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Lobby Feinstein & Schumer - They Plan to Vote for Mukase Confirmation

Via NY Transfer News Collective  *  All the News that Doesn't Fit
 
sent by Ed Pearl 

MoveOn via Portside -Nov 2, 2007


[Senators Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Charles Schumer (D-
NY) have just announced that they intend to vote for the
confirmation of Michael Mukasey for attorney general,
despite his refusal to state that "waterboarding"
constitutes torture and is illegal. Both senators are
members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is
scheduled to vote on the Mukasey nomination on Tuesday.
Below is information provided by moveon.org to lobby
against the Mukasey nomination. The Washington office
phone numbers of the senators are:
    Feinstein: (202) 224-3841
    Schumer: 202-224-6542
- -- moderator]

President Bush's nominee for Attorney General, Michael
Mukasey, has some disturbing views on the rule of law,
to say the least. For example, Judge Mukasey thinks the
president should be able to wiretap Americans without a
warrant, says it's OK for Bush to ignore the law if it's
for national security reasons, and refuses to say
whether "water-boarding" is torture.1

He isn't sure if water-boarding-an interrogation tactic
that simulates drowning-is torture?!? According to the
Washington Post, water-boarding, "dates at least to the
Spanish Inquisition and has been prosecuted as torture
in U.S. military courts since the Spanish-American War.
The State Department has condemned its use in other
countries."2 That's like saying you're not sure if
cigarettes cause cancer-it's outrageous.

There is some good news: We've got a chance to block his
nomination. Your senator, Charles Schumer, is absolutely
critical. Can you call Senator Schumer and tell him that
torture is unacceptable in America? Tell him to vote
'no' on Mukasey's nomination next week.

Here's where to call.

Senator Charles Schumer
Phone: 202-224-6542

Mukasey looked like a shoe-in until all the Democratic
Senators who are running for President-Senators Biden,
Clinton, Dodd and Obama-announced they'd oppose his
nomination. They were followed by other Senators,
including four on the all-important Judiciary
committee.3

Others on the committee are still making up their minds,
and Senator Schumer is so critical because he supported
Mukasey's nomination at the outset-before Mukasey's
disturbing views on torture and the rule of law came to
light. Now, Sen. Schumer is on the fence. This is what
he said about it yesterday:

"No nominee from this administration will agree with us
on torture and wiretapping. The best we can hope for is
someone who will rebuild the Justice Department and
remain independent, even when pressured by this
administration," Schumer said. "I am weighing if Judge
Mukasey is that person."4

It seems pretty clear that a nominee who won't uphold
the Constitution over his allegiance to President Bush
and won't say torturous tactics are illegal tactics is
not the person Sen. Schumer is looking for. If the
Senate approves Mukasey knowing full well where he
stands on torture and wiretapping, they are putting
their stamp of approval on those policies.

Can you call Sen. Schumer today and ask him to vote
against Mukasey's nomination?

Thanks for all you do.

- -Nita, Justin, Carrie, Noah and the MoveOn.org Political
Action Team

  Friday, November 2nd, 2007

Sources:

1. "Analysis of Attorney General Nominee Michael
Mukasey's Written Responses," Alliance for Justice,
November 1, 2007
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3128&id=11569-1370872-X6ujS6&t=4

2. "Mukasey Losing Democrats' Backing," Washington Post,
October 31, 2007
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3129&id=11569-1370872-X6ujS6&t=5

3. "Here It Is: A Handy Chart To Follow Senators'
Positions On Mukasey," Talking Points Memo, October 31,
2007,
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3130&id=11569-1370872-X6ujS6&t=6

4. "Bush: No Attorney General if Not Mukasey,"
Associated Press, November 1, 2007
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3131&id=11569-1370872-X6ujS6&t=7

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