Specter Opposes Commission on Bush Interrogation
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The campaign for a "truth commission" to investigate Bush administration interrogation and detention policies appeared to pick up fresh momentum this week with the disclosure of internal Justice Department memos asserting far reaching presidential powers to override constitutional protections in the war on terror. But a key Republican senator Wednesday threw a dose of cold water on the idea, underscoring the huge political obstacles to gaining approval for such a panel.
Even while he called the newly released Justice memos "shocking," Sen. Arlen Specter, the ranking minority member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he saw no need for Congress to create a special commission to investigate such matters when the Obama Justice Department could do the job on its own.
"We don't want to go off helter-skelter … on a fishing expedition," said Specter at a Judiciary Committee hearing called by chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy to generate support for the idea. "It seems to be [that] we want to follow regular order here. You have the Department of Justice that is fully capable of doing an investigation. They re not going to pull any punches on the prior administration."
The negative comments by Specter were especially significant because, as a moderate, the Pennsylvania senator's backing is often seen as key to winning bipartisan support for controversial proposals. As if to underscore those hurdles, a senior Obama administration official told NEWSWEEK that, even in the wake of the new revelations, there was still little enthusiasm within the administration for the idea.
"It's a distraction," said the official, who asked not to be identified talking about sensitive political matters. "At a time when we are trying to get heath-care, energy and other proposals through—and you need bipartisan support—looking backward only generates more partisan opposition and noise."
Even while he called the newly released Justice memos "shocking," Sen. Arlen Specter, the ranking minority member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he saw no need for Congress to create a special commission to investigate such matters when the Obama Justice Department could do the job on its own.
"We don't want to go off helter-skelter … on a fishing expedition," said Specter at a Judiciary Committee hearing called by chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy to generate support for the idea. "It seems to be [that] we want to follow regular order here. You have the Department of Justice that is fully capable of doing an investigation. They re not going to pull any punches on the prior administration."
The negative comments by Specter were especially significant because, as a moderate, the Pennsylvania senator's backing is often seen as key to winning bipartisan support for controversial proposals. As if to underscore those hurdles, a senior Obama administration official told NEWSWEEK that, even in the wake of the new revelations, there was still little enthusiasm within the administration for the idea.
"It's a distraction," said the official, who asked not to be identified talking about sensitive political matters. "At a time when we are trying to get heath-care, energy and other proposals through—and you need bipartisan support—looking backward only generates more partisan opposition and noise."
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