I have read with attention both of the more visible diaries on this topic today, the one in the Front Page and the one in the recommended list. Without further ado, I cite Glenn Greenwald:
"Today, in The Daily Beast, Horton -- citing an anonymous Obama DOJ source and an anonymous Senate GOP source -- claims that Senate Republicans are now "blackmailing" Obama by threatening to filibuster the confirmation of two Obama legal appointees (Dawn Johnsen as head of the OLC and Harold Koh as State Department legal counsel) unless Obama agrees not to release these OLC memos."
More below...
But what is Horton's goal here?:
"It's unclear whether the claims of Horton's source are true. It sounds more like a responsibility-shifting excuse than anything else -- a way of blaming Republicans rather than Obama officials for the failure to disclose these memos -- but it doesn't matter in the slightest if the claims are true. There is absolutely no justification whatsoever to continue to conceal these memos, and the fact that the GOP will stomp its feet and obstruct nominees doesn't come close to constituting an excuse for ongoing concealment."
Indeed, as Greenwald noted, it sounds like a way to shield Obama and his DOJ from taking responsibility in the whole affair. Let us remember that the man who is "guilty" (allegedly) John Brennan, is in the position to lobby for the torture memos not to be released, because the President, this President, decided to call him to work for him. Let us be honest about this. Greenwald continues:
"It doesn't matter how loudly John Brennan screams or how many nominations Republican Senators threaten to filibuster. Put simply, there is no legal authority for these memos to remain secret -- ongoing concealment is itself an act of profound lawlessness -- and, beyond that, keeping them secret will constitute the most extreme complicity yet on the part of the Obama administration in the last administration's war crimes."
Link for the piece:
http://www.salon.com/...
The details and the facts surrounding the delay in the release of the torture memos are quite clear. The rest is spin.