Before a backdrop of an impeachment trial that’ll probably lack witnesses and any evidentiary documents thanks to Senate Republicans, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) is promising to hold President Trump and his administration accountable — even if the justice is retroactive.
Bush left office with an abysmal 22 percent approval rate. He was weighed down with scandals concerning mass surveillance, torture programs and war profiteering.
And they all should have been prosecuted to the full extent of the law. If we let them skate we just get more lawlessness. The days of impunity must pass. Now.
I’ve been wondering when the candidates would be asked this question. It’s an answer I would very much be interested to hear from all.
The financial crimes are important, but this administration has its tentacles in so many varieties of corrupt schemes! The next AG will be able to do a master class in law enforcement.
“The best way to turn the page on Trump-era corruption is for people who broke the law to be held accountable so that future officials — including in a Warren Administration — will know that violating the public trust and breaking anti-corruption and public integrity laws will come with consequences.”
Well stated. The corruption in the Trump administration has been widespread and wanton, and any future officials should know that a corrupt Justice Dept. can shield them only temporarily from the weight of the law.
I’ve always thought the same, but I think the point made in the article is valid. If it’s a clear-cut case of personal gain, independently investigated and prosecuted, that might placate the poor, victimized conservatives (probably not, but it could happen).
Now, I would have thought there was plenty of actual lawbreaking going on in the Bush administration as well.
Maybe it’s just us…
All, certainly.
But I would be particularly interested in Joltin’ Joe’s answer!
Though I somewhat agree with Warren’s OLC proposal, for obvious reasons, I’m going to bookmark this article.
Since his campaign is centered on fighting for the soul of this country, I would think he would be willing to prosecute.
How appropriate.
That is why I do support Senator Warren for President.
I would hope so, I would like to have him on the record though…
If this destroys the country, it only means we were already beyond saving.
If it saves the country … There’s your reason to go for it right there.
Obama was right. But this is different. Bigly.
I wouldn’t count on Biden going after this administration. He might want to “work with Republicans” in the future. Not going after Bush/Cheney and that administration or anyone responsible for the financial crash were my biggest disappointments with Obama and Holder.
Ironic that the biggest crook to live in the WH is the only one who wants to go back and prosecute anyone they claim are guilty of crimes against their politics or the Constitution.
I hope that’s not your only reason.
I have argued a number of times, on TPM and elsewhere, that the rise of Conservative Media (shielding Republican Presidents) together with the reluctance of Democrats to pursue charges against Republican wrong-doers, has resulted in ever more increasing and brazen criminal behavior- by Republican Administrations. They keep getting worse.
By the way, there were plenty of purely economic crimes committed by Bush appointees in the Iraqi Provisional Authority. I’m not buying that line either. Did anyone ever find the $9B in cold hard cash that went missing from an Iraqi warehouse?
You can bet that Republicans would not want to “put it all behind us” if the shoe were on the other foot.
The god damn country is STILL suffering from the civic moral degeneration caused by Ford pardoning of Nixon. There will be justice for Trump and his enablers or ELSE fold the flag and give it up.
now THAT’S a proposal I can get behind. The GOP is full of criminals that need to be brought to justice.
The most efficient way to put the Trump years behind us is to lock everyone of the complicit bastards in to a maximum security facility for the rest of their natural lives.
But I’m more of a realist than that.
There is no choice, I would submit, then to look back and prosecute what has occurred under Trump to the fullest extent of the law. Certainly not if we want to maintain that we are still a country of laws and respect for the rule of law is our guiding principle.
Trump has been impeached, for Pete’s sake. Only the third President ever. And, yet, the Republicans are making a mockery of what should be a solemn proceeding. A proceeding that should be carried out in plain view of the American people with both sides permitted to put forth their best arguments.
Despite Impeachment, Justice has not been served and we cannot move on until that occurs.
To let egregious lawlessness go unanswered encourages more of the same in future administrations.
Obama bitterly disappointed me with his refusal to address the abuses of his predecessor’s administration, as well refusing to prosecute even one goddamn banker responsible for cratering the western economic system. What the hell was that about?
People in elected positions who displayed flamboyant criminality, given enough time, are referred to as senior statesmen. See: Henry Kissinger and Dick Cheney. Let that sink in.
Instead of retribution, the headline should read Warren Promises to Prosecute Government Crime.