Gonzales Defends Bomb Suspect's Detention

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON -- Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on Tuesday defended the Bush administration's detention of Jose Padilla, following a judge's ruling that the "dirty bomb" suspect must be charged with a crime or freed.

While lawmakers urged compliance with the ruling Monday by U.S. District Judge Henry Floyd in Spartanburg, S.C., Gonzales said the Supreme Court has upheld the proposition that the government can hold someone it declares an enemy combatant "for the duration of the hostilities."

The administration's position troubled Rep. Jose Serrano, D-N.Y., and Frank Wolf, R-Va., who said the fight against terrorism is unlike other conflicts in U.S. history.

"I will not live to see the end to the war on terror," Wolf said. "We cannot continue to keep an American citizen. This is not (Osama) bin Laden."

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-gonzales-enemy-combatant,0,4611071.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[Guckert]

1. remember, thats not a "rule of Law" they like. so fuck it. it's out.

the Rule of Law party only applies to laws they agree with.

[Trillo]

2. Why do only citizens need to follow the law?

AG defends 'action' Judicial Branch declares illegal. Sounds like the AG and Executive Branch aren't following the law.

Reminds me of Enron, Worldcom, et al.

[Supersedeas]

3. Does the Atty Gen have anything like a definable 'hostility'? Is the war

on drugs/crime a definable hostility?

[DELUSIONAL]

4. Different name -- more of the same

[TheFarseer]

5. This is completely asanine

Why don't they just charge him with something? If they think he's their man, then charge him. This in't that hard. I think it's just another way to make democrats look like they are on the terrorist's side. Why else would they not charge him? Funny how no one asks that. This is still America: charge him or release him.

[Demeter]

6. Because Thinking Isn't A Crime--Yet

The guy had nothing except an idea, and some big talk.

[Sinistrous]

7. This made my blood run cold.

It made me believe that Alberto Gonzales is going to be a more repressive, amoral, and dictatorial AG than even the odious John Ashcroft.

[TahitiNut]

8. It should. It's treason.

The Attorney General is NOT the "Defense Counsel" for the administration; it's the chief law enforcement position in the Federal Government. The court has ruled. Repeatedly. Gonzalez's 'arguments' have been heard and rejected. His job is to enforce the law, not interpret it.

He's running interference for war criminals. He's a traitor to the Constitution.


He's engaging in the same moral bankruptcy as those sheriffs who'd ignore or facilitate the lynchings of blacks.

[Zhade]

12. He should hang for his crimes after a fair trial in the Hague.

NT!

[TahitiNut]

17. I'm against the death penalty...

... but for crimes against humanity such as these, I'm sorely tempted.

[Just Me]

23. I agree. He has taken an oath to defend the Constitution. Instead,...

,...he's pissing all over it.

He should be impeached along with that whole neoCON bunch!!!

:argh:

[indepat]

9. Utterly shocking that Gonzales holds the party line notwithstanding the

court ruling, notwithstanding basic rights under the Constitution. Please don't tell me we are going to have another Ashcroft-type as AG.

[Eloriel]

13. He's always been worse than Askcroft

I'm surprised people don't understand that.

He's the one who, among other things, let Bush get away with not even BOTHERING to notice all those now-dead Texas "criminals" didn't have fair trials. He is nothin BUT a Bush enabler, fully in the Bush family hip pockets.

[indepat]

20. Every American should understand that: my facetiousness fell flat

[Supersedeas]

22. the People's attorney choses Pres. Powers over the Bill of Rights

the former White House counsel knows who butters his bread.

[Canuckistanian]

10. What are they afraid of?

If Padilla really did plan to make a bomb AND he discussed it with others - they've got him on conspiracy charges.

If it involves national security, then hold an in-camera trial with a publication ban.

I suspect that they just fucked up - Padilla is probably just a wise-ass who bragged one too many times. But the rhetoric against him was so ramped up by Ashcroft that they HAD to keep him locked up, just to look like they were doing SOMETHING about terrorism.

[Disturbed]

11. Is the U.S. close to a Constitutional crises?

The AG does not interpret the law. He is supposed to uphold the law. When a U.S. Citizen can be held without charges for over two years we are in a Police State, in my view.

[proud patriot]

15. YES !!

we are :-(

[Eloriel]

16. Pssst, I hate to tell you this

but we've been in a Constitutional crisis of growing proportions since November/December 2000.

I understand your point, but really, in my view this is just an extension of what's been going on.

[TahitiNut]

18. Agreed.

[TahitiNut]

19. The AG is "The People's" lawyer and is supposed to represent ...

... the "People of the United States" as well as "support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic."

It's VERY clear that Gonzales is violating that oath, failing in his duty, and committing treason in fronting for the neocon cabal just like a consigliere (capo) for an organized crime family.

[Supersedeas]

21. Gonzo clearly weighs in on the side of Presidential power v. Const. rights

retained by the People.

[proud patriot]

14. THEN CHARGE HIM YA BASTARD

:grr: GRRRRRRRRRR This shit pisses me off :grr:

[arwalden]

24. He Also Thinks Torture Is Okay...

... so why WOULDN'T he think it was fine to continue to hold him? Duh!