DOJ Shuns Hearing on Halliburton/KBR Rape Cases

Source: ABC News

The Department of Justice refused to send a representative to answer questions from Congress today on the investigations into allegations of rape and sexual assault on female American contractors.

"I'm embarrassed that the Department of Justice can't even come forward," said the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee John Conyers, D-Mich.

"This is an absolute disgrace," said Conyers. "The least we could do is have people from the Department of Justice and the Defense over here talking about how we're going to straighten out the system right away."

Among the witnesses who testified today was Jamie Leigh Jones, who appeared on "20/20" last week.


Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4027734&page=1

"Who can that be, knocking at my door?"

To date there has been no prosecution of the men who Jones says gang-raped her.

Jones' congressman, Ted Poe, R-Texas, also testified at the hearing and told the committee how he has not been given any answers as to the status of the investigation by DOJ or the State Department.

"The Department of Justice has not informed Jamie or me of the status of a criminal investigation against her rapist if any investigation exists," Poe said today. "It is interesting to note that the Department of Justice has thousands of lawyers but not one from the barrage of lawyers is here to tell us what if anything they are doing. Their absence and silence speaks volumes about the hidden crimes in Iraq. Their attitude seems to be one of blissful indifference to American workers in Iraq," said Poe.

Jones told Congress that it wasn't until after she was interviewed by "20/20," that an assistant U.S. attorney in Florida questioned her about her case.

"I asked the AUSA, 'Where should I refer victims to contact me?' and she responded, 'Don't refer them to my office, but you may want to refer them to the office of victims of crime,'" Jones recounted for Congress today.

unless he signs on to impeachment he is worthless since he keeps supporting the administration.

this young lady when he has to call his fellow worthless crap party out for supporting KBR and this administration instead of this young lady? I doubt it.

At this moment, I want actual heads to be removed, and livers mounted on pikes and carried through the god dammed streets.

Justice has long vacated the premises of the DOJ.

You two sure picked a good one to support.

Yep, it won't take him any time at all to undo all the damage Gonzo created. :eyes:

They just refuse to show up. The thin veneer of legality is pretty much gone at this point. They're not even bothering to pretend to care.

Who is going to make me?

What fucking PIGS.

because the White House will order the DOJ not to enforce Congress' contempt citation. This is why the Bush Adm. wanted the DOJ under their thumb. So in this case, even if Congress tries to cite the DOJ for refusing to testify, that contempt citation goes straight to the US Att. for enforcement, and the US Att. will refuse to punish the DOJ employees for anything they did under DOJ or Bush Ad. orders. It's a wonderful corrupt circle that creates total immunity & impunity. The Bush Ad. doesn't have to listen to Congress anymore, they don't have to answer subpoenas anymore, and they don't have to follow the law - anymore.

White House: Contempt citations futile

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- U.S. Senate Democrats should know issuing contempt citations and pursuing a criminal case in the firings of U.S. attorneys is futile, the White House said. Thursday the Senate Judiciary Committee's issuing contempt citations against former White House adviser Karl Rove and White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten is pointless because "the constitutional prerogative of the president would make it a futile effort for Congress to refer contempt citations to U.S. attorneys."

The committee issued citations because Bolten did not provide information or documents in the firing of nine U.S. attorneys. Rove, who resigned as deputy chief of staff in August, was cited because he did not appear before the committee to testify... "The Department of Justice would not require a U.S. attorney to convene a grand jury or otherwise pursue a prosecution of an individual who carries out a president's instruction not to provide documents or testimony on the basis of the president's assertion of executive privilege," Perino said.

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2007/12/13/white_house_contempt_citations_futile/4345/



White House: Congress' Contempt Citation is "Futile" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v04JSp_G3aA&feature=user

1.) Inherent contempt
2.) Impeachment
3.) Revolution

The House Judiciary Committee also is holding a hearing today on the interrogation of torture detainees & the destruction of CIA interrogation tapes. Conyers requested the DOJ to send a representative to testify on the issue - no one showed up for the hearing today.

House Judiciary Committee press release - "Conyers Demands Testimony From DOJ Officials on CIA Tape Destruction" -

"For Immediate Release

December 17, 2007

(Washington, DC) - Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) sent a letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey reiterating the Chairman's request to have a Department of Justice representative testify at Thursday's hearing on the "Applicability of Federal Criminal Laws to the Interrogation of Detainees."

http://judiciary.house.gov/newscenter.aspx?A=902

This is TPMmuckracker's story from Mon., Dec. 17; back when people thought that the DOJ would actually comply w/Rep. Conyer's request.

"Who'll be the lucky Justice Department official?

Today House Judiciary Committee Chair John Conyers (D-MI) wrote Attorney General Michael Mukasey to request that a Department official show up for a hearing he's scheduled this Thursday on the interrogation of detainees. You see, he doesn't think too much of the Department's decision to rebuff all Congressional investigation of the CIA's destruction of the torture tapes. "Parallel congressional and executive investigations occur frequently, and therefore should not be used as a shield against proper and necessary oversight," is the way he puts it."

And he wants "a high level official to testify on this subject matter, specifically including the Department’s attempts to forestall legislative or judicial inquiry."

So which DoJ official will get to explain to dozens of lawmakers why Congressional probes should shut down until the DoJ reaches its conclusion? Probably whoever has bad luck with Rock, Paper, Scissors...

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004929.php


As of Dec. 19, a DOJ representative was listed on the Jud. Comm. schedule as an expected witness for the hearing. Now, it's Thursday, they're holding the hearing, and there's no DOJ official to be seen. The DOJ has been taken off of the "expected witness" list.

http://judiciary.house.gov/oversight.aspx?ID=402

It sends a great message to women.

The message reads, "we don't care if a woman gets gang raped, we want to cover it up".

What sleazy pigs.

How would they feel if something like that happened to any females in their family?

Remember our tax dollars are paying their salaries, and as a Federal employee (thankfully I don't work at DOJ), I am embarrassed and appalled at their inactions.

Really!

Our government is so corrupt the pre-Glasnost Kremlin looks decent in comparison.

and caved anyway. Par for the course over the past 8 years....

whodathunkit?

Shit like this PROVES I live in a corporatocracy,...NOT ANYTHING AKIN TO A DEMOCRACY!!!

What separates the executive branch from whores? They lie.

for the love of Miffy, WHY???

When I heard Ms. Jones' testimony about her ordeal I was stunned, it must have been an extremely violent attack based on the injuries she described. I hope the people who did this to her and those in positions of power who are obstructing that justice pay dearly for their criminal acts.