Kucinich wants House to investigate (Cheney) assassination (ring) claims

[sabra]

Source: Plain Dealer

WASHINGTON -- Cleveland Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich wants the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to investigate allegations by investigative reporter Seymour Hersh that the White House operated an "executive assassination ring" during the presidency of George W. Bush.

In a letter to Committee Chairman Edolphus Towns of New York, Kucinich explained that Hersh made the allegations on Tuesday, March 10, before an audience at the University of Minnesota.

According to Kucinich's letter: Hersh "stated, 'Under President Bush's authority, they've been going into countries, not talking to the ambassador or the CIA station chief, and finding people on a list and executing them and leaving... It is a special wing of our special operations community that is set up independently. They do not report to anybody, except in the Bush-Cheney days, they reported directly to the Cheney office. . .Congress has no oversight of it.'"

Such a practice would violate longstanding U.S. policy regarding covert actions and illegally bypass Congressional oversight, Kucinich said.

"If substantiated, the allegation would have far reaching implications for the United States," Kucinich said in the letter dated March 13. "Such an assertion from someone of Hersh's credibility that has a long and proven track record of dependability on these issues merits attention. Mr. Hersh is within a year or more of releasing a book that is said to include evidence of this allegation. However, we cannot wait a year or more to establish the truth. As such, I request that the Full Committee immediately begin an investigation to determine the facts in this matter."

Read more: http://blog.cleveland.com/openers/2009/03/kucinich_wants_house_to_invest.html

[babylonsister]

1. Ruh roh. Stir it up, Dennis! nt

[midnight]

2. Cheney never met a law that met a thing to him.

[emlev]

36. Gravity? n/t

[jwirr]

3. If they were running this gang then is should be investigated. Also

didn't the same bunch of idiots have assassination squads mentioned in the Iran/Contra trials? A carry over?

[coffeenap]

4. K & R--Go Dennis!! nt

[flvegan]

5. Why is Dennis the only one?

I applaud you, Dennis. Nice seeing a congressperson with an actual spine.

[pattmarty]

17. Bernie Sanders when he was the Congressman from vermont............

..........now Senator Sanders. Also, Russ Feingold, Tom Harkin and Sherrod Brown in the Senate. I know what you were getting at and God knows there ain't many, but their ranks keep growing election by election.

[SammyWinstonJack]

55. Why is he always the only one?

x(

[wordpix]

58. only Dem with balls - thanks, Dennis!

[SammyWinstonJack]

59. It would appear too be so.

Thanks Dennis! :yourock:

[DutchLiberal]

79. Because, as the article says, it wouldn't "look very good for America"...

Can't have that, now, can we?

[vinylsolution]

6. Hats off to Dennis, as usual....

But don't forget the long list of 'sudden deaths' that happened here in the US over the last 8 years.

Bruce Ivins, Mel Carnahan, Jean Palfrey, Paul Wellstone, Mike Connell, and several more that I can't remember off the top of my head.

Not to mention the attempted anthrax murders of Patrick Leahy and Tom Daschle.

Be careful Dennis, and please stay away from small aircraft.

[dglow]

50. Cheney's Assassinations

Don't forget Flight 83. The hijacked plane that went down in Pennsylvania. Remember Cheney admitted to ordering that the plane be stopped supposedly because it was headed for the White House. Most likely it was shot out of the air because he feared the hijackers would talk if the passengers were able to take control and land the plane. His gig what have been up!

[balantz]

56. Have you seen photos of the wreckage of that "plane" ?

If you have they would be interesting to see. All I ever saw was a curiously small dent in the ground.

[disndat]

70. The whole 9/11 "conspiracy"

Why do people believe that two steel framed giant skyscrapers could melt in 45 minutes?

[balantz]

83. Crazy, huh?

I guess because a whole lot of people trust the bogus government "investigation" and the military-industrial media when they say that the Twin Towers disintegrated because of impact and jet fuel. The buildings were made to withstand the impact of a 747, and jet fuel would burn off in a short amount of time and couldn't disintegrate steel and concrete into a couple of piles.

