Here are the claims the Bybee Two memo premised its authorization to torture Abu Zubaydah on: As we understand it, Zubaydah is one of the highest ranking members of the al Qaeda terrorist organization, [snip] Our advice is based upon the following facts, which you have provided to us. We also understand that you do [...]

All the discussion about the wisdom or legality of Eric Holder’s unilateral change to Miranda procedure for “operational terrorists” (Evan Perez story, Charlie Savage story, bmaz post) seems to be missing a stunning detail. The memo laying out the change in procedures apparently doesn’t distinguish between foreign terrorists (that is, members of al Qaeda) and [...]

Back in 2009, I noted that a report that USAMRID had lost track of its vials of anthrax sort of undermined the entire FBI case against Bruce Ivins. One key to the FBI case against Ivins, after all, is that he had complete control over the sole flask that contained the strain of anthrax used [...]

For all the caterwauling from the right, and stupifyingly from the Obama Administration and Blue Dog left as well, the real reason the United States has the sizable deficit issues it does is due in large part to the fact corporations like GE make billions in profit and pay no taxes.

As has often been noted, the White Paper the Bush Administration released on January 19, 2006 largely repeats the analysis Jack Goldsmith did in his May 6, 2004 OLC opinion on the warrantless wiretap program. So I decided to compare the two documents. Not only did such a comparison help me see things in both [...]

I’m really deep in the weeds on the Jack Goldsmith memo right now (I should have a weedy post up later). But in case you’re bored w/bmaz’s rant about the assault on Miranda rights, I thought I’d point to this TP post describing Richard Clarke suggesting that the Chamber of Commerce (funded by foreign sources, [...]

The Obama Administration has sought to improperly alter Constitutional Miranda rights by administrative decree.

The FBI has linked to a redacted executive summary of the report some shrink contractors did on Bruce Ivins. While it is just the executive summary and even that is partly redacted, the report basically paints Bruce Ivins was a stalker which therefore makes him a possible bioterrorist. Unfortunately for the shrinks who did the [...]

Let me say at the outset that the GM bailout was far, far better handled than the bankster bailouts. And as a Michigan resident whose family still has ties to the auto business, I am tremendously grateful for that bailout. That said, this is why I have not declared mission accomplished, in spite of the [...]

Here’s the last paragraph of a Politico article describing the considerable extent of AT&T’s paid influence in DC. AT&T said Monday that it is “confident” it can secure federal approval as it presents its case for T-Mobile, and both companies signaled Monday that they hoped to wrap everything up in about a year. AT&T declined [...]