Bush Buries Another One

In 2004, at the suggestion of the 9/11 Commission the Civil Liberties Oversight Board was created. It has never been funded, nor has it hired any staff. It has taken a year for its members to receive nominations and confirmation. President Bush has guaranteed the board will not be able to accomplish its stated goals. He failed to include funding for it in the most recent budget.

According to Newsweek the Office of Management and Budget doesn't seem to know what's going on, but assured the board would be completely funded.

Renewed concerns about the White House's commitment came just a few weeks ago when President Bush's new budget was released—with no listing for money for the civil liberties board. Alex Conant, a spokesman for the Office of Management and Budget, denied to NEWSWEEK the White House was trying to kill the panel by starving it of funds. "It will be fully funded," he said, explaining that the board wasn't in the budget this year because officials decided not to itemize funding levels for particular offices within the White House. When a reporter pointed out that funding for other White House offices such as the National Security Council were listed in the budget, Conant said: "I have no explanation."

If the name of the board doesn't clue you in as to why the Bush administration would want to make it disappear, just look at some of the issues board members say they want to address.

Board members tell NEWSWEEK the panel intends to immediately tackle contentious issues like the president's domestic wiretapping program, the Patriot Act and Pentagon data mining.

If you still aren't convinced that the Bush administration wants to bury this board and prevent board members from achieving their goals just look at who will be chairing it, Carol Dinkins. Don't know who he is? He served as a senior Justice official under Ronald Reagan and is the former law partner of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. You don't need those dots connected do you?