itmfa | Ted Rall's Rallblog

July 26, 2007•

ITMFA – Lying Attorney General edition
posted by TheDon

Despite herculean efforts to keep Congress from being able to document the crimes and lies of the Cheney administration, a smoking gun has been found. The Associated Press has documents proving that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales (AGAG) lied to Congress repeatedly about the criminal hospital visit to John Ashcroft. There is no doubt that the Attorney General of the United States commited perjury, and must be fired and put on trial.

Cheney and Bush will, of course, refuse to act on this. In fact, I can imagine Bush pardoning AGAG and keeping him in his job. They must then be impeached and convicted for that and about 50 other “high crimes and misdemeanors”. There are few honest Constitutional scholars who think impeachment is not mandatory for this gang of criminals. Our Constitution is under attack, and they won’t stop the assault until they are marched out of the White House under guard. ITMF(s)A.

I know, I know… but they finally jailed Al Capone on tax charges. I don’t really care which charge sticks, these anti-American thugs must go.

July 22, 2007•

Ted Rall

ITMFA – Imperial Presidency edition
posted by TheDon
We’ve all marvelled at the Cheney administration’s dismissive attitude towards the legislative branch. Glenn Greenwald points out that this is just the tip of the unconstitutional iceberg. He has sussed out the strategery being used to run the clock out until January, 2009. It’s two pronged, with the first prong being a delaying tactic – don’t cooperate with investigations, stop the prosecution of your own gang members:

(the Cheney administration) has the power to block the Justice Department, and its U.S. Attorneys, from criminally prosecuting Executive Branch employees who refuse to comply with Congressional subpoenas, notwithstanding a statute enacted by the American people through their Congress requiring such prosecution where Congress issues a contempt citation.

The second part hasn’t gotten any real attention, even among the people most alarmed by the Unitary Executive Theory. They don’t think they are subject to the rulings of the Judicial branch either:

The great unanswered question of the Bush administration has been, and continues to be, whether, upon losing a judicial battle, they would explicitly claim the right to defy the judicial order on the ground that the order exceeds proper judicial authority.

…

Always lurking at the core of these radical assertions of executive power is the belief that they can defy court orders due to the claimed “constitutional limitations on the judicial power.”

We have known for a long time that this administration would stonewall Congress and lie to it, so it was no surprise when they showed a strong commitment to that philosophy. We now know that even after years-long court battles end with rulings against them, they will not be bound by our court system. The only way to remove this cancer is (all together now)

ITMFA!

July 2, 2007•

Ted Rall

ITMFA – Libby Edition
posted by TheDon

The Bush Crime Family has now gamed the system so that Scooter won’t testify against his old boss Dick, and we’ll never hear the truth from Libby’s lying lips. For once he is following in dear old dad’s footsteps by using his presidential pardon powers to protect himself and his boss Dick.

This is another attack on the rule of law and the separation of powers by this oulaw regime. It’s time to take the gloves off and ITMFA. Now. This won’t be the last abuse of this power to protect his buddies, either. Watch for some rather broad pardons in January, 2009. GRRRRRRR.

So now what? Now there is no “ongoing investigation”, so it’s time for Congress to start up the hearings and subpeona the executive and find out who outed a CIA agent. If they don’t cooperate? ITMFA.

And where is the press? It’s time to start pressing the president again over who leaked, and why they still have security clearances. Press him on his claim that he would fire anyone connected. Push, people! Push!

July 2, 2007•

Ted Rall

ITMFA – VP edition
posted by TheDon

The Sunday chuckleheads seemed endlessly amused by that whacky VP and his unconstitutional antics. We are not amused. When the phrase “Nixonian stonewalling” seems inadequate to describe an administration, and when the VP shows such contempt for congress that he doesn’t even try to justify his activities anymore, it’s time to act. My mother used to say “If you act like Nixon, I’m going to treat you like Nixon”, or something like that. It’s time to treat this administration like the outlaw enemies of the Constitution that they are, and I’m not just talking about Congress. The MIA stenographer press corps needs to step up to the plate and earn their constitutionally protected status.

I hear people that I respect making the argument that impeachment is only an option, and that it would be a distraction from the Democratic legislative agenda.

Defending the Constitution is NOT an optional exercise, it is an oath that every congresscritter swore. There is no longer any doubt that these people are an ongoing threat to our Constitution, and to the lives and freedoms of people around the world. Their sneering contempt for the legislative branch and the people they represent has to be answered with force, and the biggest power congress has is the power to impeach.

And I have to ask… WHAT Democratic legislative agenda? I know there is one, but not one which will ever pass with the current Senate or President. Nothing of substance will pass the Senate (or even reach the floor), and if something accidentally passes, President Numbnuts has finally found the veto pen.

These guys are stonewalling because it’s the only way to make it to January 2009 still in office. It’s time to stand up for the people and their Constitution. An impeachment can even be a proxy war-crimes trial. I think the public would cheer on any process to get these criminals out of office, even if it eventually fails in the Senate. But I think that any Senator who refuses to vote for conviction on the serious crimes commited by this administration will be tossed out.

ITMFA – and the VP he rode in on.