Republicans are trying to block "the woman who could nail Bush"

[HopeOverFear]

http://thepoliticalcarnival.blogspot.com/2009/03/woman-who-could-nail-bush.html

Republican leaders, it appears, are playing with the notion of making Johnsen the target of their first filibuster. <...>

The highly credentialed Johnsen is an improbable target, and OLC was long viewed as an obscure post. But Johnsen served as a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League. <...>

Johnsen is labeled a “radical, pro-abortion activist,” although her views on the abortion issue line up very closely with the mainstream. While the noise surrounding the Johnsen nomination appears on the surface to be about the abortion issue—over which her position at OLC would have very little influence—discussions with Republican stalwarts reveal that their main concerns lie elsewhere.

The real reason for their vehement opposition is that Johnsen is committed to overturning the Bush administration’s policies on torture and warrantless surveillance that would clip the wings of the imperial presidency. Even more menacingly from their perspective, she is committed to disclosing some of the darkest skeletons of the Bush years. Already, publication of OLC memoranda authorizing torture, approving warrantless surveillance, and pronouncing the First and Fourth Amendments a dead letter in connection with domestic military operations has rocked the public. More memos, potentially even more disturbing, I have learned, are about to be made public soon. Yet these are difficult issues on which to attack Johnsen, other than through vague suggestions that she is “weak on national security.” Hence the steady stream of accusations linked to her largely irrelevant views about abortion rights. <...>

The Obama nominees, presenting the sharpest possible contrast, have drawn sputtering fire from Republicans in Congress and have come under broad attack from religious right leaders who previously had strong influence in Justice Department picks. Dawn Johnsen is an interesting test case. If the Republicans opt for filibuster or move to line up a unanimous G.O.P. vote in opposition, it will be a shot across the bow of the Obama Justice Department.

[babylonsister]

1. Republicans are trying to block everyone Obama wants.

She's really not that different.

[HopeOverFear]

2. she's kinda different. She represents a direct threat to Bush and Cheney

they're trying to stop her from pursuing prosecutions, that's what that's all about.

[Jennicut]

6. Yup. They are quaking in their boots.

And will try anything to stop this from happening.

[HopeOverFear]

8. pretty much n/m

[Cha]

3. Right.. "pro abortion activist"..

No one is "pro abortion" just pro choice.

[burning rain]

4. Another reason to disallow the filibuster, period.

^

[babylonsister]

5. That filibuster needs to be explained. Why people have different opinions. nt

[LiberalFighter]

7. Just keep releasing the damaging info and when it is all released

tell the Republicans that they will not release even more damaging material if they confirm her nomination.

[HopeOverFear]

9. yeah threaten the republicans with releasing more info if they hold her back

then after they confirm her, release it anyway. :)

[LiberalFighter]

12. I was thinking release it all before they confirm and then just make them think there is still more.

Then you can be a nice person because you won't release the rest (because it isn't there) because they confirm.

[redqueen]

13. I like that idea.

But I want them to continue exposing all this...

[wroberts189]

10. Why do pubs still matter again ? ..last I heard they lost big.

I have yet to see a pub filibuster and would laugh in the face of any pub that threatened it. They are lucky they are not being treated as they treated the dems before the powershift.


they threatened to end the filibuster by majority vote when they were in power ..but we let them have all they wanted. In that case far right judges with life tenure.

Its long past time to call them a dead and irrelevant party and steam right over them. They used to scream "up or down vote" now they can get it.

[Kdillard]

11. Not only her but they are obstructing the ambassador to Iraq.

It is ridiculous.

[HopeOverFear]

14. that's effed up n/m

[canichelouis]

15. Let's not forget Franken

Talk about a hold up.........................