The US defense department has outlined new rules that could allow terror suspects to be imprisoned [or sentenced to death] on the basis of hearsay or coerced testimony.

(01/18/2007 draft of the manual)

Chris Anders, ACLU Senior Legislative Counsel writes on the “…long haul to fix the Military commissions Act.”
from the ACLU Blog post:

Thanks to Congress, detainees at Guantanamo lost the due process protection that the Supreme Court said that they had. The Military Commissions Act eliminates the habeas corpus protection to have a court decide if a detainee is being held legally or illegally. It is the most basic due process protection in the Constitution–and Congress took it away by a vote of 51-48 in the Senate. Without habeas, there is a much greater chance that detainees being held indefinitely will once again fall outside the protection of the rule of law.

Now a new Congress is gearing up to address this part of the Military Commissions Act. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy has made repeal of the habeas-stripping section a top priority, and has introduced a bill with the highest ranking Republican on his committee, Senator Arlen Specter, to do just that. On the House side, the new House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers is also ready to have Congress reverse course and protect habeas due process protections.

ACSBlog:

Constitutional Scholars Join Letter Asserting Congress Has Power to Stop Escalation

Twenty-one legal scholars, including many who served as constitutional advisors to the President, have joined a letter to House and Senate leadership outlining Congress’ broad powers to limit the commander-in-chief (pdf available here).

As of now the link from ACSBlog is not working well so I have mirrored the PDF file locally.

Bruce Schneier points us to another classic example of how fear/stupidity mongers are allowing terrorists to achieve their ultimate goal of getting us to disrupt our own lives for them.

The Guardian is reporting that an as yet unnamed woman will become the Tower of London’s first ever female Beefeater. From the Guardian report:

“There were six candidates for the vacancy, and she was the only female. She was awarded the job on merit - she will replace one who is retiring.” Spokswoman Natasha Woollard said.

Her uniforms will differ only from her male colleagues’ in order to fit her properly.

To join the 35-strong guard, a successful candidate must boast a minimum of 22 years service in the forces, as well as a long service and good conduct medal.

“Two women have applied before, neither were successful for the different vacancies they applied for,” said the spokeswoman.

The Tower of London’s Yeoman Warders date back to 1485 and their nickname ‘Beefeaters’ is thought to derive from the daily ration of meat they received.

However, their full title is ‘Yeoman Warder of Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, and Members of the Sovereign’s Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary’.

The New York Daily News is reporting President Bush has quietly claimed the right to open Americans’ mail without a judge’s warrant.

Bush has issued a “signing statement” that declared his right to open people’s mail without a judge’s warrent under emergency conditions, contrary to existing law and in direct contradiction to the bill he had just signed.

“You have to be concerned,” agreed a career senior U.S. official who reviewed the legal underpinnings of Bush’s claim. “It takes Executive Branch authority beyond anything we’ve ever known.”

This from the man we have vested with the responsibility to protect and defend the constitution and laws of the United States.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that John Negroponte will step down from his post as “Intelligence Czar” to take a post as Deputy Secretary of State.

Can’t wait to see how Bush spins this one.