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John Dean accuses 2 senators of manipulating Congressional Record

John W. Dean of Watergate fame recently accused two senators of altering the Congressional Record to deceive the Supreme Court in the key Guantanamo case, Hamdan vs. Rumsfeld.

Dean charges that Senators Jon Kyl of Arizona and Lindsay Graham of South Carolina inserted into the Congressional Record an exchange on the Senate floor that never occurred. The exchange reversed a key promise the senators made to their colleagues. On the floor of the Senate stated plainly that the Supreme Court would retain jurisdiction over the Guantanamo cases. In the fake exchange they said that the Court would not have jurisdiction.

Dean is not alone in his accusations; not only does Emily Bazelon of Slate accuse the senators of foul play, but many other journalists and bloggers also attacked the men for their actions. Senator Carl Levin even went as far as to release a statement on the matter to clarify his side of the story.

By custom members of Congress are allowed to"revise and extend their remarks" in the Congressional Record. Dean charges that Kyle and Graham went far beyond what is customary, deliberately reversing the clear narrative of events in hope of alrtering the outcome of a Supreme Court case.

Read entire article at HNN Intern Abigail Sauter reporting on an article in findlaw.com