Congressman Conyers Blog: Downing Street Minutes -- Just posted.

[understandinglife]

Blogged by JC on 06.13.05 @ 10:00 PM ET


Downing Street Minutes Momentum Growing Exponentially

We're now 540,000 and counting

The DSM story is growing bigger and bigger every day. I start with the fact that we are now over 540,000 signatures from Americans demanding a response from the Administration...

The DSM story is growing bigger and bigger every day.

I start with the fact that we are now over 540,000 signatures from Americans demanding a response from the Administration to the charges set forth in the DSM. I will deliver these to the White House on Thursday.

We are now at over 100 signatures from Democratic Members and growing too.

We also have the hearing on Thursday. I hope to give you the precise time and location, and viewing and audio information tomorrow, so we can get as many people as possible at the hearing in person or listening and watching with us.

The MSM finally is getting it. The Washington Post (registration required) had an excellent front page story on Sunday. Scripps Howard News service has a good follow up today. I am getting numerous radio, tv and newspaper inquiries on a daily basis.

None of this would be possible without your help and the help of the blogsophere. So thank you and stay tuned.

Check the link and share your comments with the Congressman!:
http://www.conyersblog.us/archives/00000138.htm

Peace.




www.missionnotaccomplished.us - Please, everyone, don't stop at 500,000 signatures; don't stop at 10,000,000 signatures; don't stop until Bush and the neoconsters are indicted and prosecuted for their heinous crimes against humanity and our Constitution.

[Catherine Vincent]

1. Thanks, UL.

Will miss you at the other place. :hi:

[understandinglife]

40. NEW MNA WEBSITE POSTED

Peace.


www.missionnotaccomplished.us -- NEW MNA WEBSITE POSTED

[understandinglife]

41. 'True Majority' joins the Conyers effort!

We all thought that Bush was lying when he said that we had to invade Iraq because of 9/11 and Saddam’s weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). Well, now we have proof. A British journalist uncovered a memo to Tony Blair from his chief of foreign intelligence written after a series of high-level meetings in Washington back in July of 2002—months before Colin Powell’s famous presentation to the United Nations.

Basically, the memo states that the Bush administration was set on ousting Saddam Hussein despite the circumstances. However, since that would violate international law, the administration planned on using terrorism and WMDs as the pretext, even if the facts didn’t support it. You can read the entire memo here, but these are a few of my favorite lines:

"It seemed clear that Bush had made up his mind to take military action...but the case was thin. Saddam was not threatening his neighbors, and his WMD capability was less than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran." In another section, the intelligence advisor writes: "But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy."

That’s a smoking gun if I’ve ever smelled one. While administration officials filled the airwaves talking about the need to remove Saddam because of his WMDs and his being an imminent threat, they were confiding to their closest ally that that really wasn’t true. Apparently Tony Blair deserved the truth but the American people didn’t.

Rep. John Conyers and 88 other members of Congress sent a letter to the president asking five straightforward questions about the memo (see them below). Their request has been met with stony silence. Rep. Conyers is asking the American people to join him as he tries to get some answers, by signing the letter yourselves. If you are a member of TrueMajority, you can sign the letter by simply hitting “Reply” and “Send,” and we’ll add your name. If you were forwarded this e-mail or would like to read the full text of the letter, simply click here:

http://action.truemajority.org/campaign/DowningStreetMemo

Rep. Conyers is holding a hearing on this issue on Thursday, June 16th, so please take action and urge your friends to do the same before then.

Thanks for seeking the truth,

Andrew Greenblatt

Online Organizer

You can read the entire letter and the Downing Street Memo click here. Here are the five questions in the letter:

1) Do you or anyone in your administration dispute the accuracy of the leaked document?

2) Were arrangements being made, including the recruitment of allies, before you sought Congressional authorization to go to war? Did you or anyone in your Administration obtain Britain's commitment to invade prior to this time?

3) Was there an effort to create an ultimatum about weapons inspectors in order to help with the justification for the war as the minutes indicate?

4) At what point in time did you and Prime Minister Blair first agree it was necessary to invade Iraq?

5) Was there a coordinated effort with the U.S. intelligence community and/or British officials to "fix" the intelligence and facts around the policy as the leaked document states?