[Echo In Light]

115. Compared with the alternative it's easier for many to do + less thinking: always popular in the U.S.

[bottomtheweaver]

95. Perry and Beth Ann Kucinich, both dead in the same year.

"Beth Ann Kucinich, 48, who served in the U.S. Army, died on Veterans Day after a battle with acute respiratory distress syndrome." That was last November.

"Another Kucinich sibling, Perry, died last December. Dennis Kucinich said his sister never got over Perry's death."

But I'm sure it's all just a BIG coincidence.

[certainot]

106. cheryl seal at unknownnews lists assass by plane incl 13 y/o samantha smith

who was reagan's PR handler's biggest headache and a major political problem for the trillion dollar star wars program, as well as nukes in general.

[TechBear_Seattle]

7. And Congress will treat this like every other allegation of criminal wrong-doing

Pelosi, Reid et al. will wring their hands and look concerned for the very brief period of time that this is in the news, and then go on to do absolutely nothing.

Why do we keep electing these people to office? Oh, yeah, they are better than the Republicans. :eyes:

[jkappy]

15. Democrats like NPR--the only game in town n/t

[Mnemosyne]

64. They might send a strongly worded letter, again. Thanks Dennis! n/t

[GiveMeFreedom]

8. Woo...

If this is true,(and I hope it is!)

Cheney will leave a brown rug stain on the Republican party, that they will not be able to steam clean away.

You go Dennis! Kick their asses.

[louis-t]

20. Why would you "hope it's true"?

I hope, if it is true, that it can be proven and they are punished. I would never hope the bastards would have assassination squads.

[GiveMeFreedom]

30. I agree n/t

[jhrobbins]

63. Wow, guy. It is a rare thing for someone here (everywhere actually) to admit

they made a mistake. You are my hero of the day.:yourock:

[GiveMeFreedom]

73. Thanks

My idea that I hope its true, is false. The thought, that Cheney might have done this is not a real good thing. It would be horrible for the families that might have been

victimized, if the allegations are true. Thanks to the DU poster, louis-t, he presented an idea I did not consider in my haste to have Cheney convicted, as I still believe he should

be for many other crimes.


I don't mind being introduced to new ideas, it keeps me on my toes and helps me question my own thought process. Self examination is sometimes enlightening and sometimes stubborn.

The good news is I am a liberal and democrat, so unlike the other party of no change, I try to at least believe I can be changed by ideas that seem to speak the truth.

Not always Right, Not always Wrong and hope to know the difference. GMF

[RaleighNCDUer]

118. The true hope is that there will be an investigation to determine the

validity of the charge. That was my initial reaction to "I hope it's true". I didn't think for a moment that you were hoping there were assassination squads out there. Of course, that interpretation is slightly colored by the fact that I have long believed that to be true.

[kenfrequed]

38. hope?

What you want in this case is not relevant. Whether you want it to be true or want it to be false, the evidence seems to suggest that it occurred. Hersch knows his stuff and is a good investigative journalist with an excellent record for speaking truth to power.

What is "hoped for" is that the evidence is adequate that he can be convicted. Cheney has done enough damage to this country.

[DutchLiberal]

80. Reagan's brown rug stains didn't keep Bush from getting elected...

The public doesn't care about this. Cheney will say they had to do it, because those people who were assassinated were 'terrorists'. It worked when Reagan did it all through Latin America with 'communists' and it will work again. The people, they won't care, since it's happening someplace at the other end of the world, far away from their own lives.

[diane in sf]

86. Bush never got elected--it was stolen both times. Unfortunately there were enough

ignorami to make the count close enough for them to get away with the theft.

[Echo In Light]

117. Yep. Amazing, isn't it?

[DutchLiberal]

120. I was talking about George H.W. Bush.

[Dinger]

9. Domestic Assassinations Too

Well stone (& family) , JFK Jr. (& family), Canaan (& family), Clifford Baxter, DC Madam, 9-11 victims, Laurie Klaus tis (but I think scar had more to do with this), Margie Schroedinger, etc.

