Judiciary Chairman Conyers Publishes Report Documenting Bush Abuses

(Washington, DC) - Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) announced the publication of the final version of the Democratic Committee staff report on systematic abuses of presidential power during the Bush administration.  The report, titled "Reining in the Imperial Presidency: Lessons and Recommendations Relating to the Presidency of George W. Bush," contains 50 separate recommendations designed to correct the imbalanced separation of power that characterized the George W. Bush presidency.  Chief among Conyers’ recommendations include continued congressional investigations like those the Judiciary Committee has pursued concerning Karl Rove’s interactions with the Justice Department, a blue ribbon commission similar to the panel proposed in Chairman Conyers’ H.R. 104, and independent criminal probes to be conducted by federal prosecutors.

"President Obama has taken immediate action to right many of the Bush administration’s wrongs including pledges to disavow torture and close the prison at Guantanamo," said Conyers.  Referencing the need for further action on an independent commission and criminal investigations, Conyers continued, "However, the administration still has much to do to restore the rule of law to its rightful place.  A nonpartisan, independent accounting of what happened must take place, and the new administration must do more to roll back its predecessor’s policies on issues ranging from signing statements to the state secrets privilege."

Conyers further observed that other countries are taking aggressive action to investigate Bush-era policies on interrogation. "I have noted press reports describing the criminal investigation being carried out by Judge Garzon of Spain," he said. "In the apparent absence of any independent criminal investigation of torture allegations being carried out in the U.S., and considering our obligations under the 1984 Convention Against Torture, I understand this step by a serious and respected jurist.  In the end, however, it is America’s obligation to police its own compliance with U.S. and international law."

“Reining in the Imperial Presidency,” initially released in January, contains additional recommendations and supplementary discussions on developments uncovered during the final days of the Bush administration, including the Justice Department’s Inspector General report on politicization within the Civil Rights Division.

The report is linked here.