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Rules on Closed Senate Sessions

By Jeralyn, Section War In Iraq
Posted on Tue Nov 01, 2005 at 12:16:37 PM EST
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Here are the Senate Rules on closed sessions:

  • During a secret session, the doors of the chamber are closed, and the chamber and its galleries are cleared of all individuals except Members and those officers and employees specified in the rules or essential to the session.
  • Standing Senate Rules 21, 29, and 31 cover secret sessions for legislative and executive business. Rule 21 calls for the Senate to close its doors once a motion is made and seconded. The motion is not debatable, and its disposition is made behind closed doors.

Why are the Democrats doing this? According to an e-mail statement I received:

· Most important decision a President makes is to put American lives at risk and go to war. Many of us supported the decision to invade Iraq based on the national intelligence presented at the time.

· Over the past few months, and vividly last Friday, we’ve learned that we were given bad information. Americans were intentionally deceived. White House indictments confirm Republicans tried to silence critics and cover up the real intelligence.

· Republicans committed to investigate how national intelligence was used to set the stage for war. Now, they are refusing to keep that commitment. What are they afraid of America learning?

· Republicans must come clean. It is our shared responsibility to be straight with the American people. Stakes could not be higher. That is why we are demanding answers through an unprecedented closed Senate session.

< Reid Takes Senate Into Closed Session on Iraq Intelligence | Detainee Hicks Alleges Sexual Abuse at Guantanamo >

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    Rules on Closed Senate Sessions | 13 comments (13 topical)
    Re: Rules on Closed Senate Sessions (none / 0) (#1)
    by Linkmeister on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:38 PM EST
    It's also tactical. It puts the Fitzgerald indictments right back into the center of attention, with Alito temporarily relegated to a smaller burner.

    Re: Rules on Closed Senate Sessions (none / 0) (#2)
    by Edger on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:38 PM EST
    It certainly helps Fitzgerald's baseball analogy if Reid, and presumably the Democratic leadership, have concluded that it's time for hardball.

    Re: Rules on Closed Senate Sessions (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:38 PM EST
    It's really pretty genius. From a tactical standpoint, it changes the subject from Alito back to Libby AND it connects the Libby story to the broader narrative about the war. This was masterful. Here's what I wrote.

    Re: Rules on Closed Senate Sessions (none / 0) (#4)
    by Mike on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:38 PM EST
    Waaaaaa

    Re: Rules on Closed Senate Sessions (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:38 PM EST
    too bad it's secret-the dems wouldn't dream of leaking about the content of the supersecret sessions, would they? The Republicans have already demonstarted they have ni such qualms.

    Re: Rules on Closed Senate Sessions (none / 0) (#6)
    by wg on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:38 PM EST
    I'm not sure, it appears they decided to play hard ball finally. That's encouraging.

    Re: Rules on Closed Senate Sessions (none / 0) (#7)
    by scarshapedstar on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:38 PM EST
    I think, unfortunately for the true believers here, that this will have about the same impact as Reid dropping his pants and dancing around with a lampshade on his head (ie. none). at a rough time for Bush, I guess you can be counted on to make fools of yourselves and save the day for the Republicans.
    Yeah, all that thought you put into your response really shows.

    Re: Rules on Closed Senate Sessions (none / 0) (#8)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:38 PM EST
    et al - Hardball? Surely you jest. Outside of the beltway no one gives a flip that the Senate went into closed door hearings. I mean what a wonderful way to protest Repub "lies." Let's shut the door so no one will know what was said. duhhhhhhh

    Re: Rules on Closed Senate Sessions (none / 0) (#9)
    by glanton on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:38 PM EST
    The truth is it doesn't matter if they meet privately or in front of cameras. The Repugs are out for blood, they've gotten a lot of it here and abroad, and they'll have a lot more this decade. Meanwhile they and those who vote for them fancy that they value freedom. :-) "Good night, and good luck."

    Re: Rules on Closed Senate Sessions (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:38 PM EST
    Jim: "Let's shut the door so no one will know what was said." It's called national security. Something you lot clearly don't believe in. Boohoo that your pet liars couldn't hold forth on camera about WHY they shut off the investigation once the election was stolen, in violation of their promise. Promises mean BUPKIS to the New Retaliban party.

    Re: Rules on Closed Senate Sessions (none / 0) (#12)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:39 PM EST
    PIL - Was one of those in your informal poll a member of the group that tore up your signs, or in the group of seven men you stared down? National security? Articles in the NYT about a CIA sponsored visit to Niger? By the visitor himself?? Pictures on the cover of Vanity? I am LOL, PIL. Really, you must be smarter than that... but then again... et al - The claim is that his actions shifted the attention from Alito to Libby. Nonsense. It shifted the attention from Alito over to a cat fight between the parties. It's like a wrestling match. The fans don't care what it's about, they just want to see the fake blood and fake screams. And in the meantime, the opposition to Alito has lost focus and coverage. Congrats, Senator.

    Re: Rules on Closed Senate Sessions (none / 0) (#13)
    by roger on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:39 PM EST
    Jim, Now the investigation will be persued. Why do you think that the Rs were stalling?

    Re: Rules on Closed Senate Sessions (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:41 PM EST
    Posted by charley: "the Senate has already had such a report(not very complimentary to Joe Wilson). we had the 9/11 Commission. " charley, unaware that the whole issue Reid demanded be resolved was the PROMISED second half of that Commission's work, which R's reneged on.

    Rules on Closed Senate Sessions | 13 comments (13 topical)