[Mnemosyne]

65. Hatfield. n/t

[Dinger]

75. Oh Yes, Definitely Hatfield

I'm sure there's more.

[Mnemosyne]

110. If I did not believe in Karma, I would

feel totally hopeless for any justice for these criminals, because they never seem to pay, ever.

[Dinger]

119. I Believe In Karma Too

Their day is coming, period.

[clixtox]

103. Karen Silkwood, and possibly my mother...

Dorothy Legarreta! My mom was a student at UC Berkeley during WW2 and was peripherally involved in the "Manhatten Project", she was basically just cleaning up the laboratories, while being exposed to dangerous (as we know very well now, but not so much then) radiation. Dorothy was very dynamic and persuasive. She had 10 children and a PHD from UCB in Education, was a professor at Mills College and wrote "THE GUERNICA GENERATION"(1984).

Google is your friend...

I imagine that someday, sooner than later, the truth will come out about just how corrupt and criminal our "leaders" are, and have been, for quite awhile. Kennedy might have been the last patriot president. Subsequently we have been electing, or selecting, puppets who obey their, and our, masters.

We are all victims of the "Game".

[babydollhead]

124. I read your mother's book.

fascinating. Peace to you and you mothers spirit.

[JohnnyBoots]

111. Ken Lay? I always found that one a little fishy........nt

[No Elephants]

125. I firmly believe that Ken is alive and well and living in a lovely coastal town outside the U.S.

[EVDebs]

116. Orlando Letelier and Ronnie Moffat from long ago

These hits have been going on for a long time. Even BCCI was allowed to do hits in the US with a blind eye by US "intelligence"

[yy4me]

10. Can someone in Washington please, just once, listen to DK

and take the action he suggests. He is always on top of things and I would love to see him get the credit he deserves for doing the right thing. Honest, upright and dedicated.

Go Dennis, we're all supporting you!

[tekisui]

11. knr!~

[liberalsince1968]

12. Oh but but but...Obama wants to "move forward."

[Jefferson23]

13. If I had a nickel for every time I wished DK was president, I could

pay down our national debt myself with no trouble at all.

A true patriot you are Kucinich!!!!!!!

[Wapsie B]

14. Now if it were Dennis and a group of other Congressmen that would be one thing.

Sad to day I don't believe this has any better chance of going anywhere than impeachment did. Part of me thinks any real threat to Cheney would be quickly dealt with and neutralized. Read into that what you will.

[Ohio Joe]

16. I agree with Dennis

I really disagree with Hersh's choice to hold back his info for a book.

[polichick]

18. So far, only Keith Olbermann has touched this (at least from what I've seen)...

Here's a link to the transcript of Sy Hersh in Minnesota:

http://www.minnpost.com/ericblackblog/2009/03/11/7310/investigative_reporter_seymourhersh

[Name removed]

107. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. 
[link:www.democraticunderground.com/forums/rules.html|Click
here] to review the message board rules.

[crankmob]

19. if true; who would this "executive assassination ring" report to now?

would they all just go home and look for another job after the election?

[harun]

26. One would hope they don't still report to Cheney. Which is why we need

a full investigation.

[RaleighNCDUer]

49. Follow the money.

The Dems may be in power, now, but Cheney and Bushco still has all the money.

Hired killers work for the people that pay them.

[glinda]

88. Exactly. I think there is still a connection and has been for years.

[starroute]

21. Here are some links to older stories

The Cheney connection is what's new in Hersh's latest revelation -- but the assassination squad part is well established. I've posted fairly lengthy excerpts of the stories below at other threads, so I'm just going to give some links with brief quotes this time:

Hersh in 2007 -- "A recently retired C.I.A. officer, who served more than fifteen years in the clandestine service, told me that the task-force teams 'had full authority to whack—to go in and conduct "executive action,"' the phrase for political assassination. 'It was surrealistic what these guys were doing,' the retired operative added. 'They were running around the world without clearing their operations with the ambassador or the chief of station.'
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/06/25/070625fa_fact_hersh?currentPage=all

