Tuesday, December 2, 2008
When the news broke a couple of weeks ago that Vice President Dick Cheney and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales had been indicted by a Texas Grand Jury, my email box was flooded with reader inquiries asking me why I wasn’t blogging the story.
One reader asked, “Aren’t you happy?” Another asked, “Don’t you feel vindicated? Why the silence?” While I appreciated the enthusiasm, the simple truth is, I realized long ago when a news item involves current and former members of the Bush administration and the wheels of justice, it’s best to temper my desire to celebrate too early. In case you think I’m being overly cautious, please let me to draw your attention to, I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby.
The indictment against Cheney argued his personal investment in the Vanguard Group, which invests in private prison companies, made him culpable in abuse of prisoners that had been reported at privately run federal detention centers. Gonzo was accused of using his position to stop an investigation into abuses at a federal detention center.
Now comes word that a judge in Raymondville, TX (surprise, surprise) dismissed all indictments against Cheney and Gonzo. Judge Manuel Banales, ruled that the indictments had been improperly returned by a Willacy County Grand Jury.
From the Left 
I never attached any hope to the initial news story either.
No judge in Texas would allow Cheney or Gonzales to be indicted. The career ramifications would be too great.
Career prosecutors aside, judges in TX, I believe, are elected and Cheney is rumored to be worth upwards of $350 million dollars. As a private citizen, he can use his money any way he sees fit — like bankrolling a judge challenger.
This is why I laugh everytime I see a left blogger cross their fingers that Bush and/or Cheney may face the World Court after leaving office. Nothing, let me repeat, nothing is ever going to happen to either one of them. This is how the system is set up to work.
When evil doers of this magnitude are involved, I’m like you, Christopher: I don’t hold my breath. There are no words to adequately describe the likes of Bush, Cheney, Gonzales and Rumsfeld. When I see the polls and after everything we’ve been through, there are still 28% of Americans who approve of these men, I just shake my head in disbelief.
I did have hope. The words Cheney & Gonzales and indictment together in one sentence just sounded sooo good. But as the photo shows, the two of them with their grinchy grins…. knowing, of course they would get away with it.
I agree w Rachel- how does Bush have any approval rating at all?
I honestly can’t think of one good thing Bush has done in 8 years.
Still, I have hope that someone, somewhere, somehow will prosecute these war criminals.
They should spend time in Gitmo.
Well, maybe someday. It’s that hope that keeps me going….
I never gave the story one iota of credibility either.
Those Texas yokels weren’t about to pursue indictments against the de facto president. Had the case gone to trial, the presiding judge would’ve been found with his throat slit and his body tossed in the Gulf of Mexico.
I never gave the story any credibility either. Cheney and Gonzales are well-connected to Bush Senior and his cronies in Texas. For some, it’s nice to be rich and right wing.
“Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former.” – John Dryden
there was never a chance – especially texas
I was one of the people who emailed you Chris and asked why you weren’t covering the indictment. I see now why you steered clear of it. Like everyone said, there wasn’t a chance in hell of Texas going through with a trial against Cheney or native son, Gonzales.
I knew it was too good to be true.
Oh well.