Congress

Barbara Lee Submits Resolution of Inquiry on Downing Street Memo

Will Hold Town Hall Meeting Saturday on Bush Administration Case for War

(Washington, DC) – Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee introduced a Resolution of Inquiry calling on the Bush administration to produce information to answer questions raised by a series of classified British memos that suggest that pre-war intelligence was fixed in order to justify the invasion of Iraq.

“These documents offer strong evidence that the Bush administration ‘fixed’ intelligence in order to mislead our country into war, evidence the administration has failed to dispute or answer,

American Chronicle
By Political Desk
July 21, 2005
Lee Will Hold Town Hall Meeting Saturday on Bush Administration Case for War

Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee introduced a Resolution of Inquiry calling on the Bush administration to produce information to answer questions raised by a series of classified British memos that suggest that pre-war intelligence was fixed in order to justify the invasion of Iraq.

“These documents offer strong evidence that the Bush administration ‘fixed’ intelligence in order to mislead our country into war, evidence the administration has failed to dispute or answer,

THE COMMITTEE WILL MEET ON SEPT. 14, 2005: ACT NOW!!!
Ask Your Congress Member to Co-Sponsor!

HOW TO CONTACT CONGRESS.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (Dem., Calif.) has introduced a Resolution of Inquiry in the House of Representatives (H. Res 375) which, if passed, will require the White House and the State Department to "transmit all information relating to communication with officials of the United Kingdom between January 1, 2002, and October 16, 2002, relating to the policy of the United States with respect to Iraq."

Congressman Charlie Rangel (NY-15)
Please Join Me for an e-Town Hall Meeting On the War in Iraq

Go HERE.

Today, after more than two years of war in Iraq, 1,750 brave American troops have been killed and more than 12,000 wounded. Two shameful facts have become clear: first, the President's justifications for the invasion were untrue; and second, the Bush administration was committed to regime change in Iraq long before Nine-Eleven.

The tragic war in Iraq is the most important issue facing our nation. You are invited to join me at an e-Town Hall meeting on Friday, July 22nd, from noon to 1:00 p.m., to answer your questions about the origins of the war, the unfair burden on our troops, and what can be done to end the greatest military catastrophe since Vietnam. Your questions will inform me of your specific concerns.

Congressman Maurice Hinchey discusses the Downing Street Memo at the State University of NY at New Paltz on July 7, 2005 - He is Joined by Professor Rob Miraldi who Discusses the Media's Role in Informing the Public.

Download or listen here.

Representatives across country hold rallies Saturday to criticize Iraq conflict
The Argus
By Josh Richman

Members of Congress — including Oakland's representative — will mark the third anniversary of a British government meeting detailed in the "Downing Street memo" by taking criticism of the Iraq war to the masses.

Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, will host a town hall meeting from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Grand Lake Theatre, 3200 Grand Lake Ave. in Oakland. Eight other lawmakers from New York to Michigan to New Mexico to California will hold district meetings this weekend as well.

Hinchey, Eight Members Of Congress To Hold Nationwide Town Hall Meetings On Downing Street Memos & Ongoing Deception In Iraq

Meetings To Coincide With Third Anniversary Of Downing Street Meeting

Washington, DC -- In commemoration of the third anniversary of the now infamous Downing Street Meeting, Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and eight of his colleagues in the House will host town hall meetings across the country to discuss the manipulation of pre-war intelligence, the unclassified Downing Street memos, and the current state of the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Hinchey will participate in an event entitled, "Torture and Lies: Who Is Accountable? From Abu Ghraib to the Downing Street Minutes" that will be held on Saturday, July 23 from 2:00-4:00pm at the New York Society for Ethical Culture located at 2 W. 64th Street in New York City. The event is free and open to the public, although seating is limited.

