That’s my guess as to why Senate Republicans are threatening the nominationsof Dawn Johnsen as head of the Office of Legal Counsel in the Department of Justice and Harold Koh as the State Department legal counsel if more torture memos are released.

It has been reported that they have told the administration that they will filibuster/place a hold on the nominations unless Obama covers up the torture memos

The people directly involved in this, and hence the ones most likely to face legal or disciplinary action, Alberto “Abu” Gonzalez, John Yoo, David Addington, etc., have no reputation or political pull to get the ‘Phant Senators to do this.

So, it has to be someone who:

• Is implicated in the memos.
• Has political pull with the base.
• Has some sort of rapport with Republican members of the Senate, possibly from their days in Congress.

Sounds like Cheney, and as his latest appearances on the Sunday gas bag circuit, it is clear that he is worried that one of his stalwart supporters of torture will roll on him if they are facing real jeopardy.