On November 20, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) introduced H.Res. 1531 to hold George Bush and his administration accountable for their crimes through a Congressional investigation and a Special Prosecutor. We sent over 57,000 petition signatures to Congress and persuaded 9 House Democrats to co-sponsor.

With the start of the new Congress, Rep. Nadler has re-introduced his resolution with a new number (to be posted). And we are renewing our own efforts to convince more Democrats to become co-sponsors so the resolution is passed.

By David Swanson

Dick Cheney today previewed a likely argument defense attorneys will employ when he and Bush and their subordinates are tried, an argument that some of us have been predicting for years: If we weren't impeached and it was "war time" anything we did must have been legal. But, of course, none of the many arguments against impeachment that were frequently employed by the Democrats in Congress ever included the laughable assertion that Bush and Cheney were obeying laws. After all, Congress was busy passing bills to legalize their actions, and other bills to redundantly criminalize them, and watching bills of the latter sort be tossed out with "signing statements." The arguments against impeachment focused on the self-fulfilling alleged impossibility of doing it, the fear of being criticized on Fox News, the supposed need to focus on something else (anyone recall what it was?), the imagined electoral impact, and even the theory that the courts could better handle it.

The latest comment from the big Dick is of special relevance to those who made that last excuse. I really do hate to say I told you so, but the fact is that impeachment could be begun this Tuesday, completed on Wednesday, and a Senate trial scheduled for February, and Cheney's leading argument would be shot.

Bush Special Prosecutor is Top Question for Obama
http://www.democrats.com/bush-special-prosecutor-is-top-question-for-obama

Leopold: FBI Email Cites Still-Secret Presidential Torture Order
http://www.pubrecord.org/nationworld/595-fbi-e-mail-says-bush-authorized-
abuse-of-iraqi-detainees.html

Klein: Bush And Pre-emptive Pardons - Where Are The Progressives?
http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2009/01/bush-and-pre-emptive-pardons-
where-are.html

After five days of citizen voting at President-elect Obama's Change.gov website, the top-ranked question seeks a non-partisan Special Prosecutor to investigate the crimes of the Bush Administration:

"Will you appoint a Special Prosecutor - ideally Patrick Fitzgerald - to independently investigate the gravest crimes of the Bush Administration, including torture and warrantless wiretapping?" -Bob Fertik, New York City

The second round of questions began on December 30. As of January 4, nearly 4 million votes had been cast for over 63,000 questions. The first round of questions ended on December 15 with nearly 1 million votes cast for over 10,000 questions.

Request for Special Prosecutor is #2 on Obama's Change.gov
http://www.democrats.com/encourage-obama-to-appoint-a-special-prosecutor

Neiwert: Why G.W. Bush Should be Frogmarched Before the Hague
http://crooksandliars.com/node/24929

Haas: The Bush Administration´s Liability for 269 War Crimes
http://www.uswarcrimes.com/

Patriot Daily: Obama's Duty To Prosecute Bush For War Crimes
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/12/29/145630/05/128/678205

For those who can't decide whether Bush should be allowed to pardon Dick Cheney and even himself, here's a thought exercise: should Bush pardon Bernie Madfoff?

The question answers itself - of course not!

Madoff stole $50 billion from individuals, businesses, and charities. Because of his theft, people will lose their homes, their pensions, and their jobs; worthy charities providing social and cultural services will close. And because Madoff was so highly respected on Wall Street, his massive fraud has damaged the credibility of Wall Street itself, hurting all investors in the U.S.

But if the idea of Bush pardoning Madoff is unthinkable, why is it thinkable for Bush to pardon Dick Cheney or even himself?

As large as Madoff's $50 billion fraud was, it pales by comparison to the frauds committed together by George Bush and Dick Cheney.

Melber: Ask Obama For a Torture Special Prosecutor
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/state_of_change/392400/breaking_ask_obama_for_a_torture_special_prosecutor

Lithwick: Cheney's Ludicrous Torture Defenses
http://www.slate.com/id/2207070/pagenum/all/

Greenwald: Liberal Apologists for Torture
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/12/24/torture/index.html

President-Elect Obama's website asked for questions. People submitted and voted on questions, and finishing in sixth place was this one:

"Will you appoint a Special Prosecutor - ideally Patrick Fitzgerald - to independently investigate the gravest crimes of the Bush Administration, including torture and warrantless wiretapping?"
Bob Fertik, New York City

Now round two begins, and we'd appreciate your voting for this question:

"Do you believe the pardon power extends to allowing a president to authorize a crime and then pardon his subordinate? Are you aware that the Geneva Conventions and the Convention Against Torture commit the United States to prosecuting violators?"
David Swanson, Charlottesville VA

Please go here, and...

1. Sign in. Click to sign into the Change.gov website. It's just one easy step. You won't need to check your Email, and you'll be returned to the screen you were on.

2. Search. On the Open-for-Questions page type or paste into the search box these words:
pardon power

3. Vote. That should bring up the right question which you can then vote for by clicking on the check mark.
Please do it now!

Dear President Elect Obama,

On his third day in office President Grant revoked two pardons that had been granted by President Andrew Johnson. President Nixon also undid a pardon that had been granted by President Lyndon Johnson. There may be other examples of this, as these two have somewhat accidentally come up in a discussion focused on numerous examples of presidents undoing pardons that they had themselves granted, something the current president did last week. (See http://pardonpower.com ). In 2001, President George W. Bush's lawyers advised him that he could undo a pardon that President Clinton had granted.

Here's some history. Please let President-Elect Obama know.