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Obama Could Expose Secrets of the Bush Years

On torture, wiretapping, and more, Bush legacy rests with successor

By Gabriel Winant, Newser User

Posted Feb 10, 2009 9:19 AM CST

(Newser) – Good government groups spent years suing and lobbying to expose the Bush administration’s secrets. Will President Obama spill the beans on his predecessor? Politico outlines major secrets Obama can choose to air or keep:

US attorney firings: Claiming executive privilege, Karl Rove refused to testify. But Rove has been re-subpoenaed, and Obama may get to make the final choice.

Warrantless wiretapping: “The Bush administration claimed secrets that really don’t pass the giggle test,” says a privacy advocate. Obama backed liberals on this issue until a sudden mid-campaign compromise. He probably won’t flip back now.
Bush’s and Cheney’s CIA leak statements: A top watchdog in Congress tried to get Bush and Cheney’s statements to the Valerie Plame case prosecutor, but the Justice Department blocked him. Now Obama can disclose them, if he chooses.
The torture memos: More than 40 legal opinions, including one actually listing interrogation methods, are still largely secret.
Secret prisons: The orders for Bush’s “black site” program might be released, but Obama will probably try to avoid embarrassing the host countries.
Area 51: Just kidding.

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

A demonstrator who did not want to be identified displays signs during a protest of the Bush administration's domestic wiretapping program February 22, 2006 in downtown Chicago, Illinois. (Getty Images)

A plane at the Prague airport, April 8, 2005. This plane is widely believed to have been used in extraordinary rendition of prisoners. (Getty Images)

President Bush stands with Attorney General Michael Mukasey, discussing warrant less wiretapping and Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), Monday, March 3, 2008. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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If all the litigation goes forward — status quo, there’s going to be a huge sense of disappointment, a feeling of betrayal. - Anne Weissman, chief counsel for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 9 comments

Shannonals

Feb 11, 2009 3:10 AM CST

Obama's administration will release nothing

Guest

Feb 10, 2009 4:44 AM CST

Uh, there is no proof, zero, that even one act of terrorism was stopped by using these methods. And the majority of military officers say that it is not effective. And as John McCain once stated before drinking the Cheney koolaid, it makes it far more likely that our own troops will be tortured. I guess you have no problems with wire tapping anyone at any time either, though it shreds the Constitution. All that needs to be done is to prove after the fact-after the fact, that the tapping was justified. There is no reason to not agree to justify why you tapped someone's communication after the fact unless you are misusing the system, likely for political rather than security reasons. Unless the executive branch can be checked and must justify its actions we are spawning a dictatorship. And that won't separate us very much from the folks who hit us on 911. In fact, it will prove they won, destroying our great Republic.

Guest

Feb 10, 2009 1:56 AM CST

I don't believe BHO will do anything. He'll see at as old school finger pointing politics. I'd see at as seeking justice and protecting what's left of our democracy.

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Obama Could Expose Secrets of the Bush Years