Litigation

Wash. State Judge Calls for Prosecution of Bush Officials

By Charlie Hall

Richard Sanders, the Washington State Supreme Court justice who gained attention when he publicly screamed “Tyrant!” at then-Attorney General Michael Mukasey, has written a column in the Seattle Times, calling for a full investigation and, as needed, criminal prosecution of Bush administration officials for alleged violations of civil liberties.

Sanders wrote:

“If the rule of law means anything, it must mean at least this: Those who act or are in positions of authority in our government are subject to the same laws as everyone else. This has been the American tradition, the crown jewel of a free society, a government of laws, not of men. …

“Some take the position that we should forgive and forget or “look forward,” as President Obama ambiguously suggested. But “looking forward” without prosecution of past crimes brings the unsettling question of why prosecute future crimes of the same nature? After all, all criminal prosecutions are prosecutions for past acts, not future ones. And, make no mistake, these are real crimes: criminal prisoner abuse, criminal violations of the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act involving illegal wiretaps, as well as grave violations of numerous treaties and conventions, which are war crimes as defined by federal statute.”

 To see the column, click here.

Full post as published by The Gavel on February 06, 2009 (boomark / email).