Peace.


www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[BattyDem]

2. When he started, he was only hoping to get 100,000 signatures ...

and look what's happened! :bounce: :woohoo: :applause:

Way to go, Mr. Conyers ... we love you! :loveya: :yourock: :applause: :patriot:

[damntexdem]

5. Half a million sigs, that's good.

But now we need millions of Americans to become aware.

[bin.dare]

24. i love the phrase "growing exponentially"

An exponent is "a person who supports an idea or belief or performs an activity" and that is both Conyers and all here who signed. Excellent.

[FreedomAngel82]

26. Truly amazing!

I just think Conyers is the best!!! He deserves a medal.

:woohoo: :yourock:

[Blue_In_AK]

3. Thank you.

That is very, very good news.

[TayTay]

6. Agreed

Go get 'em Mr. Conyers.

[Rainscents]

4. Thank you!!!

:hi:

[converted_democrat]

7. That man rocks!!! He is really one of the greatest patriots of our time!!

[brettdale]

8. Kick

Kick

[Joz]

9. List of congressmen?

Where does one find a list of the over 100 democratic congressmen who signed the letter?

[understandinglife]

14. Partial list of Congressional member signatures:

PARTIAL LIST OF CONGRESSIONAL COSIGNERS

Neil Abercrombie
Brian Baird
Tammy Baldwin
Xavier Becerra
Shelley Berkley
Eddie Bernice Johnson
Sanford Bishop
Earl Blumenauer
Corrine Brown
Sherrod Brown
G.K. Butterfield
Emanuel Cleaver
James Clyburn
John Conyers
Jim Cooper
Elijah Cummings
Danny Davis
Susan Davis
Peter DeFazio
Diana DeGette
Bill Delahunt
Rosa DeLauro
Lloyd Doggett
Sam Farr
Bob Filner
Harold Ford, Jr.
Barney Frank
Al Green
Raul Grijalva
Louis Gutierrez
Alcee Hastings
Maurice Hinchey
Rush Holt
Jay Inslee
Sheila Jackson Lee
Jessie Jackson Jr.
William Jefferson
Marcy Kaptur
Patrick Kennedy
Dale Kildee
Carolyn Kilpatrick
Dennis Kucinich
William Lacy Clay
Barbara Lee
John Lewis
Zoe Lofgren
Donna M. Christensen
Carolyn Maloney
Ed Markey
Carolyn McCarthy
Jim McDermott
James McGovern
Cynthia McKinney
Martin Meehan
Kendrick Meek
Gregory Meeks
Michael Michaud
Juanita Millender-McDonald
George Miller
Gwen S. Moore
James Moran
Jerrold Nadler
Grace Napolitano
James Oberstar
John Olver
Major Owens
Frank Pallone
Donald Payne
Charles Rangel
Bobby Rush
Bernie Sanders
Linda Sanchez
Jan Schakowsky
Jose Serrano
Ike Skelton
Louise Slaughter
Hilda Solis
Pete Stark
Ellen Tauscher
Bennie Thompson
Mike Thompson
Edolphus Towns
Stephanie Tubbs Jones
Tom Udall
Chris Van Hollen
Nydia Velazquez
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Maxine Waters
Diane Watson
Melvin Watt
Robert Wexler
Lynn Woolsey
David Wu
Albert R. Wynn

Source:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/6/2/15274/55931

DU thread reference:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3742495#3772715

http://www.edwardsdavid.com.nyud.net:8090/images/cnn_crossfire_uk_memo_intelligence_fixed_050513-01.jpg

Peace.


www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[Pachamama]

35. ATTN DUers: See if your Reps name is on there-if not-contact them & tell

them you want them to support this investigation!

I'm proud to say my Representative, Lynn Woolsey signed!:applause:

[AuntiBush]

10. Thank you, Congressman Conyers. Can't wait til Thursday!

Will check in here and at the Congressman's web log Wednesday night to look for the exact time. I hope it's on C-Span and good-luck, sir. Can't thank you enough!

:hi:

[in_cog_ni_to]

11. 540,000 signatures. THAT is wonderful!

and still counting! Hell, by Thursday it could be 600,000 sigs! John Conyers = American HERO! :loveya:

[tavalon]

37. Well, it could have been

if Moveon.org had continued with the influential graphic they were using. They pulled it as soon as they hit 500,000, wholly ignoring human psyche.

