Dems, Not Republicans, Introduced Guantanamo Transfer Ban

By Jeralyn, Section Terror Trials
Posted on Mon Dec 13, 2010 at 07:16:07 PM EST
Tags: Guantanamo (all tags)

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Via TPM Muckraker: It was Democrats, not Republicans, that inserted the ban on Guantanamo detainee transfers to the U.S., including for trial, into the Omnibus Spending Bill:

According to sources on both sides of the House Appropriations Committee, which had purview over the legislation, the bill was written entirely by the Democratic side. It was revealed to Republicans only hours before the vote. No amendments were allowed on the House floor. No Republicans voted for it.

And, the committee sources said, the White House would have seen the final package -- including the transfer ban -- and would have had the chance to object.

Did someone forget to tell Attorney General Eric Holder? [More...]

TPM suggests the bill was not linked to blocking the New York terror trials of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and others. I'd bet it was, and that New York's Dems played a big role. White House leadership, as well as AG Holder, opposed it.

Regardless, it sure seems like Obama and the Dems are at odds on a lot of issues lately. On this one, Obama and Holder are right, and it's the Dems who introduced it who are to blame. It' s not clear whether the provision will be in the Senate version of the bill.

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Dems, Not Republicans, Introduced Guantanamo Transfer Ban | 7 comments (7 topical)

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Could this disappear in conference? (none / 0) (#1)
by jeffinalabama on Mon Dec 13, 2010 at 08:18:04 PM EST

Let's hope so.

Andy Worthington (none / 0) (#3)
by Edger on Tue Dec 14, 2010 at 07:53:44 AM EST

author of The Guantanamo Files, just the other day...

A few days ago, I spoke -- for the 21st time -- with the irrepressible Scott Horton for his show on Antiwar Radio, which is available here. Over the course of 18 minutes, we discussed why my contentiously entitled article, The Irrelevance of Wikileaks' Guantánamo Revelations, was intended to provoke interest in the reasons why the main WikiLeaks revelations about Guantánamo -- detailing the often shabby horse-trading with countries around the world, as the Obama administration sought third countries to take cleared prisoners who could not be repatriated because they faced the risk of torture -- was only necessary because of the refusal of every part of the US government -- the Obama administration, Congress and the courts -- to give homes to any of these men on the US mainland.

Andy Worthington Discusses Guantánamo and WikiLeaks on Antiwar Radio

Can't help but think the Obama administration (none / 0) (#4)
by ruffian on Tue Dec 14, 2010 at 08:11:25 AM EST

is hiding behind whichever Dems inserted the ban into the bill. Maybe I'm cynical (OK, I AM cynical) - they could prove me wrong by coming out strong against it now that it is public.

: Holder (none / 0) (#8)
by CST on Tue Dec 14, 2010 at 10:59:54 AM EST

has come out publicly against this.
I actually think this is something they might fight because it's trying to restrict executive power.
People don't typically like losing power.

Lack of leadership (none / 0) (#5)
by mmc9431 on Tue Dec 14, 2010 at 09:05:29 AM EST

I wrote my Senator (Durbin) yesterday over my disgust with the lask of leadership within the party. Judging from the handling of key issues, such as HCR, the stimulus, Gitmo and ect, ect., it seems that the tent has gotten so big that they can't agree on anything anymore.

The end result is that the Democrats can't accomplish their goals while the Republicans continue to steam roll to their objectives whether they're in power or not.

For years I was told that Democrats couldn't implement their agenda because they were the minority. Now they still can't because the minority won't let them.

My question to Durbin was how come these rules don't apply to Republicans? GWB managed to push through just about everything he wanted without worrying about what the Democrats would do.

Josh needs to keep up (none / 0) (#6)
by jbindc on Tue Dec 14, 2010 at 09:53:17 AM EST

As well as Holder. This wasn't a "hidden secret". Everyone knew this a week ago.

well .. lots of the released men (none / 0) (#7)
by nyrias on Tue Dec 14, 2010 at 10:55:20 AM EST

go right back to being terrorists.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/12/director-of-national-intelligence-gitmo-detainees-tr ansferred-under-obama-administration-have-reenga.html

I am not surprised we are not letting them in here.