DUNCAN
HUNTER (R-CA-52)
Rayburn 2265
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.
Lowlights from Rep. Boehner:
- "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."
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