Prometheus 6

Seriously. Assuming it passes in the Senate it will still have to be dealt with in the House. That ought to be fun...

I don't see it passing before the election in November, and I see Bush giving it a pocket veto and stealing all the 'W' keys from the keyboards as he leaves.

In a recent letter to the Senate, Attorney General Michael Mukasey raised the prospect of a veto and insisted that the president — and not the courts — must have the final say over when and whether the privilege applies. Incredibly, and with no legal basis, he also expressed doubt that Congress has the power to mandate closer review of state secrets claims.

Whose Privilege?

In the name of fighting terrorism — and with a clear goal of avoiding accountability — the Bush administration has imposed a level of secrecy on its operations that has no place in a democracy.

One of its most disturbing tactics has been seeking early dismissal of lawsuits alleging serious government misconduct, claiming they would reveal national security secrets. The Senate is now considering a good bill that would rein in this misuse of the state secrets privilege and give victims fair access to the courts and the public a fuller understanding of their government’s actions.