House Judiciary Chairman calls for special counsel to investigate Bush administration ‘abuses’

September 30th, 2009 Leahy: Congress should make agencies be more openWASHINGTON — The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee wants new measures to clamp down on special exemptions that federal agencies are using to avoid disclosing information to the public under the Freedom of Information Act. Democratic Sen.

September 23rd, 2009 Senate Democrats propose surveillance law changesWASHINGTON — The Obama administration, for a second straight day, frustrated Democratic lawmakers Wednesday by declining to say whether it backs their demands for more civil liberties safeguards in anti-terrorism surveillance and property seizures. Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee kept pressing Assistant Attorney General David Kris to go beyond previous administration statements that it supports continuing provisions of the USA Patriot Act that will expire at year's end.

September 22nd, 2009 Administration wants to continue surveillance lawWASHINGTON — The Obama administration promised Congress on Tuesday to negotiate stronger privacy protections for Americans under terrorism surveillance but insisted on retaining current authority to track suspects and obtain records. Liberals on the House Judiciary Committee were left unsatisfied, clearly wanting the administration to go further and pledge to curb what they consider abuses of the Bush administration.

September 21st, 2009 Rights groups want UN Iran envoyNEW YORK — Human rights groups are urging the United Nations to appoint a special envoy to investigate continuing abuses in Iran following the disputed presidential elections there. Human Rights Watch and the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran say that at least 72 people have died in the crackdown that followed opposition protests against the ballot, in which President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won re-election.

September 18th, 2009 Former CIA chiefs seek halt to interrogation probeWASHINGTON — Seven former CIA directors are asking President Barack Obama to quash Attorney General Eric Holder's investigation into harsh CIA interrogations of terror suspects during the Bush administration. The request came in a letter Friday from CIA directors who served both Democratic and Republican presidents, including three who served former President George W.

August 11th, 2009 Documents: Rove involved in US attorney firingsWASHINGTON — Former White House political adviser Karl Rove was deeply involved in the firing of a U.S. attorney in New Mexico, according to White House e-mails and transcripts of closed-door testimony released Tuesday.

August 11th, 2009 Documents: Rove involved in US attorney firingWASHINGTON — Former White House political adviser Karl Rove was deeply involved in the firing of a U.S. attorney in New Mexico, according to White House e-mails and transcripts of closed-door testimony released Tuesday.

August 11th, 2009 Congressman: Rove involved in US attorney firingWASHINGTON — Former White House political adviser Karl Rove was deeply involved in the firing of a U.S. attorney in New Mexico, according to White House e-mails and transcripts of closed-door testimony released Tuesday.

July 12th, 2009 Feinstein suggests CIA concealment broke lawWASHINGTON — Six months into Barack Obama's presidency, his Democratic allies are pushing for twin investigations into Bush-era torture and anti-terrorism policies. Two senators including the head of the intelligence committee suggested Sunday that the prior administration broke the law by concealing a CIA counterterrorism program from Congress.

June 17th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama has been criticized for embracing the policies of the former Bush administration, by denying public access to White House visitor logs. The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has filed a complaint against the Obama administration in this regard.

May 13th, 2009 Top Democrat calls for probe of interrogationsWASHINGTON — The House majority leader said Tuesday that Congress should investigate whether the Bush administration authorized the torture of terrorism detainees, and he contended that the Republican focus on what Speaker Nancy Pelosi learned about harsh interrogation methods was a distraction. Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., was asked at a news conference about a controversy over what Pelosi was told during a 2002 intelligence briefing.

May 10th, 2009 Vt. Dems criticize Obama on stance on Bush aidesMONTPELIER, Vt. — Vermont Democrats say President Barack Obama is being soft on prosecuting former Bush administration officials over torture, electronic spying and other matters.

May 10th, 2009 State Dems criticize Obama on stance on Bush aidesMONTPELIER, Vt. — Vermont Democrats say President Barack Obama is being soft on prosecuting former Bush administration officials over torture, electronic spying and other matters.

April 30th, 2009 Senate chairman invites testimony on torture memosWASHINGTON — U.S. Circuit Judge Jay Bybee was asked Wednesday to provide Senate testimony on the memos he approved while at the Justice Department authorizing harsh interrogation methods for detainees.

April 28th, 2009 Democrats urge torture probe by special counselWASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats turned up the pressure on the Obama administration Tuesday to start a criminal investigation by a special counsel into harsh interrogations of terrorism suspects. It would be a conflict of interest for President Barack Obama's Justice Department to investigate lawyers from the Bush administration, even though they no longer work for the government, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee said.