Senator Dodd: "No More Trampling On Our Constitution"

Read his statement here.

Baltimore Sun: A Better Balance

News on cases coming up before the Supreme Court.

Senator Patrick Leahy, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, on Congress's Historic Error

Senator Leahy's statement on Amendment 2022, The Habeas Corpus Restoration Act Of 2007, To H.R. 1585. Senate Floor, September 19, 2007:

"At the beginning of this debate, I said that Congress committed a historic error when it eliminated the Great Writ of habeas corpus not just for those detained at Guantanamo Bay, but also for millions of permanent legal residents here in the United States... "Continue reading.

And his statement after the Republican filibuster:

“The vote today showed that a majority of the Senate supports our efforts to correct the historic mistake made in last year’s Military Commissions Act, but there is still more work to be done to overcome the Republican filibuster. Like the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, the elimination of habeas rights was an action driven by fear, and it was a stain on America’s reputation in the world. This bipartisan initiative has brought together Americans who call themselves conservatives, Americans who call themselves liberals, or libertarians, or evangelicals, or independents, and I am proud to be associated with them in this effort. We will continue to work for what is right and what is just." Continue reading...

Habeas Corpus: Cornerstone of Liberty by Justin Gero

In The Triangle, Justin Gero writes:

Congress had the opportunity to pass a vitally important bill last week that would restore basic liberties to the people of this nation. The bill was cosponsored by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Chris Dodd (D-CT), and would reinstate habeas corpus to those it has been abolished for. The bill needed sixty votes to pass, but failed even though a majority of fifty-six senators voted for it. Habeas corpus is the right for an imprisoned person to be brought before a court to determine whether or not they have been imprisoned lawfully. Quite simply, if you are falsely imprisoned, habeas corpus is your right to prove your innocence. The roots of habeas corpus can be traced back to 1215 when the Magna Carta was signed. It was again reaffirmed in English law with the passing of the Habeas Corpus Act of 1679, which was hailed as "a second magna carta, a stable bulwark of our liberties." It was adopted, and later ratified by the newly formed United States Constitution in 1787. Article I, Section 9 of the U.S. Constitution clearly states that: "The privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it." It is known as "The Great Writ," for without it, no other rights can survive the threat of tyranny. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay recognized this when they authored the Federalist Papers in 1788. Hamilton says: "the practice of arbitrary imprisonments, [has] been, in all ages, [one of] the favorite and most formidable instruments of tyranny." Continue reading.

RIP Habeas Corpus

In the Spectrum--- writes Opinion Editor Steve Boss:

Our government has failed us. The Habeas Corpus Restoration Act was rejected Sept. 19 in the senate in a 56-43 vote. It came up short of passing by only 4 votes. For a little background, the Habeas Corpus Restoration Act was intended to right the wrong of the Military Commissions Act, passed in October 2006. The Military Commissions Act was hastily passed through congress with provisions “loosening” the definition of war crimes. Also hidden in the bill, Bush attempted to retroactively pardon himself and his cabinet for War Crimes. This is in regards to the coercive interrogation techniques, for example the alleged torture of Taliban, al Qaeda and other detainees. These acts are in direct defiance of the Geneva conventions. Under the War Crimes Act, violation of the Geneva conventions is considered a serious crime, sometimes punishable by death. When the Supreme Court suddenly ruled the Geneva conventions applied to Taliban and al Qaeda detainees, the Bush administration realized they were in for a world of trouble. In response to this obvious threat, the Military Commissions Act was crammed through congress before it adjourned. The MCA limited the definition of what we consider a war crime under the War Crimes Act. According to the MCA, only actions that were considered “grave breaches” of Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions could be a basis for prosecution. These actions include torture, cruel or inhumane treatment, mutilation or maiming, murder, intentionally causing serious bodily harm, rape, sexual assault or abuse and taking hostages. The problem with this is that it’s entirely subjective, many war criminals, rapists, murderers, can get away scot-free as long as the subject is considered a possible enemy of the state. The end result? The Military Commissions Act has provisions designed to protect U.S. government officials from prosecution and charges of “abuses” during the War on Terror. Continue reading....

"No Habeas Corpus" Tops List of Censored Stories in 2006

Quote:

According to the "San Franciso Bay Guardian", the picture isn't pretty: together, the stories "present a chilling portrait of a newly empowered executive branch signing away civil liberties for the sake of an endless and amorphous war on terror." The top story was the passing of the Military Commissions Act in October 2006, which made significant changes to the nation's judicial system for U.S. citizens and non-citizens alike. While mainstream media were giving U.S. citizens false comfort that they would not be subject to the draconian measures legalised in the act, investigative journalist Robert Parry noted that the act allows for a military alternative to the constitutional justice system for "any person" regardless of American citizenship... Read more

Citizen Catherine: Done To Date-- and What Can You Do?

--->Started this blog. (Get your own--- free & lickety-split--- at www.blogger.com)
--->Added links to findhabeas, ACLU, etc. (Have a look...)
--->registered blog to ping-o-matic and www.technorati.com
--->Told my sister, who is lawyer, that OK, I've quit the BMWs (bitching, moaning & whining) and yes, I am hereby doing something.
--->And What Can You Do? The ACLU's findhabeas.com page has a list of actions you can take immediately. Also, why not start your own blog? If you already have one, please link to Citizen Catherine. Please link to findhabeas.com . Tell others. More anon.