Press Advisory
Congressman John Conyers, Jr.
Michigan, 14th District
Ranking Member, U.S. House Judiciary Committee
Dean, Congressional Black Caucus
http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats

For Immediate Release:July 18, 2005
Contact: Dena Graziano (202) 226-6888

CONYERS, SEVEN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO HOLD TOWN HALL MEETINGS NATIONWIDE ON DOWNING STREET, ROVEGATE,AND THE ONGOING DECEPTION IN IRAQ

MEETINGS TO COINCIDE WITH THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF THE DOWNING STREET MEETING

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In commemoration of the third anniversary of the infamous Downing Street Meeting, Rep. John Conyers, Jr., along with Representatives Hinchey, Lee, McDermott, Waters, Becerra, Frank, and Rangel, will host town hall meetings nationwide to discuss the manipulation of pre-war intelligence, the unclassified Downing Street Minutes, White House improprieties committed by Karl Rove and other Bush Administration officials, and the war in Iraq. For those unable to attend a town hall meeting in their district, Americans nationwide can follow weblogs broadcasted live from each of the Members' town hall meetings, all of which will be available at one centralized location, http//:www.afterdowningstreet.org.

Barbara Lee to Hold Town Hall on Downing Street Memo

Panel Will Discuss White House Case for War on 3rd Anniversary of Downing Street Meeting

Who: Congresswoman Barbara Lee will be joined by panelists, including: Daniel Ellsberg, author and lecturer; Steve Cobble, AfterDowningStreet.org; Bill Mitchell, Gold Star Families for Peace, and representatives of Iraq Veterans Against the War

What: Town Hall meeting to discuss the manipulation of pre-war intelligence, the unclassified minutes of the Downing Street meeting, the White House "outing" of CIA agent Valerie Plame and the war in Iraq.

Congresswoman Maxine Waters Featured Speaker at Teach-In On Downing Street Memo This Saturday

Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-35) announced that she will be the featured speaker at a town hall meeting and teach-in on the third anniversary of the Downing Street Memo this Saturday, July 23rd at the Covenant Worship Center, 425 S. La Brea Avenue in Inglewood, California from noon until 3:00 pm.

The Congresswoman, who has been a leading voice in calling for the Administration to conclude the war in Iraq, stated, “As the Co-Founder of the Out of Iraq Caucus, I call on the United States to reexamine its role in the Iraqi War. I will continue the ongoing discussions regarding the war, including the implications of the Downing Street memo.

Add Congressman Tom Udall (Dem., N.M.) to the growing list of Congress Members hosting public events in their districts on July 23rd to mark the three-year anniversary of the infamous meeting on Downing Street.

PDF of This
Rep. John Conyers, Jr., Invites You to Join Him for a
TOWN HALL MEETING ON THE DOWNING STREET MINUTES:
Mourn the Losses, Learn the Truth, and Investigate the Lies

*SATURDAY, JULY 23RD, 2005*
2:00 - 4:00 pm
Wayne State University Law School
471 W. Palmer
Detroit, MI 48202

FEATURING:
Rep. John Conyers, Jr.
Tony Trupiano, Syndicated Broadcaster and Author
Lila Lipscomb, Co-Founder, Gold Star Families for Peace
Prof. Bob Sedler, Wayne State University Law School
Al Fishman, Coordinator, Detroit Area Peace and Justice Network
<--break!-->

Please Join Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles, Iraq Veterans Against the War & Other Peace Activists for an
Out of Iraq! Teach-in On The 3rd Anniversary of the Smoking Gun Downing Street Memo

Participate in a ...
Day of Truth
Saturday, July 23, noon-3 PM
Covenant Worship Center
425 So. La Brea Ave. (2 blocks south of Manchester in ),
Inglewood, Calif.

Learn about the Out of Iraq Caucus in Congress & the Resolution of Inquiry

Featured Speakers:
*Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Organizer of the Out of Iraq Caucus

Add another great event to the national lineup for July 23rd:

Chuck Pennacchio, Ph.D., 2006 Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, Pennsylvania, will discuss the importance of the Downing Street Minutes in Reading, Penn., on July 23rd.

