US Demands Judge Dismiss Lawsuits Against Assassination of Citizens
Vows to Declare 'State Secrets' If Case Continues
The Obama Administration has demanded that a federal judge throw out a lawsuit relating to the assassination of three US citizens in Obama-ordered drone strikes, saying that questions about overseas kill lists are beyond the purview of the court system and that it is inappropriate to question the president in this regard.
The demand comes with a threat to declare the entire issue of the killings a “state secret” if the judge doesn’t dismiss the lawsuit out of hand, which would make the case as a practical matter virtually impossible.
The Justice Department’s motion went on to say that the court system had no say over the question of whether assassinating American citizens overseas was proportionate or justified, and that questions of “due process” in the summary executions were not something courts could constitutionally consider.
The motion also insisted that there was no standing to question the assassination of Anwar Awlaki or his son, Abdulrahman Awlaki, because the later was the heir of the former and was killed before he was able to file a lawsuit as executor of the estate.
The elder Awlaki was referred to as a “leader” in a terrorist group in the motion, but the administration has repeatedly declined to provide any evidence for this, and has only cited sermons critical of US foreign policy as proof he is an “extremist.” The younger Awlaki was never even suspected of a crime, but was assassinated shortly after his father.
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MvGuy
December 16th, 2012 at 9:16 pm
Badges…….. We don't need no stinkin badges…!!!???
Seems to me like it's a unprofitable course of action to question the lenghthof the courts arm in ANY matter… as in shutt-up…. You got nothin to say ……. Always draws a …. "Oh yeah, watch me" … response.
shirley
December 16th, 2012 at 11:12 pm
Obama, you are not KING YET!!
Yonatan
December 17th, 2012 at 2:32 am
All question should be directed to The Decider.
Robert Shule
December 17th, 2012 at 2:54 am
I cannot help but to think about that most recent school shooting in Massachusetts. Our President, the leader of our country, is out shooting up people by drones overseas, supplies insurgents with funds and weapons to make wars in other countries killing people wholesale, adults are out singing bomb bomb Iran while others applaud whenever bombs are dropped on Gaza; and then we wonder when some kid goes off to shoot up a few children a school?
Mark Thomason
December 17th, 2012 at 3:32 am
We need our Judge Sirica.
For those too young to know, that was the Chief Judge of the DC Circuit who refused these same sorts of excuses in the Watergate case.
Obama is no Nixon, but these arguments are pure Nixon, and we have a right to demand better of our government. We won't get better if we don't demand it.
John_Muhammad
December 17th, 2012 at 8:28 am
If it was a 'state secrets' issue that would have been the very first thing played by the government; using it as a threat only proves that it's NOT a 'state secret' and is just a ploy to get the case dismissed.
As for the justification of murdering Awlaki the Younger, that's the most asinine, ridiculous reason ever presented- 'we killed him because he would have able to sue us'? REALLY?
I guarantee you if those lawyers (and I use the title 'lawyer' as an insult in this case) had the same horror visited upon them as the Awlaki family they would change their tune very, very quickly.
Thomas
December 17th, 2012 at 9:14 am
"it is inappropriate to question the President in this regard" — words the Founding Fathers could never imagined as being heard in the America they fought to create.
My guess is that the Founding Fathers would have immediately moved to impeach a President that dared to even utter such words.
We'reAllDeadNow
December 17th, 2012 at 9:16 am
What Obama really meant to say to Newtown ….. kids like Adam Lanza can't be allowed to kill your children. Only I can be allowed to kill your children.
Mr. Mojo
December 17th, 2012 at 1:08 pm
Who made this POS king?
MoT
December 17th, 2012 at 1:31 pm
John, that tune would indeed have changed the minute it occurred.