Newsweek in 2006, trying to make it sound cool but with just a few reservations -- "JSOC is part of what Vice President Dick Cheney was referring to when he said America would have to 'work the dark side' after 9/11. ... Experts like former Deputy Defense secretary John Hamre are also concerned that Special Ops now has generic authority to deploy where it wants without case-by-case orders."
http://www.newsweek.com/id/52445?tid=relatedcl

Bob Woodward pandering in the Washington Post last September -- "Beginning in the late spring of 2007, the U.S. military and intelligence agencies launched a series of top-secret operations that enabled them to locate, target and kill key individuals in groups such as al-Qaeda in Iraq, the Sunni insurgency and renegade Shia militias, or so-called special groups. ... Asked in an interview about the intelligence breakthroughs in Iraq, President Bush offered a simple answer: 'JSOC is awesome.'"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/07/AR2008090701847.html?hpid=topnews

And there was also this New York Times story about the JSOC guys in 2005 -- "Jan. 22 - Somewhere in the shadows of the White House and the Capitol this week, a small group of super-secret commandos stood ready with state-of-the-art weaponry to swing into action to protect the presidency, a task that has never been fully revealed before. As part of the extraordinary army of 13,000 troops, police officers and federal agents marshaled to secure the inauguration, these elite forces were poised to act under a 1997 program that was updated and enhanced after the Sept. 11 attacks, but nonetheless departs from how the military has historically been used on American soil. ... The special-missions units belong to the Joint Special Operations Command, a secretive command based at Fort Bragg, N.C., whose elements include the Army unit Delta Force. In the past, the command has also provided support to domestic law enforcement agencies during high-risk events like the Olympics and political party conventions, according to the Web site of GlobalSecurity.org, a research organization in Alexandria, Va."
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/23/national/nationalspecial3/23code.html?ei=5088&en=26de1cda74d6a61a&ex=1264222800&pagewanted=print&position=

[sabra]

23. thank you for the links!

:yourock:

[Titonwan]

22. Whose to say they don't still

have operatives in "deep cover" that will do harm to THIS administration or key journalists or media personalities?
We have to make these criminals pay with their freedom. I want to see Bush's complicit crime partners crammed 20 to a cell
while on trial like they did all those mafioso in Italy awhile back. Prosecute and convict these scumbags WHOLESALE.

[glinda]

89. Like Timmy Russert perhaps???????

[RaleighNCDUer]

92. Speaking of assassins and Italians, anybody remember

Giuliana Sgrena and Nicola Calipari? As I remember it, the shots that killed him and wounded her came not from the checkpoint they were approaching, but from an unidentified 'patrol' vehicle - and so far as I remember, nobody ever fessed up to it.

The American military were REALLY pissed that the Italians may (or may not) have paid a ransom to get Sgrena released. I think there was a message sent there, and I don't believe there were any other such freed Italian hostages - none I ever heard about.

[classysassy]

24. Balls

I wish Dennis would lend his balls to his democratic mates.

[polichick]

25. Kucinich must be one of the few who is not beholden to any part of the...

...military industrial complex.

[happygoluckytoyou]

27. CLASS WARFARE.... the fight is ON ! go dennis !

[L. Coyote]

34. BS. This is NOT about class warfare. We are supposed to be a Nation of laws.

Congress has a responsibility of oversight. This is not a "fight" at all. It is government in action!

[crankmob]

45. if the laws only apply to the lower classes then...

[FiveGoodMen]

71. Bingo!

And welcome to DU!

[Metta]

28. Oh, Dennis, you had me at hello with this.

:hug: :toast:

[bdamomma]

29. Thank you Dennis.

Cheney that SOB should be in prison.

[mvd]

31. Go Dennis!

Now that we have a Democratic President, maybe his efforts won't be in vain.

[elocs]

32. DK wants and rants about a lot of things, but other than preaching to the DU choir

how much does he actually get done or change? I realize he is one of the DU gods and when he preaches everyone here shouts "AMEN!", but there seems to be more thunder than lightening from him.

