Congressman Hunter has earned induction into the Hall of Shame for:

• His strong support of attacking Iraq, saying back in 2002 in the lead-up to war: "There are going to be nuclear devices manufactured in Iraq within 24 months. To have waited in 1991 would have been disastrous, to wait today would be disastrous."
• Sanctioning the use of nuclear weapons in Iran, saying "I would authorize the use of tactical nuclear weapons if there was no other way to preempt those centrifuges."

Lowlights from Congressman Hunter:

• In response to a question about getting information from suspects: "Let me just say this would take a one-minute conversation with the Secretary of Defense. I would call him up or call him in. I would say to SECDEF, in terms of getting information that would save American lives, even if it involves very high-pressure techniques, one sentence: 'Get the information. Have it back within an hour, and let's act on it. Let's execute with Special Operations or whoever else is necessary, and I will take full responsibility. Get the information.' "I would do-certainly, waterboard-I don't believe that that is, quote, 'torture.' I would do what is necessary to protect this country. Yes, I would go to great lengths to keep this country safe."
• "Iran is moving equipment into Iraq that is being used to kill Americans. Iran has crossed the line. The United States has absolute license at this point to take whatever actions are necessary to stop those deadly instruments."
• "The inmates in Guantanamo have never eaten better, they've never been treated better and they've never been more comfortable in their lives."

DANA ROHRABACHER (R-CA-46)
Rayburn 2300

Congressman Rohrabacher has earned induction into the Hall of Shame for:

• His blind support of the occupation of Iraq,
• His complete disregard of the Constitution
• His repeated attacks on anyone who disagrees with him
• His unflagging support of TORTURE

Lowlights from Congressman Rohrabacher:

• Telling his political opponents (tax-paying American citizens) when discussing imagined terrorist acts: "I hope it's your families! I hope it's your families that suffer the consequences!"
• Encouraging torture and "extraordinary rendition," noting that the imprisonment and torture of an innocent person was a fair price to pay for "locking up terrorists." (ignoring our forefather Benjamin Franklin, who wisely said, "They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security".
• And in the same vein, "We've got to make sure that we do not let go 50 terrorists who will go out and plant a bomb in London and kill 20,000 people in order to protect that one person who we arrested accidentally because his name was the same."
• Supporting the lies that led us into this illegal and immoral war; stating "for sure" that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. "We know he had weapons of mass destruction."

DAN BURTON (R-IN-5)
Rayburn 2308

Congressman Burton has earned induction into the Hall of Shame for:

• After condemning Bill Clinton for committing perjury as President, Representative Burton vigorously defended Scooter Libby when his sentence was commuted by President Bush.
• Chiding Democrats for setting deadlines for withdrawal and said they would have lost the Revolutionary War if they had controlled Congress when America was seeking independence.
• Blatant disregard for the truth regarding Al Qaeda's presence in Iraq as a result of the U.S.-led occupation.
• Unwillingness to accept the reality of the military "surge" that is inciting further violence, compared to the diplomatic and political solution required.

Lowlights from Congressperson Dan Burton:

• "In the war (Iraq) we cannot afford to lose. Withdrawal and defeat would be a disaster not only for the U. S. but for the entire free world."
• "I want to applaud the thorough, non-partisan information that General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker are presented to Congress. In my opinion it is the most accurate, credible, and up-to-date assessment of the political realities in Iraq."

BRIAN BAIRD (D-WA-3)
Rayburn 2443

Congressman Baird has earned induction into the Hall of Shame for:

• Congressman Baird opposed giving President Bush the authority to go to war in Iraq in 2002, and as recently as July he supported an early troop withdrawal. He changed his view after a two-day Pentagon-sponsored tour to dog-and-pony show in Iraq in August, touting the progress he observed. Breaking with nearly all other Democratic members of Congress, he says the U.S. should not immediately withdraw troops from Iraq and vows to oppose a binding timetable even though the majority of Americans-and his constituents--favor one. Republicans, including House Minority Leader John Boehner, have been using Baird's statements as a justification for keeping troops in Iraq.

Notable Quotes from Brian Baird:

• "I am convinced by the evidence that the situation has at long last begun to change substantially for the better. I believe Iraq could have a positive future. Our diplomatic and military leaders in Iraq, their current strategy, and most importantly, our troops and the Iraqi people themselves, deserve our continued support and more time to succeed."
• "I have come to believe that calls for premature withdrawal may make it more difficult for Iraqis to solve their problems."
• "I think we're making real progress."

JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH-8)
Longworth 1101

Minority Leader Boehner has earned induction into the Hall of Shame for:

• Continuing to assert that Sadaam Hussein provided support to the terrorists who perpetrated the 9/11 attacks.
• His shameless support of the illegal and immoral war against Iraq against all evidence to the contrary; putting partisan politics and support of George W. Bush above the interests of the world; blaming the Iraqis for the disasters created by our tragically flawed occupation and military aggression there.

