Grassley Presses Justice to Share Legal Justification for President to Disregard the Law on Gitmo Release

Press Release

Senator Chuck Grassley today is pressing the Obama administration to release the legal analysis for disregarding the legislation the President signed into law that required a 30 day congressional notification before release or transfer of any detainee at Guantanamo Bay.

Grassley previously asked the Obama administration to release the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel advice on the "opinions, analyses, and conclusions concerning the lawfulness" of executive orders issued by the President.

In today's letter to Holder, Grassley wrote, "Unfortunately, this is the latest instance in which the President has chosen to act unilaterally, without regard for Congress's role, and contrary to a law he recently signed. Moreover, the information that should have been provided is precisely the information lawmakers and the American people are now demanding to know about these controversial transfers. In particular, the possible return of these individuals to the battlefield is a matter of high interest to members of our military and the American people, who have sacrificed their blood and treasure in Afghanistan for many years to protect the Afghan people from the Taliban."

Grassley added, "Accordingly, the public deserves a full and transparent accounting of why the Administration believed it could disregard the law."

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