10-31-05, 7:47 am
The Campaign for America's Future sent a letter last week to all the Republican lawmakers whose campaigns received money from former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's political action committee, Americans for a Republican Majority PAC. Rep. Delay's recent indictment led to his resignation from House leadership.
'Republican Members who are caught in the middle of the web of corruption in Washington have to make some hard choices. We’re calling on them to restore the public’s faith in government,' said Toby Chaudhuri, communications director, Campaign for America's Future.
The letter, signed by Campaign for America's Future deputy director Ellen Miller, asks 247 of those US representatives to 'contribute the same amount of money you received from ARMPAC to the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund. We have enclosed an envelope for your convenience.'
In the letter, the Campaign for America's Future referenced the actions of Rep. Kenny Hulshof, R-Mo., who contributed the same amount of money he had received from ARMPAC to the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund.
'Washington is engulfed in corruption,' Miller said. 'From DeLay to Frist to the potential indictments of key White House officials, this town is a scandalous swamp. It's time for members of Congress to stand with the people and show that, in this time of great national need, the charity chests are more important than political war chests.'
On the heels of a grand jury's indictment of Vice Presidential aide Lewis 'Scooter' Libby last week, Rep. John Conyers, Jr., Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, issued a statement that urged Congress to hold the Bush administration accountable for its actions.
'Today's indictments,' read the statement, 'represent the beginning, but not the end of the process of finally holding the Bush Administration accountable for its conduct in foisting a preemptive war on this country.'
Conyers praised Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald for pursuing the CIA leak case vigorously and fairly. Conyers added, however, that 'the charges really beg the larger question – what did the President and Vice President know about these and related matters, and when did they know it?'
Conyers concluded that, 'Congress [must] pursue these questions and determine how these charges fit into the entire web of deception, manipulation and obfuscation laid bare by the Downing Street Minutes and Treasongate. As a result, I have directed my staff to conduct a comprehensive investigation and review of the facts concerning not only alleged efforts to misuse the White House to out a CIA operative, but misinformation concerning the run up the Iraq War, and all legal violations and breaches of trust by the Administration concerning the War.'
