The oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution trumps any subsequent "secrecy pledge."

Whatever pledge they take, upon learning of violations of the Constitution, Federal law or valid Treaty, they're obligated by their oath of office to see that justice is done.

No pledge is valid if it requires concealing crimes. That's the very definition of a "loyalty oath", which would obligate a government official to afford greater allegiance to a person, group, or ideology than to the Constitution.

Like Sarah Taylor's "oath to the President."

Leahy: And then you said, I took an oath to the President, and I take that oath very seriously. Did you mean, perhaps, you took an oath to the Constitution?

Taylor: Uh, I, uh, yes, you're correct, I took an oath to the Constitution. Uh, but, what--

Leahy: Did you take a second oath to the President?

Taylor: I did not. I--

Leahy: So the answer was incorrect.

Taylor: The answer was incorrect. What I should have said is that, I took an oath, I took that oath seriously. And I believe that taking that oath means that I need to respect, and do respect, my service to the President.

Leahy: No, the oath says that you take an oath to uphold and protect the Constitution of the United States. That is your paramount duty. I know that the President refers to the government being his government -- it's not. It's the government of the people of America. Your oath is not to uphold the President, nor is mine to uphold the Senate. My oath, like your oath, is to uphold the Constitution.

Monica Goodling admitted hiring career employees based on religious and political affiliations.

Rep. Adam Schiff found getting a straight answer was like pulling teeth:

SCHIFF: And if a U.S. attorney or any other key Justice Department official demonstrated an excess of loyalty, loyalty more to the person that hired them or responsible for their jobs than to uphold the laws and faithfully execute their office, that might be a reason to put them on a list to be fired, right?

GOODLING: I'm not sure that I understand.

SCHIFF: The attorney general has certainly created a perception, if not a reality, that his loyalty to the president is a higher priority to him than faithfully executing the duties of his office. Wouldn't you agree?

GOODLING: I don't know what my perception of that would be... I just don't know that I can express an opinion on that. I just don't -- I don't, frankly, know what I think about the topic.

Secrecy pledges provide no legal cover for illegal acts. A detective may sign a nondisclosure agreement to protect the integrity of evidence in a case, but if he learns his superior falsified evidence or abused a suspect, he has to report it.

One recent incident best illustrates how this is supposed to work:

On August 30, six nuclear warheads "accidentally" attached themselves to cruise missiles and jumped into place on a B-52 bomber. A pilot then "accidentally" flew them to Barksdale Air Force Base, enroute to the Middle East. They never made it, thanks to a few people who drew a line in the sand and told the war-mongering administration the exact orifice in which they would shove those nukes if the Bomber lifted so much as one inch off the tarmac.

I suspect those interceptors were high-ranking military and intelligence officials who finally said "enough is enough," and decided there was no way in hell they would be complicit in turning the world a nice shade of phosphorescent green.

One week later on September 6, Israel bombed the "suspected nuclear facility" in Syria. There are rumors that there was to be a simultaneous strike on Iran's facilities, which are protected by 70 feet of concrete.

Bush had discussed the possibility of launching a nuclear "first strike" against Iran on several occasions, using nuclear-tipped "Bunker Buster" missiles.

Why was the decision to not release the NIE suddenly reversed? And why did Cheney and Bush react with relative calm and resignation?

Because someone caught them trying to start a nuclear holocaust, and threatened to go public if they didn't back down. They forced the release of the real NIE to thwart another attempt to start a war with Iran.

THAT'S how Congress should act.

If the choice is between letting these fools start another war, possibly a nuclear one, or exposing grave crimes at the risk of prosecution or losing a security clearance, how could any legislator remain silent?

If it's between exposing systemic torture or perpetuating it for fear of losing seats on some damn committee - that's not a tough decision.

Don't they know the person who exposes them will be treated like a hero? The people would love them for it.

Observe the respect given James Comey for telling the truth about the shameful state of the Justice Dept. He was called a champion of the Rule of Law. He really didn't do anything extraordinary - he just told the truth.

Shouldn't we expect that from our government? It's disturbing that all it takes for public servants to be heroes today is merely answering Congressional questions with honesty.

We need legislation making it a crime for any government official to possess knowledge of a felony and fail to make it known. If Condi knows Cheney destroyed incriminating documents, she squeals or she goes to prison right along with him. If Senator Jay Rockefeller ignores illegal wiretapping, he can share a cell with Ted Stevens.

A secrecy pledge is only valid if the substance of the secret is lawful. To require, or agree to secrecy of a crime is un-Constitutional, and renders any pledge invalid as to that specific crime.

The worst thing of all is using the "state secrets" defense to avoid the disclosure of torture.

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - more important than human rights. No secret can be so critical that we lose our humanity.

Bottom line is that Nancy was fearful of being labeled "weak" on terror by Republicans and losing re-election.

So she betrayed us.

Not for any other reason.

She simply wanted to keep her office and her paycheck --- and for that reason alone she gave Bush a blank check to break as many laws as he wanted.

She is a traitor to the Consitution and the American people.

Nancy needs to be impeached and replaced with someone who gives a damn.

And does she even care?

Nope.

Good Ol' Nancy does give a shiny damn about any of it.

"Impeachment is off the table!" she shouted with more passion than even the Bush-loving neocons could have mustered.

Nancy = freaking traitor.