Dear Senator Schumer:
As one of your constituents and someone who has voted for you each time you have run for public office, I will never be able to do so again. No matter what kind of rationalization you come up with (and I've heard the "he's the best we can get from this administration" argument and it is unprincipled nonsense) you are for all intents and purposes enabling Bush and Cheney to continue to use a method developed by the Spanish inquisition to torture its enemies. This is quite simply unAmerican. It violates who we are as a nation and a people. It violates every fiber of the U.S. Constitution.
Mukasey has been asked a very simple question: is Waterboarding torture? And therefore illegal. If he cannot answer that question in the affirmative, he cannot possibly carry out the duties of the office to which you have said you will vote to confirm him. If, after the ugly Americans (even Graham Greene could not have imagined Bush and Cheney) leave office, we are to rehabilitate our reputation as a people who value human life in all its forms (friend or enemy) we cannot now turn this man (Mukasey) loose on the world. He has responded to this question in exactly the same slippery manner that his predecessor answered Congressional questions. He is giving you a preview of how he will behave as Attorney General. If that's what you are now willing to settle for, then I can no longer support you. And in your position as Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee I will not be able to vote for anyone you support.
The time has come to stand up as Americans and say to Bush and Cheney (and the leading Republican presidential candidates): You don't speak for us. You don't represent us. And we look to you to stand up and say, "enough is enough." As Sen. McCain said when he was still sane, "It's not about them, it's about us."
This from Bush's nemisis MoveOn.org:
"President Bush's nominee for Attorney General, Michael Mukasey, thinks the president should be able to wiretap Americans without a warrant and refuses to say whether water-boarding is torture. It's outrageous—but we can stop him. Can you call Sen. Schumer today and tell him that torture is unacceptable in America? Tell him to vote 'no' on Mukasey's nomination next week.
Senator Charles Schumer Phone: 202-224-6542 or in NYC 212-486-4430 or email him, here
Keep trying millions of us are calling. Moveon asks you to report what Sen. Schumer's staff tells you by clicking here
The following is part of an e-mail from PDA's Sharon Lynch:
Call Chuck Schumer who announced yesterday that he will vote in favor of confirming Michael Mukasey as Attorney General. The vote is scheduled for Tuesday. We have two days to tell him that his constituents expect him to vote not to confirm someone who refuses to acknowledge waterboarding as torture.
Schumer admitted this year what a terrible mistake he made in confirming Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. How can he make similar error with Michael Mukasey? You can reach Senator Schumer at:
Washington, DC direct: 202.224.5642/fax 202.228.3057
Washington toll free: 866.340.9281 — 866.338.1015 — 877.851.6437 — 800.828.0498 — 800.459.1887 — 800.614.2803 — 800.862.5530 — 800.833.6354
Manhattan: 212.486.4430/fax 202.486.7693
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