[Davis Democrats] FW: Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont attacks lack of oversight by Senate Republicans

[John Chendo]

------ Forwarded Message
From: "Sen. Patrick Leahy, DSCC" <info at dscc.org>
Reply-To: <info at dscc.org>
Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2006 16:33:08 -0400 (EDT)
To: <jac07 at dcn.org>
Subject: Shameful

 <http://www.democratsenators.org/dia/track.jsp?key=27625791&url_num=1&url=h
ttp://www.dscc.org/>

Dear John , 

Sen. Patrick Leahy 
I have been in the United States Senate for 32 years, and I would be
hard-pressed to find a more shameful example of this body caving in to White
House pressure than what I witnessed yesterday.

Last month, it was revealed that the National Security Agency, working in
concert with major telecommunications companies, was illegally collecting
the phone records of millions of Americans.  Senate Democrats have demanded
that the company executives appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee to
explain themselves.  But yesterday, we found out that won't be happening.

Senate Republicans bowed to White House pressure to cancel the hearings and
instead accepted a nonbinding assurance from Vice President Dick Cheney that
he will encourage the White House to eventually allow the surveillance
program to be reviewed by an independent court.  In other words, Cheney is
saying to the Senate, "Trust Me."

Oversight of the executive branch is one of our most solemn
responsibilities; a fact that seems to be lost on the Senate Republicans.
This wiretapping capitulation is yet another example of a toothless
Republican leadership that rolls over whenever George W. Bush says so.
Today, The Hill newspaper revealed that a senior Bush administration
official convened a meeting with congressional investigators, asking that
they change how they conduct probes of the executive branch.  Imagine the
gall it takes to tell the very people charged with overseeing your conduct
how they should do their job.

In the last six years, we have seen this same sad play repeated again and
again.  More than three years after the beginning of the Iraq War, Senate
Republicans still refuse to investigate the Bush administration's
manipulation of prewar intelligence.  Despite bipartisan agreement that the
federal response to Hurricane Katrina was a complete disaster, Senate
Republicans have refused to set up an independent commission to figure out
how and why the people of the Gulf Coast were abandoned.  And the list just
goes on.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your generous donations to the DSCC
in the past months.  You clearly understand that the November midterm Senate
elections represent a pivotal moment in our history.  They are so important,
in fact, that I will pledge to match your donations up to a total of $20,000
from my own campaign funds.

Either we will demand accountability from the White House, or we will allow
two more years of uncontested lies and incompetence from George W. Bush.
That is why I am writing you today, to humbly ask for your continued
support.

Click here to makes a secure online contribution of $250, $500 or more.
Your donation will help the DSCC elect Democrats in Senate races across the
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Thank you,

 

Sen. Patrick Leahy



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