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I get a lot of emails from various groups and organizations dealing with politics in some form or another.
One of those groups happens to be A28.org, which bills itself as the " peoples impeachment movement," and they do have quite a few members.
One of their favorite things, it would seem, is to have their members send in candidates to be nominated for their Congressional Hall of Shame.
These would be Congressman who state that Bush is running an illegal war, lied to get us into this war, and the unconstitutional and illegal use of unauthorized spying on American citizens, among many other issues.
Yet, they do not wish to pursue the impeachment of this crook and his minions for various reasons.
Below is the latest email from A28 and I think that it is worth the read because if all of our Democratic Congressman feel this way, then Bush/Cheney and the others will just continue to rob us and to rip the few remaining rights that we have left right out of our hands.
The Congressional Hall of Shame
Congressman Sam Farr (D-CA) gets it. Almost.
In a recent letter explaining his position on impeachment, Farr condemns the lying, spying, and torture carried out by the Bush administration in no uncertain terms, calling these actions a travesty of justice that cannot be tolerated:
This Administration's actions with regard to the war in Iraq and lying about weapons of mass destruction, with regard to the torture of prisoners and foreign nationals, and with regard to the unconstitutional and illegal use of unauthorized spying on American citizens, are a travesty to the principles and integrity of a just society and impugn the honor of this country. These actions are in direct contradiction to the laws of this land and cannot be tolerated.
Unconstitutional. Illegal. Cannot be tolerated. Those are strong words. So it comes as a bit of shock when Farr goes on to say that actually, on second thought, he can tolerate these things:
However, even as the Congress changes to a Democratic majority in the 110th Congress, it is doubtful impeachment will be pursued... An impeachment effort would divert Congress' attention from restoring order to our government at a time when it needs it so badly...Though there has been renewed interest in impeachment due to Rep. Kucinich's bill to charge Vice President Cheney (H.Res. 333), an impeachment effort is not viable right now.
Having slipped into the passive voice to absolve himself of any and all responsibility to support and defend the Constitution, Farr then closes with some stirring and entirely empty rhetoric:
I agree that President Bush has failed in many ways to fulfill the duties of his office. The President has appeared to assume the power of the Presidency but not the responsibility, and that power has led to the deaths of American troops, Iraqi troops and Iraqi civilians. I can only hope, however, that the American public begins to understand - as you do - that the White House must be held accountable for its failures.
So help him God, Congressman Farr seems a bit shaky on the content of the sacred oath of office he just solemnly swore:
I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.
As far as I can see, there's nothing in this oath about supporting and defending the Constitution only when it's politically expedient. If you'd like to review the oath with Congressman Farr, I'm sure he'd love to hear from you at 202-225-2861.
Please submit your own candidates for the Congressional Hall of Shame to info@a28.org.
Peace,
Jacob Park
A28 National Coordinator
