Friday, June 20, 2008

Text of an email from Cong. Robert Wexler

Dear Diva Jood,

It has been a busy day in Congress today and while our movement for accountability for the Bush/Cheney White House just took a major leapforward with the testimony of former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan, we also unfortunately took a terrible step backwards with the tragic approval of new FISA legislation. I voted against this awful FISA law that degrades the privacy guarantees of our Constitution.

McClellan's Testimony

What we heard from Mr. McClellan was confirmation under oath of what we have long suspected: the President, Vice President, Karl Rove, Scooter Libby and others purposefully conspired to mislead Americans for political gain and at the cost of the lives of our soldiers, the security of our nation, and the sanctity of our Constitution.

Today, Scott McClellan said that he considers it a likely possibility that Vice President Dick Cheney was the person who authorized the leak of Valerie Plame Wilson's covert status. Mr. McClellan also said that he believes more White House officials should come before Congress and reveal the truth about this Administration's actions.

McClellan's testimony underscores a simple reality:

We must dig deeper. As I said today in the Judiciary Committee hearing, the facts we know now are more than enough to justify impeachment hearings for President George W. Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney. You can read my entire testimony today below.

There is no higher agenda than protecting the Constitution. The Separation of Powers principle is being threatened, our Civil Rights are under attack, and must pursue accountability no matter what the political cost.

The FISA Vote

Today I voted against the so-called FISA "compromise" bill, as the only thing that is really being compromised is our civil rights.

In spite of the earnest, hard work of many Members of Congress, the President has continued to demand that Congress rubber-stamp his illegal wiretapping program.

Every American wants to protect our country from terrorists; but the President is not asking for tools to thwart terrorists. He is demanding unchecked power. He expects the Congress to throw out even the most modest, expedited court review on the absurd premise that a specially designed court with over 30 years of experience handling surveillance requests is suddenly going to bring our nation's intelligence operations to a standstill.

The rights of everyday Americans are at issue here, and full accountability needed. A court that is given full and appropriate review of the particular circumstances in each case is the only appropriate venue for making decisions about immunity for actions that may or may not have violated the civil liberties of some individuals.

In addition, while I am sympathetic to the difficult position telephone and Internet service providers, who may have thought they were doing their patriotic duty, the fact remains that I simply cannot support offering retroactive immunity. I have had the opportunity to view some of the documents in question, and I can say that my position on this subject is unchanged.

I will continue to support the March 14th House bill that preserves the appropriate court review of all surveillance of US citizens and gives judges the discretion to review all the necessary documents related to telecom lawsuits without offering blanket immunity.

Continue Our Fight for Accountability

I also want to thank the thousands of Americans who sent emails to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel defending my position in favor of impeachment. I can assure you I will not back down.

In fact, over the next week I will appearing on numerous television programs where I intend to raise these issues as often as I can. You can see me on the following television shows:

• Sunday, June 22nd at noon (EST) on CNN's Late Edition,
• Tuesday, June 24 at 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm (EST) on Hardball on MSNBC,
• Wednesday June 25 at 3:30 pm (EST) on CNN's the Situation Room,
•Thursday June 26 at 11:30 pm (EST) on Comedy Central's the Colbert Report
•Friday June 27 at 7:30 am (EST) on MSNBC's Morning Joe.


I am grateful for your continued support and advocacy.

Congressman Robert Wexler

15 comments:

Utah Savage said...

I got the sam great email from Wexler. What a guy. Love the good dnew, hate the abd. Must send Pelosi and Reed nasty letters. Must find list of all those Dems voting for the FISA BS and send them nasty letters. It's going to be a busy time for a time.

jmsjoin said...

Wexler is the man, he is great and is on our side. Pelosi is a bush Dog!
The old Fisa is more then enough! I am so sick of Pelosi and the rest of the complicit Democrats. She said this is the last time. It son of a B@% better be the last straw and everyone that gave the chief scum his way should pay with their job period!
We need more like Wexler! i hate to say it but McClellan should sink those guilty idiots but they will get away with treason under the lying guise of helping the country!

DivaJood said...

Utah, I think anyone who signed his petition supporting Impeachment got the email. I just wanted to put the text up because it lists the times he'll be on television. Yes, a lot of letters need to go out regarding this FISA vote. A busy time ahead.

Jim, I feel your pain. I really do.

Stella by Starlight said...

I love Wexler, Kucinich, Waxman, and Byrd. And Barbara Boxer, of course. We need more of them out there.

Thanks for this post, diva.

Randal Graves said...

Wait a minute. A pro-impeachment and pro-REAL America person with an actual spine is going to be on teevee? Is this America? I'm so confused.

DivaJood said...

Stella, I saw that Jane Harman, my Congresswoman, voted for the FISA bill. But my former Congresswoman, Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) voted against it. What a travesty. Clearly the Constitution is no better than fish wrapping to this administration.

Randal, yes, an actual Congressman with a spine will appear on the television programs listed. Are you turning blonde, like me?

Fran said...

What baffles me is how is it ONLY Wexler & Kucinich are willing to do something & speak out about the list-o-crimes. It's like the Constitution is on fire & we are just Idol Americans. What the hell???

DivaJood said...

Fran, when they gave out spines for Congressmen, they only had enough for two.

Unknown said...

Oh Gawd, he is gonna be on Morning Joe? That should be interesting as hell with that NeoCon Joe.

DivaJood said...

Dusty, yes, Morning Joe. Fireworks are at no additional cost.

Unknown said...

I used to watch Morning Joe but now..it just jacks my jaw and blood pressure and hoses the entire day..no mo Joe for moi.

I might have to make an exception for Wexler however.

Stella by Starlight said...

Damn, Harman sold out? A mini-pelosi? She used to be a liberal. Henry Waxman voted nay. I'm pro Waxman about 92%.

DivaJood said...

Stella, Jane Harman has been pro-Bush on some surprising issues. It surprises me, because she was liberal at one point. And for some reason, I always expect her to be more like Jan Schakowski from Illionis - sort of like I have this fantasy of what Harman should be like as a Congresswoman, just because she's a woman and a Democrat. But, it never approaches the reality of it.

Stella by Starlight said...

So, she's another DINO. Well, Waxman's still the progressive House pitt bull taking on all the corrupt people he can. And Barbara Boxer. Hasn't she become president, yet?

She works damn hard to make sure people are informed about legislation, even those on which she doesn't work.

I stand corrected about Harman. Thanks for the heads up.

DivaJood said...

Stella, Harman was a lot more liberal her first go-round. I'm not sure what's happend, why she's changed. She does make sure people are informed, and she has good, solid qualities, but she frequently disappoints.