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Wednesday, May 28, 2008
McClellan Blows the Whistle
by Congressman
Robert Wexler
 Last night,
significant news broke that directly impacts our push for Impeachment
Hearings and a possible Inherent Contempt charge for Bush
Administration officials such as Karl Rove.
Former White House
Press Secretary Scott McClellan has revealed in his upcoming book that
Karl Rove, Scooter Libby, and Vice President Cheney lied about their
role in revealing the identity of Valerie Plame Wilson – actions
easily amounting to obstruction of justice.
McClellan also
admitted that there was a coordinated effort within the Bush
Administration to use propaganda to pump up the case for the Iraq war
and hide the projected costs of the war from the public.
Scott McClellan must
be called to testify under oath before the House Judiciary Committee
to tell Congress and the American people everything he knows about
this massive effort by the White House to deceive this nation into
war.
Last week, a
subpoena was issued for Karl Rove to testify before the Judiciary
Committee. It appears he will take every legal action to block this
subpoena. The truth is that Congress has the right – and obligation –
to hold him accountable now - not months or years from now. It is long
past time to pass Inherent Contempt and bring Rove, Libby and others
before Congress.
We simply cannot
ignore these recent developments, nor should we postpone serious
inquiry until after the next election.
I believe that it is
the duty of Congress to pursue impeachment whenever there's
significant evidence of wrongdoing, be it by Republicans or Democrats,
regardless of the timing of elections or the current political
environment.
Some of you have
written me demanding that I deliver hearings or impeachment. As hard
as I have been fighting for this cause, I cannot make impeachment
happen by myself. What I can do, and what I have been doing at every
turn, is trying to communicate two simple messages to my colleagues:
the serious allegations of wrongdoing and the clear-cut rationale for
impeachment hearings; and the fact that the public will support our
efforts when Congress boldly acts on the side of justice and
accountability.
Unfortunately, to
date, these arguments have not been enough to convince even a majority
of the liberal and progressive Members of Congress to support
impeachment hearings. In addition, the leadership of the Democratic
Party in Congress genuinely feels that pursuing impeachment will
jeopardize our congressional agenda and threaten gains in the November
elections. Although I genuinely disagree with this view, to date I
have been unable to convince them to change this policy.
We should not end
the calls for impeachment. I will push against the crimes of the Bush
Administration whenever I am provided the opportunity. I will use my
role on the Judiciary Committee to take on Administration officials –
like I have done with Condoleezza Rice, Attorney Generals Gonzalez and
Mukasey, and FBI Director Mueller.
I have not given up
our fight to hold this Administration accountable and neither can you.
I am grateful for your patriotism and your support. I'll continue to
keep you informed and part of the conversation.
Read more at
www.wexlerwantshearings.com.
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