“Getting to the Truth Through a Nonpartisan Commission of Inquiry”

Senate Judiciary Committee

Full Committee

DATE: March 4, 2009

TIME: 10:00 AM

ROOM: Dirksen-226

OFFICIAL HEARING NOTICE / WITNESS LIST:

February 26, 2009

NOTICE OF COMMITTEE HEARING ROOM CHANGE TO SD-106

The hearing on "Getting to the Truth Through a Nonpartisan Commission of Inquiry" scheduled by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary for Wednesday, March 4, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. will take place in Room 106 of the Senate Dirksen Office Building rather than the previously scheduled room of SD-226.

By order of the Chairman

Updated Updated Witness List

Hearing before the

Senate Judiciary Committee

on

"Getting to the Truth Through a Nonpartisan Commission of Inquiry"

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 106

10:00 a.m.

Thomas Pickering

Vice Chairman

Hills & Company, International Consultants

Washington, D.C.

Retired Vice Admiral Lee Gunn

President

The American Security Project

Washington, D.C.

John Farmer

Partner

Arsenault, Whipple, Farmer, Fasset and Azzarello, L.L.P.

Chatham, NJ

Frederick A. O. Schwarz, Jr.

Senior Counsel

Brennan Center for Justice

New York University School of Law

New York, NY

David B. Rivkin, Jr.

Baker & Hostetler, L.L.P.

Washington, D.C.

Jeremy Rabkin

Professor of Law

George Mason University School of Law

Arlington, VA

Webcast available at the following link:

http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/hearing.cfm?id=3686

You can also watch this on cspan 3 @ 10 a.m.

SEN. LEAHY PROCEDES WITH TRUTH COMMISSION

Today

Senate Judiciary Cmte. Chairman Leahy (D-VT) holds a hearing on the creation of a nonpar-

tisan commission to investigate past national security policies. Sen. Leahy (D-VT) first called for a truth commission, which would inquire into alleged wrongdoing by past Administrations, during an event at Georgetown University.

http://www.c-span.org/Watch/C-SPAN3_wm.aspx

The Senate hearing

“Getting to the Truth Through a Nonpartisan Commission of Inquiry”

tomorrow at 10 a.m. You can watch a webcast or tv.

cspan 3 at 10 a.m.

cspan webcast

http://www.c-span.org/Watch/C-SPAN3_wm.aspx

Judiciary Committee webcast

http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/hearing.cfm?id=3686

Witnesses scheduled:

Thomas Pickering

Vice Chairman

Hills & Company, International Consultants

Washington, D.C.

Retired Vice Admiral Lee Gunn

President

The American Security Project

Washington, D.C.

John Farmer

Partner

Arsenault, Whipple, Farmer, Fasset and Azzarello, L.L.P.

Chatham, NJ

Frederick A. O. Schwarz, Jr.

Senior Counsel

Brennan Center for Justice

New York University School of Law

New York, NY

David B. Rivkin, Jr.

Baker & Hostetler, L.L.P.

Washington, D.C.

Jeremy Rabkin

Professor of Law

George Mason University School of Law

Arlington, VA

I'm glad to see the Holt bill. I agree with Jim White that it will be interesting to see who lines up against the bill.

I'd also like to have a better explanation for the missing nukes at Minot AFB. That's another story where the official explanation makes little sense.

Leahy has just gaveled in the hearing.

I swear Rivkin must be on retainer to Bush. Anytime the subject of torture comes up, there he is front and center defending torture and doing his best to obfuscate the issues. I wish someone on the panel would ask him if he's being paid.

I just have to vent:

I'm not a very patient person. I want to know everything that the Bush administration did NOW!It was so frustrating watching that hearing today. Why does it take so darn long to get at the truth? Why are there so many people willing to prostitute themselves to help cover up the truth? Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh! Someone please help me address my frustrations in a more positive way!

Thank you for your indulgence.

Thank you very much for the compliment Titonwan - you made my day. It's always nice for the old ego when someone lets you know that they value your contribution and I'm certainly not immune from having those feelings.

Oh, and yes I have posted at afterdowningstreet lately. I've been very interested in getting more support from those who don't share our progressive views but happen to agree that Bush crimes should be investigated and prosecuted. I corresponded with a gentleman from the John Birch Society about signing the petition for an independent counsel to investigate and prosecute Bush crimes. As you know I posted on the afterdowningstreet website that this organization was interested in the petition. I found out early this morning that they have circulated the information to their membership but they are not yet ready as a group to sign the petition. Evidently they have some people in their group who support prosecutions and others who do not. We may or may not get their "group" to sign the petition but it's entirely possible that some individuals from that group will sign the petition.

The righties have the Birchers...

And, then there are the "truthers." Daily, it now appears.

-- Strangely Enough

Well lucky for all of us that a lot of the people in these two groups that you've pointed out happen to agree with us that there should be criminal investigations and prosecutions of those responsible for torture. And I for one welcome their support.

Just as in any group, some of their individual members may be irritating in their interactions with others but a lot of them are very considerate and respectful of others. I don't think lumping them all together is very beneficial for any of us.

Rivkin: (Goes speechless as he makes dump in diapers.

Thanks for linking to the video. It was a beautiful moment, wasn't it? I can hardly wait until we have similar "beautiful moments" with Addington, Rove, Cheney, Feith, Bush, etc. in the witness chair.

Bush & Cheney started Cipro on 9/11.

WHY?

I don't know the answer to your question, ganjuerrilla but it's a good question.

On the night of the Sept. 11 attacks, the White House Medical Office dispensed Cipro to staff accompanying Vice President Dick Cheney as he was secreted off to the safety of Camp David, and told them it was "a precaution," according to one person directly involved.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/aponline/20011023/aponline201158_000.htm