It's great to be here blogging at Daily Kos!
We have just emerged from a time when White House officials often acted as if they were above the law. That was wrong and must be fully exposed so it never happens again.
The Daily Kos community and the netroots played a vital role pursuing, demanding, and exposing the Bush-Cheney Administration's numerous abuses. But there's still more we don't know, and more we must uncover, about the misdeeds of the past eight years.
That is why I proposed the idea of a truth and reconciliation commission to investigate abuses during the Bush-Cheney Administration. These abuses may include the use of torture, warrantless wiretapping, extraordinary rendition, and executive override of laws.
I have set up a petition at BushTruthCommission.com, and I hope you'll sign it to urge Congress to consider establishing a truth and reconciliation commission to investigate the Bush-Cheney Administration's abuses. We already have over 5,000 signatures, but we need to hit at least 10,000 20,000 signatures by next week, to build momentum behind this idea.
During the past several years, this country has been divided as deeply as it has been at any time in our history since the Civil War. It has made our government less productive and our society less civil. In this week when we begin commemorating the Lincoln bicentennial, there is need, again, "to bind up the nation's wounds." President Lincoln urged that course in his second inaugural address some seven score and four years ago.
Rather than vengeance, we need a fair-minded pursuit of what actually happened. The best way to move forward is getting to the truth, finding out what happened, so we can make sure it does not happen again.
The Obama Administration has already made huge strides to restore the Constitution and renew our commitment to international law after eight corrosive years. But we must read the full page on this dark chapter in American history before we can turn it for good, which is why I feel so strongly about investigating what really happened.
I hope you agree.
On Monday, I delivered a speech at Georgetown University where I outlined my ideas about why we need a truth and reconciliation commission and how it could work.
A truth and reconciliation commission would be tasked with seeking answers. It would provide Congress and the American people with a shared understanding of the failures of the recent past, so we do not repeat them in the future.
Thank you, in advance, for taking action at www.BushTruthCommission.com to prevent history from repeating itself and joining me to support the creation of a truth and reconciliation commission.
P.S. I'll be stopping by several times today to respond to your questions and comments. I look forward to your feedback and our dialogue!
UPDATE (2:30pm ET): Thanks for all of your questions and comments. I've tried to address some of them below, but also wanted to post a more global update here. This is clearly an issue that we all feel passionately about.
Some say we should not look backward at all at the misdeeds and missteps of the past eight years. There are others who say that, even if it takes all of the next eight years, divides this country, and distracts from the necessary priority of fixing the economy, we must prosecute Bush-Cheney Administration officials to lay down a marker. I believe we should consider a middle ground, which is to find the truth. We need to get to the bottom of what happened -- and why -- so we make sure it never happens again.
On the issue of immunity & prosecutions, a failed attempt to prosecute for this conduct would be the worst result of all as it could be seen as justifying and exonerating abhorrent actions. Given the steps Congress and the executive have already taken to shield this conduct from accountability, any prosecution could be difficult. What's more, prosecutions could take 5, 10, or more years to accomplish -- and we need to get to the truth much more quickly.
Of course, this avenue would be pursued in consultation with the Justice Department and would not rule out prosecution in appropriate cases, particularly for perjury before the commission -- or for those individuals who choose not to testify before the commission, but are implicated by others. We could certainly prosecute those people.
No Attorney General should make a commitment not to prosecute for any crime without having investigated the issue. Some asked Eric Holder to commit not to prosecute for anything that happened on President Bush’s watch. That is a pledge no prosecutor should give, and Attorney General Holder did not. My proposal does not ask for Attorney General Holder to make any such commitment.