Sunday July 12, 2009, 12:10 am
WASHINGTON – Attorney General Eric Holder is considering whether to appoint a criminal prosecutor to investigate the Bush administration's interrogation practices, a controversial move that would run counter to President Barack Obama's wishes to leave the issue in the past.

Holder plans to make a final decision within the next few weeks, a Justice Department official told The Associated Press on Saturday night. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on a pending matter.

Justice Department spokesman Matt Miller said Holder planned to "follow the facts and the law."

"We have made no decisions on investigations or prosecutions, including whether to appoint a prosecutor to conduct further inquiry," he said. "As the attorney general has made clear, it would be unfair to prosecute any official who acted in good faith based on legal guidance from the Justice Department."

A move to appoint a prosecutor is certain to stir partisan bickering that could create a distraction to Obama's efforts to push health care and energy reform. Obama has repeatedly expressed reluctance to having a probe, saying the nation should be "looking forward and not backwards" when it came to Bush-era abuses.

Newsweek magazine, which first reported the development on Saturday, said Holder was aware of the political implications of having a probe and preferred not to create unnecessary trouble for the White House. Still, the attorney general was troubled by what he learned in reports about the treatment of prisoners at the CIA's "black sites."

The probe would focus in part on whether CIA personnel tortured terrorism suspects after Sept. 11, 2001. Holder has said those who acted within the government's legal guidance will not be prosecuted, but has left open the possibility of pursuing those who went beyond the guidance and broke the law.

Holder has discussed with his staff the possibility of a prosecutor, saying he needed someone with "gravitas and grit," the magazine reported. In the end, the attorney general asked for a list of 10 candidates, five from within the Justice Department and five from outside.

"I hope that whatever decision I make would not have a negative impact on the president's agenda," Holder told Newsweek. "But that can't be a part of my decision."

Sunday July 12, 2009, 12:12 am
Major General Albert Stubblebine Blows the Whistle on 9/11

http://www.care2.com/news/member/593971236/1190586

Sunday July 12, 2009, 5:18 am
Law abiding citizens should understand that an investigation needs to occur to put to rest alligations, but most importantly to respect that we all live and benefit from a society that has and respects its own laws. whether or not the investigation results in a prosecution, few can argue that a suspected breach in law not be investigated. First, the facts need to be laid out to the best of our ability and once we have those, we have at least a factual base for what should happen next.

Sunday July 12, 2009, 6:14 am
Interesting post Great Link Sue.

Sunday July 12, 2009, 8:05 am

Thanks, Sue -- But I won't hold my breath expecting an unbiased panel.

Sunday July 12, 2009, 8:28 am
Thanks Sue, Now "We" the people must turn up the heat. It's up to US to make sure that they get the message. America must clean up her house if she is to ever be taken seriously again as a nation of laws, checks and balances.

Sunday July 12, 2009, 12:40 pm
Thanks Sue-waiting and watching!

Sunday July 12, 2009, 12:55 pm
If we turn our back on this investigation how many other violations of civil and human rights do we turn our back on. So it is inconvenient to the administration's policy of forward looking action--I understand that. I also understand that people were injured by people perhaps outside of the then legal guidelines that were issued. I say investigate and like Carole and Rafael stated I won't hold my breath for an unbiased panel seated anytime soon.

Sunday July 12, 2009, 10:59 pm
Feinstein suggests CIA concealment broke law
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090713/ap_on_go_co/us_cia_concealment

Sunday July 12, 2009, 11:04 pm
I still think it is a bunch of connected's playing the part of goody toe shoes and just doing all this to make it look like something is being done. Even though something may be done as to an investigation I doubt highly that the "findings" will be anything like we feel should be and somehow or another all will get off.

Monday July 13, 2009, 9:43 am
We cannot just call ourselves a nation that does not torture. We have to find out if we did torture,,,,,uncover all the details and prosecute when appropriate so that it might never happen again.

Tuesday July 14, 2009, 5:33 am
And so he should!! The Strates have made more than just a few bloopers and they most cetainly need to clean up there act. Those resposnable need to be brought to Justice. Time to give the US a cleaner more trustworhty and responsable image.

Tuesday July 14, 2009, 8:10 pm
Holder Likely To Appoint Torture Prosecutor
Holder Vs. Rahm: The Torture Fight


Andy Worthington: Will Eric Holder Be the Anti-Torture Hero?