Yes, I've complained to them.

[Just Me]

12. Sounds like we'll be getting some kind of coverage,...

,...this is very exciting stuff!!!

Thank you for your courage and strength and passion, Conyers!! :patriot:

[Clark2008]

13. This man deserves the Congressional Medal of Freedom

:loveya: John Conyers.

[puebloknot]

28. How about the Nobel Peace Prize?

I hear there are those who want to award it jointly to George and Tony.

We're definitely not in Kansas anymore, Toto. Well, maybe we are, but not *that* Kansas.

The phrase "Tipping Point" is being used more and more with regard to the DSM. Let it be so!

Yes, Mr. Conyers is a giant among men (if we want to call some of them that), and is our greatest hope at the moment. I'm sending him good vibes and some dollars.

[nittygritty]

15. Anyone got info on current Rep signatures

on Conyers' letter?

I wrote a very pointed letter to my democratic representative, Bart Stupak (he was against Iraq War) chastising him for not signing yet, and informing him Conyers was passing it around again.

[Just Me]

25. As far as I know, zero.

Are there any decent Republicans left who are more interested in principles over party, people over power? :shrug:

[nittygritty]

27. I was talking about the 'other' letter

that Conyers circulated (circulating?) through Congress to gather their signatures.

I meant representatives by 'rep'.

There were like 87 or so that had signed at last count and he said he was recirculating it for other members to sign (who missed it the first time for one reason or another)...

just wondering if any more had signed, and if my rep was one of them...

[Just Me]

29. oops.

I obviously misunderstood. I don't yet know the additional signatories.

[Oversea Visitor]

16. Serously if you want Bush out

Be there with JC on June 16th. This can be the turning point. End the maddness.

[jillan]

17. Woooooooo HOOOOOOO!!!!

Wonder how many he will have by Thursday???:party:

[bleever]

18. Rec'd, replied, and kicked. Thanks UL!

:yourock:

[Very very sad]

19. I've got 15 myself

Feels good getting other people involved in things for a change. I was able to get 15 other people to sign on to this thing!

[understandinglife]

20. Welcome to DU 'very very sad' and thank you for all you are doing

Let us hope someday soon you'll request the DU administrators to change your sign-in to 'very very happy'!

Peace.
UL

[Very very sad]

23. Thanks a lot :)

I appreciate it.

[dzika]

21. Very exciting! Nominated!

[puebloknot]

22. The best "antidepressant"...

....(not that I take them) is this news that there's a growing movement to hold Bush, et al. to answer legally, not to mention quickly.

Heartening, too, is that this a movement which involves both America and England, and there is hope that our righteous indignation will spread through the world, leading to a blueprint for the "justice for all" that we love to tout in this country.

If they manage to spin their way out of this one, it will be very hard to take. I'm hopeful that this is the beginning of the end of the gang of thugs who have dealt so much misery to our own families, and those of the Iraqi and Afghani peoples.

Thank you a million times over, UL, for your passionate and dedicated tending to the business of getting our beloved country back. You deserve a break today....but I hope you won't take it. We need you.

[Gloria]

30. Godspeed, John Conyers--a true American hero....

eom

[hangloose]

31. super kick!!!!

[understandinglife]

32. InformationClearingHouse links to the additional six documents:

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9125.htm

Peace.


www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[DearAbby]

33. Doing the Dear Abby Okie Dokie Dance

with an added wiggle and jiggle at the end!


:applause::applause::applause::applause:

[fooj]

34. Thanks for the post, UL!

I told Congressman Conyers that he had the "heart of a lion"---so do you, my friend! How about we start from the TRUTH and work from there?

Truth is our most powerful weapon.

peace.:patriot:

[Nothing Without Hope]

36. Recommended this great post earlier - now I'll kick!

:kick:

[psychopomp]

38. Bless, Rep. Conyers

I know I, and many others have got your back; thank you for keeping ours!

:toast: :toast:

[Time for change]

39. This is great

Let's see if Conyers can shame the MSM into giving this one tenth the coverage that it deserves.