Learn more at:
P.O. Box 739
Plumsteadville, PA 18949
Phone 215.766.1924
http://www.chuck2006.com

REP. HENRY A. WAXMAN RANKING MINORITY MEMBER
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 15, 2005

Karl Rove’s Nondisclosure Agreement
Today, news reports revealed that Karl Rove, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff and the President’s top political advisor, confirmed the identity of covert CIA official Valerie Plame Wilson with Robert Novak on July 8, 2003, six days before Mr. Novak published the information in a nationally syndicated column. These new disclosures have obvious relevance to the criminal investigation of Patrick Fitzgerald, the Special Counsel who is investigating whether Mr. Rove violated a criminal statute by revealing Ms. Wilson’s identity as a covert CIA official.

Congressman Barney Frank and AfterDowningStreet.org Co-Founder John Bonifaz will lead a discussion of the Downing Street Minutes in Boston on July 31. Here's a flyer all about it.

Rep. Jim McDermott to Hold Town Hall Meeting in Seattle to discuss Downing Street Minutes, Rovegate, and the ongoing deception of the Iraq War.

(Seattle, WA) Congressperson Jim McDermott will host a town hall meeting to discuss the manipulation of prewar intelligence, the Downing Street Minutes, White House improprieties committed by Karl Rove and other Bush Administration officials, and the war in Iraq. The event, free and open to the public, will be held at the Seattle Labor Temple, July 23, 1-3 pm. The Seattle Labor Temple is located at 2800 1st Ave, between Broad and Clay Streets, and the event will be in Hall One.

Democratic Leaders to Speaker Hastert: Congress Must Investigate Leak of CIA Agent's Identity

Distribution Source : U.S. Newswire

Date : Friday, July 15, 2005

To: National Desk

Contact: Brendan Daly or Jennifer Crider, 202-226-7616, both of the Office of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Web: http://democraticleader.house.gov

WASHINGTON, July 15 /U.S. Newswire/ -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, Democratic Caucus Chairman Robert Menendez, and Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman James E. Clyburn sent a letter to Speaker Dennis Hastert today calling on him to direct House committees to immediately schedule hearings into the White House's involvement in leaking the identity of CIA covert agent Valerie Plame.

Rep. Conyers and 91 Members of Congress Call on Karl Rove to Resign or Explain Outing of CIA Operative Valerie Plame
A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT

News from Rep. Conyer's office:

Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, released a letter signed by 91 Members of Congress asking that the President either demand that Karl Rove come forward to explain his role in the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame, or that he ask him to resign (a copy of the letter and the list of signatories is available as a PDF).

By Brad Blog

Letter Sent to 'Neutral Legal Authority' at Library of Congress for Clarification of Constitutional Impeachment Clause

Congressmen Express Belief that Clause 'Clearly Applies to High-Ranking Officials!'

The BRAD BLOG has learned that Congressmen John Conyers (D-MI) and Barney Frank (D-MA) have inquired with officials at the Library of Congress' Congressional Research Service this afternoon into whether impeachment proceedings would be appropriate for Senior White House Officials.

The release of the letter was accompanied by a press release from the office of the ranking minority House Judiciary Committee member, John Conyers. In the letter, the two congressmen seek clarification from "a neutral authority" of whether the U.S. Constitutions Article II regarding impeachment of a sitting President and Vice-President would also apply to Deputy Chief of Staff, Karl Rove who is currently embroiled in the on-going criminal investigation into who leaked the classified information concerning covert CIA operative, Valerie Plame.

Congressman Conyers' press release about July 23 events.

By Congressman John Conyers

As I have considered the case of the President's top advisor, Karl Rove, disclosing to the press that Ambassador Wilson's wife was a CIA operative in order to discredit and/or seek retribution against the Ambassador, it has become increasingly clear that we need to focus beyond the specific facts of that case -- as important and damaging as they are.

Properly understood, the outing of Valerie Plame appears to be just another facet of the deceptions evident in the Downing Street Minutes, and the overall marketing and disinformation of the Iraq war itself. As I have been putting together the chronology of the events and statements leading up to the war and subsequent to the war itself, the pattern becomes more and more obvious -- the Administration emphasizes and overstates facts needed to justify the war; seeks to discredit or punish anyone or thing who dares to challenge its assertions; and when the original justificiation no longer works, comes up with a new after-the-fact set of justifications. Then the cycle of deception and retribution begins over and over again.

