ACLU asks federal judge to hold CIA in contempt

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/12/12/aclu-asks-federal-judge-to-hold-cia-in-contempt/

ACLU asks federal judge to hold CIA in contempt.

The ACLU filed a petition with a federal judge today “charging that the {CIA} flouted a court order when it destroyed at least two videotapes documenting the harsh interrogation of prisoners in its custody.” In October 2003 and May 2004, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York had ordered the CIA to preserve “all records pertaining to the treatment of detainees in its custody.”

[L. Coyote]

1. AP: Tape Destruction May Have Defied Court Order = Black Site ?? Jurisdictions

Total Anarchy = where there is no law, nothing is against the law, and no one is a lawbreaker.

Duplicating fiber optic transmissions and sending them outside US jurisdiction is not the only way to evade US Law and the Constitution. A long used method is moving operations outside jurisdictions, to Indian Reservations, oil platforms, foreign lands, etc. The CIA tapes were at a black site (undisclosed location) apparently not in US territory. Was the torture approved in this context, using pretext that US law did not apply? Are contractors used in the same manner, so the actors are not under military jurisdiction outside US territory?

==============
AP: Tape Destruction May Have Defied Court Order
By Paul Kiel - Dec 12, 2007 - http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004887.php

Here's another data point for the timeline. From the AP: "The Bush administration was under court order not to discard evidence of detainee torture and abuse months before the CIA destroyed videotapes that revealed some of its harshest interrogation tactics." But the CIA has an "out": the videotapes and the detainees were being held at the CIA's black sites, which were not revealed until November of 2005.

Consider the timeline. ....

[babylonsister]

3. I hope to hell they don't get away with this, but history and this admin

isn't comforting.

[L. Coyote]

8. And, they use lawyers to find ways around the law

and to write laws such that there is a way around previous restrictions.

[OutNow]

2. ACLU - it's up to us to support them

There are many challenges to the Bush regime's disregard for the rule of law. If you read the news articles and legal briefs you'll see that most of the challenges are raised by the ACLU and the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR). These groups are doing their very best to defend the constitution and our legal rights. Think where we'd be without them!

As a member of the ACLU for over 30 years, I am grateful for their work. That gratitude comes in the form of regular donations. I've also included bequests for the ACLU foundation and the CCR in my will.

Just something to consider.

[L. Coyote]

4. TAKE ACTION

http://www.aclu.org/

> TAKE ACTION = http://www.aclu.org/safefree/detention/closeguantanamo.html
Get the Close Guantánamo toolkit and help end indefinite detention

On January 11, we are calling on everyone opposed to torture and indefinite detention to WEAR ORANGE to symbolize their sadness and disgust with the national shame that is Guantánamo Bay.

Download the CLOSE GUANTÁNAMO Toolkit now to find out how you can organize for January 11 at home, in your office, on campus, in your community, and online.

CLOSE GUANTÁNAMO:
> Activist Toolkit
(table of contents)
> Materials

More
> Sign the CLOSE GUANTÁNAMO Pledge
> Join the CLOSE GUANTÁNAMO campaign on Myspace or Facebook
> Join the ACLU
> Sign up for ACLU's Mailing List
> Send an E-card: Tell 5 friends about January 11
> Get a CLOSE GUANTÁNAMO armband

[Solly Mack]

5. K&R

[Robbien]

6. The ACLU, CREW and EFF are the only ones out there with balls

actually going after the crooks in charge.

:thumbsup: ACLU

Directly disobeying a do not destroy order should be punished.

[ThomCat]

7. If you have any money for a good cause at the end of the year

please consider giving to the ACLU! They're an amazing organization, and we need them now more than ever.

There are very few organizations so dedicated to defending the constitution and bill of rights.

[Trillo]

9. Do we have a kakistocracy? K&R n/t

[L. Coyote]

10. Olbermann Speaks w/ John Dean on CIA Tapes = Court Order and Obstruction

They discuss that this court order was very broad in its application.

ACLU FOI case applies to all treatment of all detainees!!

DEAN: "I think they have a real case."

VIDEO: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x75718

[L. Coyote]

11. K & R