I got an email, as did everyone else who's on his mailing list, today from John Conyers. He reports that:
You are likely familiar with a number of steps I have taken to challenge the legality and constitutional grounds of the Administration's actions. From the lead up to Iraq, to the Downing Street Minutes, to the outing of a CIA agent, to warrantless wiretapping of U.S. citizens, I have called loudly for the Bush White House to explain itself.
I decided to file suit against the President in Federal Court in Michigan, along with 11 Senior Democratic Members of Congress. This suit was necessary because of a clear violation of the constitution. When the President signed the Deficit Reduction Act (which "reduced" the deficit by cutting taxes, health care benefits, and student loans), he signed into law a bill that had not passed the House and Senate. A different version of the bill passed each house of Congress with a multi-billion dollar difference in funding for life-saving medical equipment.
Anyone who ever watched Schoolhouse Rock knows this to be a problem.
Given the stakes involved I felt it was imperative to aggressively take this fight to the courts. The President's lawyers tried to get the bill dismissed, but late last week I responded with legal filings that stand up for the rule of law and the Constitution and hope to bring the President, and our United States government, back under the rule of law.
As TalkLeft explains: "First it was ignoring the Geneva Conventions," said Conyers. "Then it was the abuse of Presidential signing statements. Now our government is arguing that it can pick and choose which laws to ultimately enact, regardless of clear Constitutional procedures requiring bicameralism before presentment to the President."
3 comments:
Right the fuck on!! I love that man, John Conyers.
Conyers for President.
One of the highlights of my year is attending the Michigan State Fair. My favorite place there is the Michigan Mart, which has booths hawking mops and vegamatics, kitsch of various kinds, and booths publicizing charities and political causes.
So long ago that I'm sure he doesn't remember, John Conyers was there at a Dem booth greeting people and shaking hands. I was there with my mom, on of her last years before she died.
My mom shook his hand and expressed her appreciation for work in Congress. I was far less politically aware than I am now, but I shook his hand, trusting in my mom's judgment, which was generally sound except for her inexplicable liking for Ronny Raygun.
Now I'm steadily pushing nearer to the age my mom was then, and it's her granddaughter, my niece, who I'm politically mentoring. And proud to say I've cast my vote these many years to keep John Conyers in the Congress where he can kick Rethuglican ass.
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