Raw is reporting that Rep. Jerry Nadler is calling for a Special Prosecutor to investigate if Guido lied misled Congress. I say it's about time.
"Attorney General Gonzales has shown an apparent reckless disregard for the rule of law and a fundamental lack of respect for the oversight responsibilities of Congress," said Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y. "The man entrusted with enforcing our nation's laws must also abide by them - and Mr. Gonzales has apparently failed in that duty."
This is about the recent disclosures that Guido knew about things the FBI had done wrong, but did not inform Congress when asked at a recent hearing. We all know that lying to Congress is a Felony, even if it's pardonable.
According to the Washington Post Guido knew at least 6 days before he went to the Hill to testify, or he should of known since he was sent the information. Who knows who he will blame for this, after all, things happen and he probably can't recall anyway.
As he sought to renew the USA Patriot Act two years ago, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales assured lawmakers that the FBI had not abused its potent new terrorism-fighting powers. "There has not been one verified case of civil liberties abuse," Gonzales told senators on April 27, 2005.
Six days earlier, the FBI sent Gonzales a copy of a report that said its agents had obtained personal information that they were not entitled to have. It was one of at least half a dozen reports of legal or procedural violations that Gonzales received in the three months before he made his statement to the Senate intelligence committee, according to internal FBI documents released under the Freedom of Information Act.WaPo
Rep. Nadler (D) had much more to say about the way Guido and this Admin. has acted, not that it will surprise anyone. What does surprise me is that the these internal FBI documents were released under the Freedom of Information Act. I did mention just the other day that we could expect to see more and more info leak out as career government workers get more fed up with all this ongoing crap. This could just be a case of that happening, we may never know. I for one, wish to see the floodgates open up, or a parting of the redtape sea of secrets that have been kept from us.
"The Attorney General's resignation is the only step that can help restore our confidence in the Department of Justice," Nadler added. "Our democracy is harmed when the Executive so blatantly violates our fundamental freedoms. However, if the Attorney General resigns, the Bush Administration is not absolved of its sins. ... It's clear now that this Justice Department is unable to even abide by the wide latitudes of the Patriot Act and serious change - both in the law and the leadership - is needed." Raw Story
We are lucky to have people like the Electronic Frontier Foundation out there keeping things real. They are just one of the many groups, including many here at dkos that are working to make sure there is some Sunlight on the ever present evil and I applaud all of you and them.
Marcia Hofmann, a lawyer for the nonpartisan Electronic Frontier Foundation, said, "I think these documents raise some very serious questions about how much the attorney general knew about the FBI's misuse of surveillance powers and when he knew it." A lawsuit by Hofmann's group seeking internal FBI documents about NSLs prompted the release of the reports.
Chances on actually getting a Special Prosecutor are slim to none, but we can keep our fingers crossed and make some noise about wanting one. Stranger things have happen.
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