• "With what we're facing in Iraq and have been over the last three years, it's clearly tied to the same groups that caused 9/11 to occur." (from September 2006)
• As we look forward to our next steps in Iraq, Congress [must] rally behind the proven, responsible strategy set forth by General Petraeus..." "And while people may be frustrated, both in Washington and, frankly, here in Iraq, I think all of the groups began to realize that there is no better option.

RAHM EMANUEL (D-IL-5)
Longworth 1319

Congressman Emanuel (aka Rahmbo), as House Democratic Caucus Chair / Democratic Majority Whip in Congress, whips all of his party members to vote the way to vote the way he and the Democratic party leadership want them to vote.

Congressman Emanuel has earned induction into the Hall of Shame for:

• Against the will of the majority of his constituents and the American people, voting for funding in Iraq without withdrawal deadlines but with so-called "benchmarks" for progress that the Iraqi government must meet to
  continue receiving reconstruction aid.
• Being a ruthless and unforgiving taskmaster when it comes to national campaign strategy, but he coming off as a wimp when confronting Bush and the Republicans in Congress.
• Being known as an enforcer who blows off kneecaps if Dems running for office don¹t follow his instructions, and taking no prisoners behind the scenes, when what Americans want to see a political party emerge that shows some backbone and strength.

Lowlights from Congressman Emanuel:

• Upon voting for the funding with benchmarks and no timetable, he claimed, "I am proud that we have finally done something, We will fund the troops, and we will also demand that Iraq stand up for Iraq's future and stop leaning on America alone."

BOB ETHERIDGE (R-ND-2)
Longworth 1533

Congressman Etheridge has earned induction into the Hall of Shame for:

• Congressman Etheridge's district includes Johnston County Airport, home to Aero Contractors, a CIA front company used for the majority of flights that have taken kidnapped terrorism suspects (several of whom were later admitted to have been seized on false evidence) to black sites in other countries where they have been subjected to torture. Asked repeatedly by CODEPINK members in his district to act--or simply speak--to condemn the torture flights, Rep. Etheridge has always refused, saying that, like Iraq, it is just not his issue.
• Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base also are in Etheridge's district. Asked in August 2006, whether U.S. armed forces should have been sent to Iraq in the first place, Etheridge said that he voted to send them, and he's not inclined to reconsider his vote.

ROY BLUNT (R-MO-7)
Cannon 217

Congressman Blunt has earned induction into the Hall of Shame for:

• Beating the drum, as Majority Whip, for war and standing by Bush throughout. Within hours after the invasion of Iraq, Congressman Blunt then whipped up the votes to pass the president's tax cuts which resulted in severe cuts to VA funding.
• Now as Minority Whip, being the main force continuing to keep Republicans in line with the Bush Administration's Iraq policy, and voting for funding the Iraq War every time.
• On Bush's commuting of Scooter Libby's sentence for his conviction of perjury in his trial related to the outing of CIA covert operative Valerie Plame, he said, "[It was the] right thing to do and the prison sentence overly harsh and punishment did not fit the crime."
• Voting against restricting no-bid defense contracts; voting in favor of allowing electronic surveillance without a warrant.

LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC)
Russell 290

Senator Graham has earned induction into the Hall of Shame for:

• Consistently voting for the war and funding, calling the Democrats' attempt to bring a nonbinding resolution opposing the troop "surge" in Iraq to a floor vote a "stupid political game."
• After a recent trip to Iraq this summer, Graham cheerfully told an audience at the American Enterprise Institute that in his 8 visits to Iraq, he has never come back as optimistic. Graham claimed "The surge has worked," he said, adding that "Within the next weeks, not months, there will be a major breakthrough on the benchmarks regarding political reconciliation." Graham concluded by saying that the U.S. troops have gone from riding around waiting to be shot to feel like they're "kicking their ass."
• In response to a U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing detainees to file habeas corpus petitions to challenge their detentions, Graham authored an amendment to restrict the authority of American courts to review applications of habeas corpus by "enemy combatants." The amendment sparked outrage among many human rights groups and legal scholars, who said: "The Graham amendment embodies an effort to alter fundamental precepts of our constitutional order. It consigns the protection of fundamental human liberties to unilateral executive determination."
• At a forum on Abu Ghraib, those in attendance we were stunned to hear Graham say, with a twinkle in his eye, "Americans don't mind torture; they really don't." Then he smiled broadly, almost gleefully, and said that the U.S. had used certain interrogation techniques on one of the 'high-value' targets, Sheikh Mohammed, "techniques that you really don't want to know about, but they got really good results." Graham, a military and civilian lawyer, knows that the torture of Sheikh Mohammed was a criminal act and did nothing to stop it.

JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ)
Russell 241

Senator McCain has most unabashedly earned induction into the Hall of Shame for:
" Encouraging a war with Iran--another sovereign peaceful country, this time one with nuclear capacity
" Blindly, uncritically accepting and perpetuating the lies that have kept us mired in the illegal and immoral occupation of Iraq
" Pretending that the U.S. media is fair and balanced

Lowlights from Senator McCain:

• "Thank God for our form of government. The media won't let there be any cover-up."
• "Only the most deluded of us could doubt the necessity of this war".
• "Our armed forces will fight for peace in Iraq, a peace built on more secure foundations than are found today in the Middle East. Even more important, they will fight for two human conditions of even greater value than peace: liberty and justice".
• "We must win in Iraq. If we withdraw, there will be chaos… there will be genocide; and they will follow us home."
• "Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran" When asked later whether that might be offensive, he derisively responded, "To who? The Iranians?"
• "The world's chief state sponsor of international terrorism, Iran, defines itself by hostility to Israel and the United States. The [Iranian] government today cannot be counted among those of the world's civilized nations."
• "Fuck you! I know more about this than anyone else in the room"
• "I've been in Washington 25 years working in the city of Satan."
• "I think maybe shopping in Baghdad…I had something picked out for you - a little IED to put on your desk"

MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY)
Russell 361A

Minority Leader McConnell has earned induction into the Hall of Shame for:

• Being one of the strongest supporters of the American invasion of Iraq, which he considers a central part of the "War on Terrorism." He holds the view that the violence in Iraq is perpetrated primarily by al-Qaeda and other international jihadists, who would otherwise be engaged in terrorist actions within the United States.
• After Bush's announcement of escalation in troop levels in Iraq, McConnell claimed that the war in Iraq was a "success," because it had prevented terrorist attacks in the U.S. since 9/11. He continues to perpetuate the myth that if the U.S. were to withdraw from Iraq, "the terrorists would come after us where we live."
• Continuing to put the onus solely on the Iraqi leaders for their failure to reach consensus on issues critical to the stability and future governance of Iraq.

JAMES INHOFE (R-OK)
Russell 453

Senator Inhofe has earned induction into the Hall of Shame for:

• Sporting one of the most upside-down, wrong-headed voting records in the entire Senate, including: NO to funding to find Osama Bin Laden; NO to hurricane recovery for the Gulf Coast and Katrina Victims; NO to an amendment that would have guaranteed that the troops in Iraq would NOT have their service extended beyond one year; NO to requiring President Bush must certify to congress that the Iraqi government is meeting the benchmarks; and NO to funding supporting security for ports and mass transit.
• But don't worry-there are some things Senator Inhofe votes YES for! YES to the confirmation of Samuel Alito; YES to making it harder for people to erase debt by declaring bankruptcy.

Lowlights from Senator Inhofe:

• "My skeptical views on man-made catastrophic global warming have only strengthened as new science comes in."
• In Response to the President's Address to the Nation, "Though there are no easy answers or quick solutions, the U.S. can and must be successful on the War on Terror-surrendering is not an option. President Bush has resolved to follow the advice of military commanders on the ground rather than be swayed by political attempts to micromanage from the halls of congress."
• And, on a personal note, this mindless gem: "We have 20 kids and grandkids. I'm really proud to say that in the recorded history of our family, we've never had a divorce or any kind of homosexual relationship."

JOHN CORNYN (R-TX)
Hart 517

Senator Cornyn has earned induction into the Hall of Shame for:

• Invited violence in the wake of several high-profile violent crimes and death threats against judges when he stated on the floor of the U.S. Senate on April 4, 2005, that "raw political or ideological decisions" by judges cause "great distress" in many people and wondered if this "distress" was the cause of the violence. This from a former judge!
• Pandering to right-wing interests by sponsoring legislation to condemn MoveOn.org for an ad which he calls "personal attacks on General Petraeus."

JOE LIEBERMAN (I-CT)
Hart 706

Senator Lieberman has earned induction into the Hall of Shame for:

• Being a staunch supporter from the beginning of the war in Iraq: "We need to finish the job."
• Calling for military action on Iran's nuclear facilities and on sources in Iran allegedly providing weapons and training to Iraqis who target U.S. soldiers.
• Consistently expressing solidarity with Israel while refusing to recognize the rights of Palestinians

Lowlights from Senator Lieberman:

• "Some in my [former] party threaten to send a message that they don't know a just war when they see it, and more broadly that they're not prepared to use our military strength to protect our security and the cause of freedom."
• "I think we've got to be prepared to take aggressive military action against the Iranians to stop them from killing Americans in Iraq. And to me, that would include a strike … over the border into Iran, where we have good evidence that they have a base at which they are training these people coming back into Iraq to kill our soldiers."