GOP threatens Obama’s legal nominees over release of torture memos

By GottaLaff

As usual, the Rushpublics put torture, self-interest, and secrecy ahead of the well-being of their own country:

Harper’s Scott Horton reports that the Senate Republicans are determined to protect the Bush torture legacy, “promising to ‘go nuclear’ and filibuster [President Obama’s] legal appointments” if he releases legal memos regarding the previous administration’s torture policies [...]

A Republican Senate staffer told Horton that the nomination of Dawn Johnsen to head the Office of Legal Counsel has particularly raised the hackles of Senate Republicans. “Not a single Republican indicated an intention to vote for Dawn Johnsen, while Senator John Cornyn of Texas was described as ‘gunning for her,’ specifically noting publication of the torture memos.” (HT: Joshua Blog) [...]

[Laffy Note: Go here from my post about why she's such a threat]

Hilzoy at the Washington Monthly writes: "[W]hat the Republicans are trying to do is to dictate to the President a matter that is purely his prerogative: deciding whether or not to unclassify documents. This is insane: it's as though Obama threatened to withhold funding for the Senate unless Mitch McConnell fired some staffer he didn't like."

Glenn Greenwald has more.