By David Sirota

The Senate just finished up voting on the Democratic amendment to crackdown on high government officials who leak classified information and compromise U.S. national security. Incredibly, the self-described "pro-national security" Republican Party voted down the legislation, apparently ignoring all of their previous claims to despise leaks. The GOP also voted down their own amendment, apparently realizing how ridiculous it really was. To see how your Senator voted, see the final roll call votes on both the Democratic and Republican amendments linked below (the links should be active in the next few minutes).

The Hill
By Alexander Bolton

Sen. John Kerry is facing a dilemma.

With an eye towards running for president again in 2008, the Massachusetts Democrat has positioned himself as one of the most pugnacious critics of the Bush administration, often aligning himself with liberal activists. But at times, his aggressive anti-Bush rhetoric risks alienating other parts of his own party.

Kerry’s predicament was apparent this week as he took the lead among Democrats by calling for President Bush to fire his deputy chief of staff, Karl Rove, for Rove’s alleged role in revealing the identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame.

By the Out of Iraq Congressional Caucus

Washington, DC – Today, the ‘Out of Iraq’ Congressional Caucus met for the third time since its formation in June 2005. The Caucus heard from House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Ike Skelton (MO-4) who provided the Caucus with his perspectives on the war in Iraq.

“I am pleased that Ranking Member Skelton was able to meet with us today. We invited Ranking Member Skelton because of his vast knowledge of military affairs and his understanding of the war in Iraq,

By David Swanson
BlackCommentator.com

When nine white men met and plotted at #10 Downing Street in London, England, on July 23, 2002, they probably did not anticipate that three years later a small group of U.S. Congress Members, led by black men and women, would make that meeting a focus of public attention. But when Congress Members John Conyers, Barbara Lee, Maxine Waters, Charles Rangel, Sheila Jackson Lee, and others hold town hall forums all over this country on the three-year anniversary of the meeting recorded in the Downing Street Minutes, they will be demanding an investigation supported by a majority of Americans. Indeed, the outcome of their campaign could be more than the erosion of support for the war in Iraq; it could be the erosion of American credulity for the next several wars that presidents try to sell us on false pretenses.

RAW STORY

Several House Democrats plan to introduce a Resolution of Inquiry calling on the White House and other Bush agencies to produce any and all documents relating to the outing of a covert CIA agent, RAW STORY has learned.

The move was first reported by blogger Murray Haas.

Rush Holt (D-NJ) is leading the push, joined by Reps. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Jay Insley (D-WA). Holt introduced a similar measure in 2003, which was voted down.

A veteran Democratic aide told RAW STORY Wednesday evening that the Resolution will likely be referred to the House Intelligence and Government oversight committees.

By David Sirota

Massachusetts Rep. John Tierney (D) today announced that all Democrats on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence today sent a letter to President Bush demanding that White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove's security clearance be revoked in the wake of revelations that he was involved in the leak of a covert CIA operative's name.

This is a major development - Democrats of all stripes on the committee are coming together to do what's right. And as I wrote yesterday, historical precedent shows that the absolute least the White House must do is make sure a security risk like Rove is not allowed access to anymore classified information. Let's see what President Bush's formal response to this letter will be.

By David Sirota

New York Rep. Peter King (R) is the latest example of how the modern-day Republican Paty is dominated by wild-eyed right-wing lunatics determined to hold onto power, no matter how indefensible their behavior is. On television and in newspapers, King is trying to make Karl Rove's treasonous leak of classified information into a positive for the White House, while once again resorting to making physically threatening statements about retribution.

As Atrios notes, on the right-wing cable show Scarborough Country, King said the media "who gave [Ambassador Joe Wilson] such a free ride...they're the ones to be shot." Right, we shouldn't thank Wilson for exposing the fact that the Iraq War, which has caused so many casualties, was based on lies. We should shoot reporters.