Great Moments in Contrarianism

Now that Michael Mukasey's fully outed himself as another pro-torture, anti-rule of law Attorney-General, Scott Lemieux reminds us of Ben Wittes' classic argument that Senators shouldn't care that Mukasey won't call illegal torture "illegal" or "torture" because "The Democrats have a big club to wield over Mukasey's head to make sure they don't get snookered: Without a strong working relationship with them, he won't be able to get anything done."

The main thing an Attorney-General is supposed to get done these days, however, is to help members of the Bush administration avoid legal accountability for criminal actions undertaken in years passed. He doesn't need any cooperation to do that job.

Comments

Thanks, Dianne Feinstein and Chuck Schumer! Using your basically uncontested Senate seats to take a ridiculous stand FOR the Bush administration. Truly liberal giants.

Posted by Media Glutton | December 15, 2007 12:54 PM

I agree with part of what you say, but not all of it. Mukasey does need the cooperation of the Democratic congress to help him keep the Bush administration out of hot water. He needs to count on them not to start impeachment or even serious oversight hearings, that might lead to the discovery of evidence against his masters; he needs them to pass amnesty laws protecting torturers and illegal spies; he needs them to allow the Rethuglicants to kill anti-torture legislation. The sad thing is: he knows full well that he can count on all of this, and more.

Posted by Egypt Steve | December 15, 2007 2:09 PM

I agree with what Egypt Steve said, but as far as keeping them from "serious oversight hearings, that might lead to the discovery of evidence against his masters" - that sounds like exactly what he is doing - by opening phony 'investigations' that allow those being 'investigated' to avoid cooperating with the congress.

Posted by abb1 | December 15, 2007 2:19 PM

Chuck Schumer, a man I used to respect, is in serious need of a defender. Will someone please come forward?

Posted by Henderstock | December 15, 2007 3:37 PM

To respect a politician? I can't think of a single name.

Posted by abb1 | December 15, 2007 5:16 PM

Dianne Feinstein, the most corrupt politician since Hermann Goering, as everyone in San Francisco knows, allowed a corrupt DoJ head to be appointed.

Will wonders never cease?

Meanwhile, all the liberal idiots here thought MAYBE as a DEMOCRAT, she wouldn't do that.

Crackerjack thinking.

Crackerjack.

Read my lips: Feinstein is a CORRUPT BITCH.

Period.

Posted by Richard Steven Hack | December 16, 2007 2:58 AM

Uh, Matt - "years past," not "years passed." These kinds of silly mistakes inevitably distract the reader and detract from the force of what the writer is trying to say.

Posted by bluegrass | December 16, 2007 3:22 PM