Supporting the Censure Inquiry Resolutions

The unmuzzleable Hon. John Conyers has just introduced H.Res.635, which will create a select committee to investigate the Administration's:

• intent to go to war before congressional authorization
• manipulation of pre-war intelligence
• encouraging and countenancing torture
• retaliating against critics

and to make recommendations regarding grounds for possible impeachment.

Here's John Nichols' explanation in the Nation. And here's Conyers' statement in his blog. And here's the new Investigative Status Report of the House Judiciary Committee Democratic Staff that set him off, The Constitution in Crisis; The Downing Street Minutes and Deception, Manipulation, Torture, Retribution, and Coverups in the Iraq War.

It's time to energize your local Congresscritter to get him/her to support the Conyers resolutions. Confirm your zipcode at Progressive Democrats of America and they will automate the process of finding, and sending a Conyers-supportive email to, your representative in your name. Here's the one the Slangwhanger-in-Chief sent (not their boilerplate but of his own fell feciture.)

Wednesday 21 December 2005

Hon. Chris Van Hollen
Congressman
Maryland 8th District
United States House of Representatives
Via email

I was a Montgomery County Democratic Precinct Chair for twenty years, and am no stranger to activism. Here is an issue requiring instant attention.

It is most urgent that you join the Hon. John Conyers in cosponsoring H.Res. Nos. 635, 636, and 637 to inquire into censuring our malfeasant President and Vice President. Their war policies of lying, spying and torture must be repudiated and the constitutional balance with the legislative branch restored.

Sir, you need to get out in front on this. If I had wanted a representative who lay back in the tall weeds until it was safe to come out, and never cast a tough vote nor cosponsored a controversial measure, I would have voted for Connie Morella. (Not that I ever did, mind you. But I used a comparison sufficiently odious to you that it could spur you to action.)

As a concerned constituent, I have written you via email on several issues before and, aside from a robo-acknowledgement, have never received a reply. However this matter is too important to leave to the sclerotic procedures of your back office in sitting on, if not ignoring, email.

Kindly indicate to me by email or postally whether you will be able to join the Conyers effort or, if not, please explain why dilatory behavior seems to you appropriate at this time.

The very fabric of the nation is at risk from the unconstitutional and otherwise illegal depredations of Bush and Cheney. They must be challenged legislatively. You have a safe enough district to do it. We look to you for leadership, and not to the Hon. Steney Hoyer's lobbyist-based, DLC-inspired detumescent timidity.

Faithfully yours,
The Slangwhanger-in-Chief