Now, to retreat to my hardened fallout shelter.

[sabra]

35. Didn't he bring articles of impeachment to the House for both Cheney & Bush?

[mvd]

37. When the powers-that-be marginalize him..

there's only so much he can do.

[kenfrequed]

42. Oh?

So better perhaps that he does nothing? Maybe he should sit quietly with the other democrats that do nothing? Do you think there is a way to triangulate your way into investigating excesses? Or maybe if we send enough blue dogs and DLC dems to star on Fox Noise we will somehow trip over an investigation.


In short: It is idiotic to blame Kucinich for trying and failing when other Democrats are refusing to even try. It's like blaming your headache on the asprin.

[mvd]

43. Right

At least he's trying something.

[winyanstaz]

48. Dennis Kucinich cannot do it alone

It's easy to sit on our butts and throw mud at the man, but the truth is..Dennis is a true patriot and a real leader. The problem Dennis has is that he cannot do much if the rest of Congress just keeps their heads up their butts.
But what he can do and what any congressperson could do in this case he does and that is to keep holding their feet to the fire. He keeps speaking up and writing bills..its up to us to write our congresspersons and get them off their tushes to vote and act.
I say we need to vote every single one of them OUT that doesn't get on the ball and we need to do it asap.
As much as I like a lot of the things Obama has done so far, if Dennis ever runs again for President I shall vote for him.
You go Dennis! In the meantime...stay safe and stay out of small airplanes.
I am new at posting at Democratic underground but I have been here almost daily for the last three years and I have found that this site is the most informative and up to date site I have found on the www. Keep up the great work..you are all making a difference.

[Mnemosyne]

68. Welcome to posting, winyanstaz! Dennis cannot do it alone, sad, but true.

:hi:

[winyanstaz]

121. ty Mnemosyne :)

I am glad to be here. I have read the site for a few years and just lately decided to start posting here.
I used to stop here to bone up on all the latest news before I would go chat in the political chat rooms.
Now the chat rooms are not very active so I thought I would just start posting my own two cents. :P

[Butch350]

96. Wasn't Dennis Kucinich the guy who also saw UFO's?

[winyanstaz]

123. just so you know..a ufo isnt a spaceship...

its just an unidentified flying object....or in other words, something you see that you cannot identify...that sure doesnt mean little green men from mars. sheesh

[RaleighNCDUer]

52. He consistently does the right thing.

It is not his fault that the powers that be, in BOTH parties, either refuse to back him up or work actively against him.

[dana_b]

82. what other thunder can he bring?

he can only do so much but his colleagues are told "no, just let it be" and so they do. It's us that have to tell our congressional people that we agree with him. I just wish they'd listen.

[treestar]

114. Politically he is outnumbered

Of course he would be President if DU were the only voters.

Doesn't mean he should shut up. The far right doesn't. Dennis says what ought to be done, even if there's not much chance of it happening. He doesn't have the power to start it alone. Which even still does not mean it won't catch on.

[L. Coyote]

33. Are you sure you want to recommend this thread? D'oh!!

[kenfrequed]

44. Yes

Obviously. I have also called my congress critters to back Kucinich on this measure.

[Marie26]

39. Dennis never lets me down. nt

[DesertRat]

40. Thank you, Rep. Kucinich!

:bounce:

[schmuls]

41. Dennis is a workhorse for justice!

[Uncle Joe]

46. If the Congress doesn't acknowledge, investigate and if need be prosecute

this dangerous elephant in the living room, they've abandoned any pretense to their oath of defending the Constitution and by extension representing the American People.

Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, sabra.

[Ian David]

47. Kucinich needs to take Johnny Letter's job. Conyers is useless. n/t

[bamacrat]

51. Its true.

I know a couple of people that were members of "Special Forces", I wont name the branches that admitted to me this had been done and done by them.

