with our investigation," H. Marshall Jarrett, counsel for the OPR, wrote to New York Rep. Maurice Hinchey. A copy of the letter, dated Tuesday, was obtained by The Associated Press.

Hinchey and other Democrats have long sought an investigation into the spying program, to see if it complies with the law. Efforts to investigate the program have been rebuffed by the Bush administration.

The OPR investigation was begun in February 2006, but was shut down a few months later when the National Security Agency refused to grant Justice Department lawyers the security clearances to ask questions about the program.

[PSPS]

6. Gee, I'm consumed with suspense wondering how this will turn out, aren't you?

If this turns out to be anything more than the usual facade, bush or one of his goons will just shut it down again like he's done before.

[rateyes]

8. Whitewash is coming...

he'll be coming to Congress and asking for immunity for the telecoms.

[Spazito]

9. Hmmm, the Democrats should use this to stall the push on the

upcoming bill which also has the retro-active immunity for the telecom companies. They can say the old rules re FISA remains until Mukasey finishes the investigation. If they did that, we would see very quickly if this move by Mukasey is genuine or merely smoke and mirrors.

[flordehinojos]

10. i refuse to get tooken by the bushcoes and their appointes ...

like a doubting thomas i will believe only when i see ... mukasey could just be another arlen specter, lots of hot air and nothing more, or lots of show but no tell ... i believe in the tell and not in the show

[VP505]

11. I share your

guarded optimism, Bu$h Admin appointees do not have a very good record of doing the right thing, this Judge might be the exception. I'll hope that he is but won't be surprised if it turns out not to be.