Mukasey toes the White House lie line

By Libby

I didn't have any illusions that Mukasey was going to turn out to be a paragon of ethical standards but this is rather breathtaking in its support of criminality.

The Justice Department will not investigate whether CIA agents engaged in torture by waterboarding detainees, Attorney General Michael Mukasey said earlier.

Ditto goes for the administration's warrantless wiretapping program, Mukasey added later, when asked by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) whether he would appoint a special counsel to investigate.

The question came after Mukasey had baldly asserted that it was not a "practical view" that the president could order someone to act outside the law. Nadler wanted to know if the president hadn't done just that with his warrantless wiretapping program, which had ignored the constraints of FISA.

Well, Mukasey said, the President had ordered that on the advice of the Justice Department that it was lawful. So, just as he will not initiate an investigation of waterboarding since the DoJ had given its OK, he will also not investigate whether the warrantless wiretapping was lawful, since it was legal, because the DoJ said it was ("there are views on both sides of that" he acknowledged).

Oh, I get it. A heavily politicized Justice Dept, filled with GOP lackeys and headed by a corrupt AG who was forced in resign in disgrace signed off on executive overreach so it's all okay. Nothing to see here -- move along folks.

One can only hope the next administration will take their constitutional duties more seriously and bring these people to account, but I'm not holding my breath. I fear unless we impeach this administration, and I mean now, the next one won't see any compelling reason to disturb what may become useful precedents in extending their own power.