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Dick Cheney and Alberto Gonzales have been indicted by a Texas Grand Jury. Apparently, the indictments cite “organized criminal activity”, “conflict of interest” and "at least misdemeanor assaults" on prisoners. It accuses Cheney of having profited by way of his investment of $85 million in Vanguard, the mutual fund giant. Sounds laughable, right? The DA, Juan Guerra, just lost reelection, and the indictments reportedly include other people known as political enemies of Guerra, so some are speculating this is all politically motivated. Guerra says “the grand jury is the one that made those decisions, not me.”
I haven’t been able to find the documents themselves; if you’ve got a link to them, please post.
The indictments will speak for themselves- according to News.com.au:
“The three-page indictment alleges that Mr Cheney profited from the abuse because he invested [$85 million] in the Vanguard Group - an investment management company that reportedly has interests in the prison companies in charge of the detention centres. It said this was a "direct conflict of interest'' because Mr Cheney had influence over the federal contracts awarded to the prison companies. The indictment also accused Mr Cheney of committing "at least misdemeanour assaults'' of inmates by allowing other inmates to assault them.
The indictment further alleges that former attorney-general Alberto Gonzalez "participated by further having used his position ... to stop the investigations as to the wrongdoings which includes the assaults committed in the prison for profit in Willacy County, Texas".”
Reuters: “The grand jury in Willacy County, in the Rio Grande Valley near the U.S.-Mexico border, said Cheney is "profiteering from depriving human beings of their liberty," according to a copy of the indictment obtained by Reuters.
The indictment cites a "money trail" of Cheney's ownership in prison-related enterprises including the Vanguard Group, which owns an interest in private prisons in south Texas. Former attorney general Gonzales used his position to "stop the investigations as to the wrong doings" into assaults in county prisons, the indictment said.”
And according to this AP report: “Cheney is charged with engaging in an organized criminal activity related to the vice president’s investment in the Vanguard Group, which holds financial interests in the private prison companies running the federal detention centers. It accuses Cheney of a conflict of interest and “at least misdemeanor assaults” on detainees because of his link to the prison companies. The indictment has not yet been signed by the presiding judge.”
Indictments against DA Guerra himself were dismissed last month by the same TX judge, Manuel Banales, who will likely be reviewing the Cheney-Gonzales indictments.
According to the Associated Press, "After Guerra's office was raided as part of the investigation early last year, he camped outside the courthouse in a borrowed camper with a horse, three goats and a rooster. He threatened to dismiss hundreds of cases because he believed local law enforcement had aided the investigation against him."
Crooks and Liars notes that these indictments may not be so easily dismissed by claiming Federalism and Vice Presidential immunity- the case may be removed to a federal court.
In any case, that will be after a judge reviews the indictment, and if it isn’t dismissed.
