The DOJ Pursues the 'Real Criminal' in the NSA Spying Scandal

by Glenn Greenwald
by Glenn Greenwald

There are few viewpoints, if there are any, which trigger more fervent agreement across the political and media establishment than the view that George Bush, Dick Cheney and other top officials should not be criminally investigated, let alone prosecuted, for the various laws they have broken over the last eight years. Conversely, in the Beltway world, few things will render you "Unserious" as quickly and irrevocably as arguing that Bush officials should be held accountable under the rule of law for their multiple violations of criminal statutes. Everyone from Cass Sunstein and Ruth Marcus to David Broder and Stuart Taylor valiantly stands up and defends the President and his top aides against the terribly uncouth and disruptive suggestion that their crimes merit investigation and prosecution.

But those who are outside of – below – those lofty levels of Beltway political power enjoy no similar protections. The "we-must-look-forward-not-to-the-past" excuse is only for high political officials, not lowly no-names.

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