smith: elliot richardson. downie: eliot richardson the former attorney general, was my first guess because he was fired during the saturday night massacre. smith: right. downie: uh, and later on he became a good friend of a washington post columnist named mary mcgrory and through mary he would come to me with various theories about things we ought to be covering, things we ought to investigate. so i thought he's got the right mind for that. smith: yeah, sure. downie: so i, so i go to woodward and i said, i think it's elliot richardson. he said i'm not going to tell you as long as, you know, as long as he's alive. as long as, yeah, as long as deep throat's alive i'm not going to tell you. so i waited and waited and poor elliot richardson died and he wasn't deep throat. so i, i, it's like i had one more guess, which was l. patrick gray, who also was not on their notes. smith: right. he was the fbi director. downie: he was the fbi director at the time. smith: right. downie: uh, for a short period of time, essentia

that is what elliot richardson did during the saturday night massacre of the watergate era. during the reagan administration, the office of legal counsel issued opinions that concluded that the president lacked the power to undertake certain acts to implement some of his preferred policies. the president did not undertake those unilateral actions. president obama originally submitted the nominee for the office of legal counsel that was wholly objectionable. the senate had good reason to believe that she would not interpret the law without regard to ideology. we refused to confirm her. the president ultimately withdrew her nomination and nominated instead virginia si sites. we asked important questions at her confirmation hearing. she responded that o.l.c. should adhere to its prior decisions in accordance to the doctrine of stare decisis. and she stated that if the administration contemplated taking action that she believed was unconstitutional, she would not stand idly by. relying on those assurances, the senate confirmed ms. cytes. she is the author of this wholly erroneou

last time you remember, some of you will remember, but when nixon -- when the attorney general elliot richardson was resigned, the telephone at the white house was ringing off the line. and when enough people in this country about a million people or whoever to keep that phone ringing off the line and they shall by npr, the dying and show and ask these questions that the facts -- >> thank you very much. thank you. >> is there a decline on that? okay. this gentleman over here. >> thank you. flash >> my question is for mr. mr. wilmer, the people can do. i think the panel made a very persuasive case dealing with guantanamo as guantanamo as a single issue but what if even with a longer-term perspective we were to look at guantanamo not in isolation in a broad package of what we call a legitimate activity weakens the drones, torture, prevent attacks, political assassinations, maybe some other things can be put in that nest, but if we were to try to get that and get what we would say is accountability? and national defense authorization act as pointand ne authorization act as pointed out announced any

remember -- not some of you won't remember, but dark friday when nixon -- when the attorney general elliot richardsonw, resigned. the telephone at the white house was ringing off the line, and when enough people in this country, about a million people or whoever, keep that phone ringing off the line and the other one is to call on shows like npr and ask these questions and tell the facts and really -- >> okay. thank you very much. >> okay. >> thank you, thank you. this gentleman over here. >> thank you. mike, resigned lawyer. my question is really for mr. thomas wilner picking up from the last question in terms of what can the people do? now, i think the panel made a persuasive case for dealing with guantanamo as guantanamo as a sing 8 issue, but what -- single issue, but what if even from a longer term perspective, we look at guantanamo, not in isolation, but in a broader package of illegitimate activity, we can say drones, torture, preventative attacks, political assassinations and other things that could be put in the nest, but what if we do that and try to get what we say is accountability? >> i'

remember, not some of you were never, but dark friday when nixon, when the attorney general, elliot richardson that phone ringing off the line, and the other one is to call up shows like on npr, dianne reeves show, and ask these questions and tell the facts, and really -- >> okay, thank you much. thank you. [inaudible] >> this gentleman over here. >> thank you. mike hager, retired, or glitzy resigned a lawyer. my question is really for mr. wilner and it picks up from last question in terms of what can people do. now, i think the panel made a very persuasive case for being with guantÁnamo as guantanamo, as a single issue. but what if, even with a longer-term perspective, we were to look at guantÁnamo cannot in isolation but in a broader package of what i would call a legitimate activity. we can say drones, torture, preventative attacks, political assassinations, maybe some other things can be put in that nest. but what if we're true try to get the and get what i would say is accountability? >> well, i will give my take on it, which is going to be terribly hardheaded practical. i think it's more