Justice Torture Memos Say ‘Good Faith’ Is Legal Defense

Staff / Truthdig Jul 25, 2008 Ah, good intentions, with which that famous path was paved: According to Justice Department documents obtained and released by the ACLU on Thursday -- albeit heavily redacted -- CIA interrogators were authorized to use waterboarding and other "enhanced interrogation techniques" that they believed "in good faith" would not "have the specific intent to inflict severe pain or suffering." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Hedges, Klein Join The Nation, ACLU in FISA Lawsuit

Staff / Truthdig Jul 11, 2008 Following Thursday's announcement that Congress had passed the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, there were some who weren't willing to take the news sitting down. In fact, Congress' capitulation sparked a legal response from the ACLU and The Nation magazine and two of its key contributors -- Chris Hedges and Naomi Klein -- in the form of a lawsuit. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Adviser: McCain Backs Bush’s Wiretaps

Staff / Truthdig Jun 6, 2008 As if 100 years in Iraq wasn't enough, a top adviser to John McCain claims that the presumptive Republican presidential nominee supports and believes lawful Bush's infamous warrantless wiretapping program. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Top Court Sets Back the Foes of Bush’s Wiretaps

Staff / Truthdig Feb 20, 2008 The Supreme Court rejected an appeal related to the Bush administration's warrantless wiretap program on Tuesday, offering no explanation. The American Civil Liberties Union and others have had a hard time proving the plaintiffs were spied on because the evidence they need is considered a government secret. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

International Protest Targets Guantanamo

Staff / Truthdig Jan 12, 2008 Activists around the world took to the streets Friday wearing orange jumpsuits in protest of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, which Amnesty International calls an "unlawful black hole." Eighty demonstrators were arrested in or near the Supreme Court building, where justices are reviewing the legality of the government's detention program. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Bush Reportedly Pushed for Harsh Interrogations

Staff / Truthdig Oct 23, 2007 A new book by two ACLU lawyers, "Administration of Torture," includes documents in which one Gen. Michael Dunlavey claims that President Bush gave him "marching orders" to get the Pentagon's approval of more severe interrogation methods at Guantanamo. Also, it alleges that then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was "personally involved" in the interrogation of Mohammed al Qahtani. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

A Handy Guide to Gagging Pesky Protesters

Staff / Truthdig Aug 22, 2007 The American Civil Liberties Union has obtained a "sensitive" handbook, the "Presidential Advance Manual," which details the Bush administration's favored tactics for clearing the president's path (and line of sight) of demonstrators who may disagree with his leadership policies. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Protest Bush or Get Rich Trying

Staff / Truthdig Aug 18, 2007 Nicole and Jeff Rank, who were arrested in 2004 for refusing to remove or cover their anti-Bush T-shirts at a presidential rally, have just won an $80,000 settlement from the federal government. In prosecuting the case, the ACLU learned that the president's advance manual has little tolerance for free speech, saying: "As a last resort security should remove the demonstrators from the event." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

For Civilian Casualties, America Pays Cash

Staff / Truthdig Apr 12, 2007 The American Civil Liberties Union obtained 500 claims for compensation filed by civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq. The claim descriptions paint a picture of the confusion, chaos, and the seeming randomness of violence which has shaped life and death in Iraq and Afghanistan during the last four years. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Judge OK’s Student Gay Rights Club

Staff / Truthdig Apr 7, 2007 A federal judge has ruled that Florida's Okeechobee High School must grant the same privileges to the Gay-Straight Alliance that it grants to other student clubs. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Danny Goldberg on Antiwar Artistry

Staff / Truthdig Feb 21, 2007 The former Air America CEO and music mogul discusses the significance of the Dixie Chicks' Grammy win; Al Gore's prospects for 2008; and the liberals' responsibility to "blow the wind" of change. Dig deeper ( 16 Min. Read )

Dixie Chicks Honored by ACLU

Staff / Truthdig Feb 13, 2007 The Dixie Chicks were honored in December by the ACLU for defending liberty and the right to free speech in the face of overwhelming pressure. Lead vocalist Natalie Maines said she's proud to be a card-carrying member and "It hasn't taken courage to stand strong, just a first-grade education." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )