Russ (A’s BF) Feingold is on Maddow’s guest list tonight. Especially givenHolder’s confirmation earlier today, I’m guessing the topic is going to be the rule of law, specifically what Obama’s already done so quickly, and how much more is still left for him to do. Feingold’s been veryvocal on this since pretty much the minute Obama got elected, which I’m glad to see. As outspoken as he’s been on separation of powers, excessive government secrecy, detention and
interrogation, and privacy, I would be a lot happier if he’d speak up on the accountability side of this issue. As I’ve said before, with respect to the contingent that wants to let Bush/Cheney Inc. enjoy a peaceful retirement unencumbered by accountability for their myriad unlawful actions, I just don’t get it. The administration cannot hope to continue to simultaneously champion restoring the rule of law while ignoring the aspect of investigations and prosecutions under those laws. They can continue to try but it’s awfully, transparently, cynical. And that’s not the kind of hope we live with.
Glenn Greenwald continues to stump for real accountability and today, in addition torevisiting the issue of a two-tiered system of justice, he also tried to run down claims that Holder had pledged behind the scenes, to upstanding paragon of virtue Kit Bond, not to pursue prosecutions. After a string of typical Greenwaldian updates, the upshot, via an aide of Holder’s:
be prosecuted. He explained his position to Senator Bond as he did in
the public hearing and in his responses to written questions.”
MY senator.
Not only is it awfully, transparently cynical, but it pretty much guarantees that this same behavior — or worse — will be a feature of our political system twenty years from now, the same way that the pardoned Iran Contra criminals found their way into the GWB administration.
The only way to prevent that is to investigate and make clear what was done in our names, and to prosecute for violations of law.
At the very least, there has to be further investigation. But it’s very easy to say, we need to establish the facts, and let justice be done. I’m so sick of the corrupt cadre in the Beltway insisting that prosecutions would be a horrible evil. It’s the typical skewed morality with them – committing a war crime is okay (or some do actually think it’s not), but pointing out that someone committed a war crime is terribly impolite, and holding someone accountable for a war crime is just inexcusable. In some ways, I find the chattering class even worse these past few months than they were during most of the Bush presidency.