Leahy Vows To “Restore” Habeas Corpus For Terrorists
Here is some more of the “new direction” the Democrats hope to take us in.
A battle is shaping up between Democrats and the White House over the Military Commissions Act, signed into law last month by President George W. Bush.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., is expected to take over as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and The (Calif.) Daily Journal reports that Leahy is drafting a bill to undo portions of the new law in an effort to restore habeas corpus rights for enemy combatants.
A spokeswoman for Leahy told the newspaper the bill would be intended to repeal portions of the law that prevent some detainees from pursuing federal court challenges to the government’s authority to hold them indefinitely.
Spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler told the newspaper the goal is to “try and do something to reverse the damage.”
The truth is that Leahy is hoping to create rights for our enemies. He wouldn’t be “restoring” anything.
How nice of Leahy to “restore” something they never had in the first place!
The supposed rights of habes for enemy combatants never existed and still doesn’t. The only thing that the last few Supreme Court decisions addressed is if enemy combatants can APPLY for habeas protections, NOT that they should automatically have them.
Meanwhile the ACLU prepares to challenge the Act:
In challenging this unconstitutional legislation in the courts and in Congress, the ACLU has pledged to fight for our civil liberties when legislative and judiciary branches of government seem to have turned their collective backs on us; it intends to conserve our civil liberties and defend the balance of power. It is going to battle for the beseiged Constitution and the threatened American Way.
Welcome to the kindler, gentler, “new direction” for the War on Terror the Democrats hope to lead us into. I doubt that Leahy can get the votes for this but still … All I can say is that I hope President Bush can learn how to actually use his veto pen. It is gonna be needed for the next two years.
Author