Yoo refuses to testify about torture memos.

[kpete]

Yoo refuses to testify about torture memos.»

Former Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel lawyer John Yoo, who wrote controversial legal memos authorizing the administration’s torture programs, will not testify voluntarily before the House Judiciary Committee, ABC reports, “paving the way for a possible subpoena and showdown over Executive Privilege. In a letter to Chairman John Conyers (D-MI), Yoo’s lawyer said his client was “not authorized” by the DOJ to discuss internal deliberations:

We have been expressly advised by the Office of Legal Counsel of the United States Department of Justice that Professor Yoo is not authorized to discuss before your Committee any specific deliberative communications, including the substance of comments on opinions or policy questions, or the confidential predecisional advice, recommendations or other positions taken by individuals or entities of the Executive Branch.

After a recent ABC report stating that Bush’s “principal” advisers directly authorized torture in 2002, Conyers also invited John Ashcroft, George Tenet, former Assistant Attorney General Daniel Levin, Douglas Feith, and David Addington to testify.

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/23/yoo-refuses-to-testify-about-torture-memos/

[ClayZ]

1. Phuck Yoo!

He is evil!

[C_U_L8R]

2. Phuck Yoo

it had to be said

(haha almost tied with Clay)

[Hutzpa]

3. Yoo should be hanged

:evilgrin:

[izquierdista]

4. Invited?

Conyers needs to let the White House know that he has ways of making Yoo talk.

[acmavm]

5. And? Did anyone think he would? The only one they've gotten to question

was Gonzo. And he lied his ass off. He's gone, but he pretty much did what the administration wanted him to do.

I notice that he's still walking around after lying to Congress though.

[magellan]

6. Ve haf vays of making Yoo talk!

Maybe we should start with a little of that "legal" (heh heh) waterboarding.

[zanne]

7. And absolutely nothing will be done about it. nt

[Blackhatjack]

8. There is more to claiming the privilege than just refusing to testify...

He is required to identify the topics and documents and evidence which he claims the privilege applies to, and as to those areas he must explain why he will not speak about them, and he is required to answer all other questions put to him and fully cooperate.

OF course this he has not done.

[warren pease]

9. "...will not testify voluntarily..."

Well, that's not such a big deal, or it wouldn't be if there were a functional opposition party in place led by people of conscience, principle and courage. So that leaves the 110th Congress out. But still, the process would be pretty simple:

You send Yoo a subpoena.

If he blows it off, you charge him with inherent contempt, drag his ass out of his home or office in handcuffs, transport him in shackles to the Capitol, put him in that basement holding cell and bring him up to testify under oath when the committee's good and ready -- which might turn out to be three days starvation and dehydration for Mr. Yoo, Esq. if people happen to forget he's down there. Just awful...

But that's not going to happen, is it? Rather, I feel another strongly worded letter coming on, filled with words like "disappointing" and "unfortunate." That'll definitely scare the shit out of Yoo and the Bushies.


wp

On edit: Tpyos

[malaise]

10. When Yoo get right down to it

Yoo will have to be frog marched in chains. Voluntary my ass - deliver the subpoena.

[aquart]

11. Waterboard him.

Take him from his home in the dead of night, blindfold, bind and gag him, fly him to a secret location, turn on a tape recorder, and waterboard him until he tells us what we want to hear. Then lock him up and refuse to let him see family or counsel.

Some people only learn by doing. Or being done unto.