Gosh, we violated the law and the US Constitution, but we stopped doing it now, so the prosecution of our crime is moot.

Lets pretend nothing ever happened, nothing to see here, move along.

The US government has filed a motion to drop the case the ACLU won in lower court against the government's warrantless wiretapping program. The government's appeal of that ruling will be heard on Wednesday, January 31 in front of the Sixth Circuit court of appeals. The feds argue that the case is now moot because they are now obtaining warrants from the FISA court, and furthermore President Bush did not renew the warrantless tapping program.

"There is no longer any appropriate basis for proceeding with this litigation, given both that the President has determined not to reauthorize the TSP, and that the central premise for plaintiffs' action---that any electronic surveillance that was being conducted was without court authorization—no longer exists. There is, therefore, no longer any live genuine controversy to adjudicate."

Turns out there's a Supreme Court precedent saying that if you were doing something illegal, get taken to court, and then stop the illegal activity, you're not off the hook. The feds argue in their petition that this precedent does not apply to them.

Alberto, Alberto, Alberto!

Shouldn't you go torture a cat or set a puppy on fire instead of trying these arguments in front of the congress? In case you have not noticed, its a DEMOCRATIC congress now.

In yet another attempt to create legitimacy for the Bush Administration's many questionable legal practices, US attorney General Alberto Gonzales actually had the audacity to argue before a Congressional committee that the US Constitution doesn't explicitly bestow habeas corpus rights on US citizens.

While Gonzales's statement has a measure of quibbling precision to it, his logic is troubling because it would suggest that many other fundamental rights that Americans hold dear (such as free speech, freedom of religion, and the right to assemble peacefully) also don't exist because the Constitution often spells out those rights in the negative. It boggles the mind the lengths this administration will go to to systematically erode the rights and privileges we have all counted on and held up as the granite pillars of our society since our nation was founded.

In his view it merely says when the so-called Great Writ can be suspended, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the rights are granted. The Attorney General was being questioned by Sen. Arlen Specter at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Jan. 18. THe MSM are not covering this story but Colbert is (click on the fourth video down, 'Exact Words').

Payback's a bitch

Former Republican congressman from Ohio, and Jack Abramoff's puppet, Bob Ney, has been sentenced to 30 months in jail. This sentence is longer than what the prosecution recommended.

Bob Ney's sentence was longer than the prosecution had recommended, the judge said, because the former lawmaker had violated the public trust.

He will be on probation for two years after his term. He must pay a $6,000 (£3,000) fine and undergo counselling.

Ney had pleaded guilty to trading political favours for money and gifts.

He also admitted conspiracy and making false statements.

On Friday, he apologised to his family, friends and former constituents.

He reiterated his dependence on alcohol, saying he had battled "the demons of addiction".

Of course, poor man--its the alcohol's fault. And before I forget, he is also the idiot who renamed french fries to freedom fries.

FISA oversight of Domestic spying

The U.S. Justice Department has consented to court oversight (albeit via a secret court) of the controversial domestic wiretapping program (the "Terrorist Surveillance Program").

• Gonzales: Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court must OK electronic surveillance
• Court has already approved request concerning person with alleged terror links
• Gonzales notified Senate Judiciary Committee leaders in letter issued January 10

So what happened to the argument that there was no time to seek approval (when it was always possible to ask for approval AFTER beginning the surveillance?

The Gratitude Gap

Bush thinks the Iraqi people should thank us. Don't forget, these are the same people who were supposed to greet us as liberators.

Bush continued, "I believe most Iraqis express that. I mean, the people understand that we've endured great sacrifice to help them. That's the problem here in America. They wonder whether or not there is a gratitude level that's significant enough in Iraq."

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The interviews of Bush and Cheney happened to come on Martin Luther King Day weekend. When King came out against the Vietnam War, he said the Vietnamese must view Americans as "strange liberators." King said, "They watch as we poison their water, as we kill a million acres of their crops. They must weep as the bulldozers roar through their areas preparing to destroy the precious trees. . . we have destroyed their two most cherished institutions: the family and the village. . . What liberators?"

Romney sells out. Again

Is it a surprise that Romney is courting gun nuts? The explanation? He was against guns before he was for them, is all.

Flashback to 1994:

In his 1994 US Senate run, Romney backed two gun-control measures strongly opposed by the National Rifle Association and other gun-rights groups: the Brady Bill, which imposed a five-day waiting period on gun sales, and a ban on certain assault weapons.

"That's not going to make me the hero of the NRA," Romney told the Boston Herald in 1994.

And now:

"He believes Americans have the right to own and possess firearms as guaranteed under the US Constitution," spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom wrote in an e-mail. "He's proud to be among the many decent, law-abiding men and women who safely use firearms. Like President Bush, he supports restrictions on assault weapons, but Mitt Romney has also worked with gun owners and sportsmen to ease the gun-licensing laws in Massachusetts."