Friday, October 28, 2005

Cheney's New Brain is Pro Torture

[Scroll down for a very interesting update on Cheney's new brain.]

MYDD has more on Libby's replacement. Cheney's current chief counsel, David Addington is "a hardcore neocon," the only kind of neocon this White House likes - which is exactly why this White House is in so much trouble.

Pulled from a 2004 WaPo story:

Where there has been controversy over the past four years, there has often been Addington. He was a principal author of the White House memo justifying torture of terrorism suspects. He was a prime advocate of arguments supporting the holding of terrorism suspects without access to courts.

Addington also led the fight with Congress and environmentalists over access to information about corporations that advised the White House on energy policy. He was instrumental in the series of fights with the Sept. 11 commission and its requests for information. . . .

Colleagues say Addington stands out for his devotion to secrecy in an administration noted for its confidentiality. . . .

Even in a White House known for its dedication to conservative philosophy, Addington is known as an ideologue, an adherent of an obscure philosophy called the unitary executive theory that favors an extraordinarily powerful president.

MYDD has more...

UPDATE: Think Progress reports that the indictment document appears to indicate that Addington was also involved in the leak:

18. Also on or about July 8, 2003, LIBBY met with the Counsel to the Vice President in an anteroom outside the Vice President’s Office. During their brief conversation, LIBBY asked the Counsel to the Vice President, in sum and substance, what paperwork there would be at the CIA if an employee’s spouse undertook an overseas trip.