Read John Conyers’ post on The Daily Kos:
When we began, it was just a few of us talking to each other about the troubling information in the DSM. The media is now covering the minutes, not in the sustained and thorough way that is needed, but it is a start. Thanks to you, many Americans who had no idea what we were talking about at the beginning of May have now heard about the DSM. The significance of the President of the United States and Prime Minister of Great Britain being asked about this matter in a joint press conference cannot be overstated. It is a testament to your perseverance.
As some of you may have heard, many, many new organizations have joined us in our efforts or are about to join us in our efforts. Prominently, Moveon.org is collecting signatures for the letter. We have now topped a combined 300,000. At the end of May that number was zero. From zero to 300,000 in less than two weeks. Just think about that.
A question often asked on DailyKos (yes, I read the comments)goes something like this: why am I signing this letter? The question is a legitimate one, as you are often asked to sign petitions or letters, and then there is no follow up.
Here is the answer: on Thursday, a week from today, I will be holding a hearing with my Democratic colleagues to begin to hear evidence about the DSM. We will have a number of witnesses, including Joe Wilson, who frequent readers here already know is a WMD expert and former Ambassador; Ray McGovern, a 27-year CIA analyst; Cindy Sheehan, whose son was killed in Iraq; and John Bonifaz, a renowned Constitutional attorney. At the conclusion of the hearing, we will go to Lafayette Park and I will personally deliver your signatures to the White House.
This hearing is just one step in an investigation that I am commencing that will literally span the Atlantic. I am in touch with British officials and former U.S. intelligence officials and I am determined to get to the truth.
At the hearing, I will disclose information found to date, which includes the public release of newly discovered documents. While none of these documents are as damning as the DSM, they nonetheless bolster the accuracy of it.
There is another point that has been missed of late. An article I read a week ago, I can’t remember where, quoted a right wing blogger as proclaiming this a dead issue and further stating that this was a test of the progressive netroots. Implicit was his contention that we were failing that test. A week later, the President was forced to respond (inadequately) to a question about it. We have passed the test.
Thanks again for your help and support. This is just the beginning. (I will check back either later today or early tomorrow to respond to your comments.)
This guy is a rock star.
Left Blogistan MUST coalesce behind Congressman Conyers right now.
We MUST continue to force the mainstream media to cover this issue.
It’s going to be hard, because doing so will mean, as Billmon pointed out, that they will have to eat some crow. And no one likes doing that.
But the slate is clean. Who cares, anymore, whether a newspaper or a television show or a blog covered this story the past. What matters from here on forward is how those media outlets are going to cover this new story today, tomorrow, and the day after that.
We can’t this moment pass.
(link via Misty on Shakespeare’s Sister’s comments).
UPDATE 6/16/05: Today is the day. Congress John Conyers, Jr. will hold hearings on The Downing Street Memo at 2:30pm. The hearings will be broadcast live on CSPAN3. Click here for more details.
3 Comments on "Conyers to Hold Downing Street Memo Hearings"
Freiheit und Wissen:
Congressional Hearings Spell V-I-C-T-O-R-Y
….That is pretty stunning news and it definitely confirms that Congress will listen when the people of the country speak out!
Kevin Baas:
We should call media to have them report on the congressional hearing.
we can give them the “low-down” on it, that new documents are going to be introduced that corroborate information in the downing street minutes.
“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.”
and we can talk up the people who are going to testify:
*Joe Wilson, Former Ambassador and WMD Expert
*Ray McGovern, 27-year CIA analyst who prepared regular Presidential briefings during the Reagan administration
*John Bonifaz, renowned constitutional lawyer
(if they say it’s not news because it’s not the full judiciary staff, tell them that they shouldn’t let partisan games dictate what is and isn’t news)
(after all, it is a “MEDIA ADVISORY” “For Immediate Release”)
Everything in the “MEDIA ADVISORY” (below the RAW STORY article, where it says “For Immediate Release”) is fair game, because that’s what conyers wants the media to know.
We shold use the awaken the media campaign to do this.
(instead of just having them abstractly report on “downing street memo” - give them some substance and direction.)
(happyjack270@yahoo.com)
Anonymous:
Democratic National Convention in Boston, in this July 29, 2004 file photo. Biden said on June 19, 2005, he intends to run for president in 2008, two decades after he dropped out of the race amid charges he plagiarized a British politician’s speech. ‘My intention now is to seek the nomination,’ Biden, of Delaware, said on CBS television’s ‘Face the Nation.’ REUTERS/Gary Hershorn/File Email Photo Print Photo
Con Yers, and thats what the Downing Street Memo is. The Kofi Oil for Food Memo is what produced this memo, alot like the Bush war record memo. No one has resigned, except for Hemmer, and most think he’s not a related casualty!
Maybe the debt relief in Canada won’t result in quake relief for California, but Arnold is, after all, a Republican and falling in the polls.
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