[glinda]

90. So you are sitting on information that could help the Country? Spill!

[antimatter98]

53. We elected the wrong president. Obama is New World Order rather than for America. n/t

[kimmerspixelated]

54. Kucinich is our bravest statesman!

Way to Go DK!

[winyanstaz]

57. Call it what it is..Murder most horrid

Sounds like Bush and Cheney were running a version of Murder Inc. WE need to give them a new name..."Thugs R Us" or something.
Where does the Constitution give them the right to just murder who every they want to? No wonder no one would speak up..they were all scared they would be next to be rubbed out.
If this is not investigated and prosecuted then there is simply NO excuse left to trust our government any longer for anything.

[hootinholler]

60. If substantiated, is that not murder?

It would seem so to me.

-Hoot

[fascisthunter]

61. A VP of the United States Hired Hitmen

to wipe out personal enemies..... Dick Cheney was a petty despot's side-kick.

[burning rain]

62. Damn, Cheney must miss the days of Pinochet and other real conservatives.

^

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

66. Crazy elf, UFO abductee.

Or so I'm told.

:freak:

[bahrbearian]

74. Paging OMC , paging OMC?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

108. Naw.

Just pointing out the process by which threatening individuals are discredited.

[Norrin Radd]

67. kr

[Imagevision]

69. illuminati b-a-b-y - that's what all this horsesh*t is about - Poppy Bush's New World order in play.

[Algorem]

72. The CIA has issued a denial.That clears this up.Return to your citizenly endeavors,peeons.

[ProgressIn2008]

76. And what spineless Dems will back him up, I wonder? Bravo, Dennis. nt

[Pavulon]

77. Here is the BIG reason

[Canuckistanian]

81. Hey. c'mon. Keep the graphics to a reasonable size

It took me over 15 minutes to load this thread.

You can still make your point with a 50k or less pic.

[glinda]

91. Yes indeedie! Drugs, CIA, Cheney, Bushes, etc.....ever wonder why Shrub liked

the Prez of Mexico so much?????

[balantz]

97. I'll take two please. One with a bubble, and the one with the red tip of his spun out nose

[DutchLiberal]

78. Just when I thought the Bush/Cheney crimes couldn't get any worse...

You think Cheney took this tactic right from Ronald Reagan's textbook? (There's another criminal who got away with murder.)

[chill_wind]

84. K & R for DK n/t

[lonestarnot]

85. I want all the "shit that happened" investigated! Dick's dick should be investigated!

[Cleita]

87. I love me some Dennis and what seems to be his Don Quixote quest

to do what is right. I worked for him in the last election and will support him for what he stand up for. Windmills can be changed in direction.

[Stinger2]

93. Cheney should be in jail with Bush, they have been dictators .

[grillo7]

122. Exactly...I don't understand how Dick and Rummy--being war criminals and all--are free n/t

[bottomtheweaver]

94. Where does a funny looking guy from Cleveland get off

having more guts than the entire United States Senate? and White House? and press corps? DK is a force of nature and one of these days he's going to bag the big game. I don't expect he'll get much thanks from any of the aforementioned but he'll have saved his fruckin country.

[earcandle]

98. Thanks Dennis, once again.

Dennis has lost two family members during the last
administration.

[orleans]

99. i hope so! thank you dennis! k&r n/t

[SlingBlade]

100. Go Dennis Go :)

[truthisfreedom]

101. As always, Dennis, excellent work.

You're always on top of it.

[Veracious]

102. He did say they were going to have to "work on the darkside"

[pleah]

104. K&R for DK, but I wonder if it will get any traction

up there? I guess we can hope.

[Wizard777]

105. Why not the DOJ?

[primavera]

109. Has anyone seen a petition site to support Dennis on this?

Not that politicians pay attention to citizen petitions anymore, but it's always good to show support where it's deserved.

[GOTV]

112. Has Dennis ever gotten what he wanted?

[Echo In Light]

113. As always, K&R for DK!

[No Elephants]

126. Kuchinich is like a Greek chorus. Always correct. Always ignored. Result: Massive tragedy.

[BreweryYardRat]

127. Fine by me.