Holder throwing in the towel on CIA investigation?

American Thinker ^ | September 19, 2009 | Clarice Feldman

[jazusamo]

Tom Maguire, citing the Washington Post, reports that AG Eric Holder seems to be winding down the much ballyhooed and widely criticized decision to investigate the CIA interrogators:

The WaPo reports that, having finished with the grandstanding and puffery, Attorney General Eric Holder's investigation into the already-investigated detainee abuse cases is narrowing and winding down.

Beyond the obvious problems - in addition to demoralizing the CIA they are investigating the foot soldiers, not the generals who ordered the policy - it turns out that technicalities of law, jurisdiction and evidence make prosecutions and convictions difficult.  That is hardly a surprise to the rest of us, but apparently it is news to Holder, who did not read the reports explaining the decisions not to prosecute before reopening the investigations:

Before his decision to reopen the cases, Holder did not read detailed memos that prosecutors drafted and placed in files to explain their decision to decline prosecutions. That issue has rankled GOP lawmakers and some career lawyers in the Justice Department, who question whether Holder's order was made based on the facts or on his political instincts.

But a government source asserted that Holder was briefed on some of the details by advisers and that the attorney general was troubled by the material he read. Authorities have not pointed publicly to new evidence or witnesses that would strengthen the cases under review.

This only makes him seem more incompetent. Tom thinks maybe he'll now have time to re-open the decision to drop the voter intimidation case against the Black Panthers.

I have a different view. I think that like Charles Gibson he's decided to play dumb rather than concede that he made a stupid judgment call to appeal to the party's left wing, a call which has drawn almost universal condemnation.

Either way, he looks foolish. If we accept the "government source's" version of the events, it's a good thing he decided to cut his losses early on this one. He would be well advised to seek new legal counsel though, because whoever told him reopening these cases was the thing to do is an idiot.

[detective]

“This only makes him seem more incompetent.”

Holder is incompetent when it comes to being Attorney General, but the decision to investigate had nothing to due with the merits of the case. It was a purely political decision to intimidate and silence the opposition. The case has no merit whatsoever but it will be used as a club to beat down people by imposing high legal fees on them. The power to destroy people that the AG has is enormous. This was about destroying individuals, never about investigating the facts. It is straight out of the Alinsky playbook.

[Brad from Tennessee]

As deputy attorney general under Janet Reno, Eric Holder was a willing facilitator of the Clinton's justice-for-sale racket. When trying to analyze the motives of such a dirtball it's important to follow the money. Until February, Holder was a senior partner with the D.C. law firm, Covington & Burling, which represents 17 Yemeni nationals held at Guantanamo. If Holder can establish that his former clients are torture victims Covington & Burling can sue the U.S. government on the terrorists’ behalf for untold millions.

[Anti-Bubba182]

"...Holder, who did not read the reports explaining the decisions not to prosecute before reopening the investigations:.."

That is all you need to know. The "investigation" was done for Political reasons by a corrupt and lazy AG.

[Logical me]

I think the recent FBI breakup of a terrorist attack shook Holder's a@@. I think that he realized that this attack on the CIA and any future attack by terrorists will cook his goose. So he backed off this political attack.

[jazusamo]

That seems like a strong possibility.

[des]

They trot him out with this threat every time Cheney makes points in the news. He’ll be back.

[La Lydia]

“...Holder, who did not read the reports explaining the decisions not to prosecute before reopening the investigations...” The guy is totally, totally, incompetent. And he has gone public with it. And BO named him Attorney General.

[himno hero]

Why does holder not do something meaningful such as re examine the threat to democracy in the Black Panthers intimidation? Why can he not look in the mirror and do the right thing? Orders directly from Barry - o?

[AmericanVictory]

I guess making war only on your own country isn’t proving as politically popular as they thought. Ah, the problems of affirmative action fascism.

[victim soul]

UGH - I guess follow the $$$$ always rings true.

[opentalk]

May be Soros Agenda. He was the one pushing ACLU to insist that pictures were released.

[MNJohnnie]

Of course, it was never about facts, it was about throwing a bone Leftist blogger wing of the 0 regime's base.

[jazusamo]

Yes, I’d bet Soros is pulling Zer0’s strings.

[little jeremiah]

I think Holder is hearing the distant music of investigations gradually coming closer and closer to his background, associations, previously spoken and written words, and criminal acts.

[victim soul]

Embarrassing video of Eric Holder on Elian’s “Rescue”

http://patriotroom.com/article/embarrassing-video-for-attorney-general-nominee-eric-holder

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Yes. Probably time for a beer with the boss.

[jazusamo]

Let’s hope so, it’ll be a great day if it comes.

[Lion Den Dan]

The CIA might have made Holder and offer he could not refuse.

[AlphaOneAlpha]

“The guy is totally, totally, incompetent. And he has gone public with it. And BO named him Attorney General.”

A zero, plus a zero, equals zero.

[Brad from Tennessee]

[I guess follow the $$$$ always rings true]

I think this is also true with Obama’s abandoning of the Polish/Czech anti-missile program. General Electric officials are supposed to sign a big contract with Putin next week. GE already has a handful of profitable projects in Russia. I think this latest one is for diesel-electric locomotives. Putin may have pressured GE (NBC) to help kill the missile shield at a time when Obama is weakening.