Congressman John Conyers has been covering our backs -- sometimes seemingly alone -- for a long time. Ever since our so-called presidential election he's been trying to do something about the broken electoral system, the lack of accountability in the current administration, and the lack of investigative reporting in the mainstream media, among other things. Lately he's been trying to focus attention on a British document, minutes of a high-level government meeting which show quite clearly that bush lied his way into a premeditated war against Iraq. As explained here,
The minutes detail how our government did not believe Iraq was a greater threat than other nations; how intelligence was "fixed" to sell the case for war to the American public; and how the Bush Administration’s public assurances of "war as a last resort" were at odds with their privately stated intentions.This important document has been largely ignored by the US media, but that hasn't stopped John Conyers. He's been relentless in his quest for the truth in this case, and it seems to be paying off. So now John Conyers is asking for our help. And he's not even asking for much.
When asked, British officials "did not dispute the document's authenticity." and a senior American official has described it as "absolutely accurate." Yet the Bush administration continues to simultaneously sidestep the issue while attempting to cast doubt on the memo’s authenticity.
He wants signatures. And he wants a lot of them. He started out looking for a hundred thousand people to sign his letter to the president, but that total was easily reached, and he bumped the target to a quarter of a million.
That number was passed in a blur and now he's saying "half a million". If you haven't already done so, please help him out.
Click here. Then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the link to the letter. Scroll down to the bottom of that page and you'll see a place to sign it. That's all. See? That wasn't so tough. Do you have another minute or two? Please take more action. Click here too.
That wasn't hard, was it?
Welcome to participatory democracy!
{UPDATE}: We're making a difference! Congressional hearings have been scheduled over the Downing Street Minutes, to be held Thursday, June 16th. Democrats are now scrambling for a location as the republicans have refused them the use of a room. Dare I say "How typical?"
{UPDATE}: AfterDowningStreet.Org has details here: Hearings On Downing Street Minutes Set For 1:30 PM Thursday
Hearings to be held at DNC because Republicans Denying Democrats Use of Rooms on Hill{UPDATE}: A rally is scheduled for Thursday afternoon at 5PM, at Lafayette Square Park, in front of the White House.
On Thursday June 16, 2005, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Wasserman Room at 430 S Capitol St. SE, Washington, D.C., Rep. John Conyers, Jr., Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and other Congress Members will hold a hearing on the Downing Street Minutes and related evidence of efforts to cook the books on pre-war intelligence.
{UPDATE}: Local rallies are also being scheduled for Thursday. Click here for more details.
{UPDATE}: The hearing has been rescheduled and it's also been moved. Now it's scheduled for 2:30 to 4:30 Thursday afternoon and more details are available here.
On Thursday June 16, 2005, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Room HC-9 of the U.S. Capitol, Rep. John Conyers, Jr., Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and other Congress Members will hold a hearing on the Downing Street Minutes and related evidence of efforts to cook the books on pre-war intelligence.More details to come as soon as we can find them... but probably in another post. This one has been updated enough!
The hearings had been planned for the Democratic National Committee offices because the Republicans controlling the House Judiciary Committee had refused to permit the ranking Democratic Member to use a large room on the Hill.
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However, the Democrats did have access to a small room in the Capitol, and Congressman Conyers has decided to move the hearings there. This does not indicate any change in position from the Republicans.