Memogate Hearings Scheduled for June 16

[JRob]

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/061005X.shtml

Friday 10 June 2005

On Thursday June 16, 2005, Rep. John Conyers, Jr., Ranking Member of House Judiciary Committee, and other Democratic Members will hold a Democratic hearing to hear testimony concerning the Downing Street Minutes and the efforts to cook the books on pre-war intelligence.

On May 1, 2005 a Sunday London Times article disclosed the details of a classified memo, also known as the Downing Street Minutes, recounting the minutes of a July 2002 meeting of Prime Minister Tony Blair that describes an American President already committed to going to war in the summer of 2002, despite contrary assertions to the public and the Congress. The minutes also describe apparent efforts by the Administration to manipulate intelligence data to justify the war. The June 16th hearing will attempt to answer the serious constitutional questions raised by these revelations and will further investigate the Administration's actions in the lead up to war with new documents that further corroborate the Downing Street memo.

Those expected to testify include Joe Wilson, Former Ambassador and WMD Expert; Ray McGovern, 27-year CIA analyst who prepared regular Presidential briefings during the Reagan administration; Cindy Sheehan, mother of a fallen American soldier; and John Bonifaz, renowned constitutional lawyer and co-founder of AfterDowningStreet.org.

Directly following the hearing, Rep. Conyers, Members of Congress, and concerned citizens plan to hand deliver to the White House the petition and signatures of over a half million Americans that have joined Rep. Conyers in demanding that President Bush answer questions about his secret plan for the Iraq war.

AfterDowningStreet.org is a rapidly growing coalition of veterans' groups, peace groups, and political activist groups, which launched on May 26, 2005, a campaign to urge the U.S. Congress to begin a formal investigation into whether President Bush has committed impeachable offenses in connection with the Iraq war.

[rawstory]

1. This was reported yesterday, but removed from LBN

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/House_Judiciary_Democrats_to_hold_hearings_on_Downing_Street_mi_0609.html

[longship]

2. Will the Repugs pull another Sensenbrenner?

I can't believe that the Repugs will allow this to happen. They will shut down the proceedings just like they did this morning.

Repugs can't stand the truth.

[katsy]

3. Read the release.

This is a Dem only proceeding. Republicans will not support an investigation nor will they attend.

They are trying to kill any potential interest in these minutes by ignoring them... and unless Americans wake the hell up and cry bloody murder, this proceeding will be meaningless.

[rodeodance]

6. they hope that if if they ignore it--it will disappear. Lets keep it

ALIVE folks!!

[AndyTiedye]

5. The Dems Should Bring MEGAPHONES

If the Repubs are gonna shut off our microphones, as they did when
Senn-bender tried to shut down these hearings, maybe we should bring
some sound reinforcement of our own.

[wallwriter]

4. I'm concerned about the lack of Republican participation,

but continuing without them is much better than not having hearings at all.