Letter from Feinstein on DSM

[wtmusic]

Dear wtmusic:

Thank you for writing me about the "Downing
Street" memo, which recently surfaced in Great Britain.
The document was written by British national security
aide Matthew Rycroft based on notes he took during a
July 2002 meeting of Mr. Blair and his advisers,
including Richard Dearlove, the head of Britain's MI-6
intelligence service who had recently met with Bush
administration officials.

Please know that the Senate vote on the resolution
to authorize the use of force in Iraq was difficult and
consequential based on hours of intelligence briefings
from Administration and intelligence officials, as well as
the classified and unclassified versions of an important
National Intelligence Estimate that comprehensively
assessed Iraq's WMD program. It was based on trust that
this intelligence was the best our Nation's intelligence
services could offer, untainted by bias, and fairly
presented. In this case it was not.

The bottom line is that Iraq did not possess
nuclear, chemical or biological weapons in 2003 when
the war began. Saddam Hussein did not have an active
nuclear, chemical or biological weapons program.
Considering the statements that were being made by the
Administration, and the intelligence that was presented to
Congress which said otherwise, this is quite disturbing
and points once again to failures in the analysis,
collection and use of intelligence.

In order to address these intelligence failures,
Congress passed the Intelligence Reform bill, which I
voted for. This law will make consequential changes to
the structure and organization of the 15 agencies which
make up our intelligence capabilities. As a member of the
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I will be sure to
continue to monitor this issue closely.

Again, thank you for writing blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah...

Why is Feinstein rolling over on accountability? :grr:

[alittlelark]

1. She is a 'Lieberman DINO' ... seriously, one of the worst

of the worst. At least my Sen. is Boxer.

[Melodybe]

6. She sux!!! Just look at her votes on ANYTHING concerning energy policy

she is bought and sold by the oil industry and her ties with Enron are disgusting.

[fujiyama]

2. A cop out

Just as bad as the administration - "the intelligence was bad" excuse isn't going to cut it.

But I'd expect nothing more from Feinstein who has voted for far too many of this administration's policies including Bush's two major policy victories which will have disasterous consequences for years to come - the war in Iraq and the the original tax cut (which even Evan Bayh voted against).

Feinstein may come from a blue state, but she votes like red state Dem senators.

[LightningFlash]

3. Feinstein in the pocket of defense contractor...

Slime and never has ever represented me. A democrat in name only in every single way, to hell with that. :thumbsdown:

[Erika]

4. She more or less said "have a nice day"

and forget about WMD's.

[gumby]

5. "blah, blah, blah"

Now, sit down, shut up and let US rule.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. who is running against this piece of work?

[Melodybe]

8. I want Martin Sheen to run!

[EFerrari]

14. We need someone. I asked Matt Gonzalez and he said it would

be too hard.

We need someone to take this on. Becaue this witch is a major part of our state AND national problem.

[cyclezealot]

16. I wish Charlie Scheen or Henry Waxman would take her on.

[UdoKier]

9. Follow the money

to AIPAC and to her war profiteer husband.

[Cleita]

10. I wrote and told her I would never vote for her again when

she voted for the IWR. She wrote me back stating that it was the only way to get it to the UN. Well, ho hum, it turns out her husband, Richard Blum had business interests that would benefit from a war in Iraq.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronic...

Now she doesn't want to admit she bet on the wrong horse in the race.
DiFi has been corrupted I'm afraid, and I hope someone runs against her in the primaries.

[wtmusic]

11. Link is broken

looks like a good one, too...do you have a title?

[Cleita]

15. Damn. That was quick. They just scrubbed it.

It was an article in the SF Gate about Richard Blum being on the board of directors of companies who got contracts for Iraq. I can't remember the exact title. It was something prosaic like "Dianne Feinsteins husband has more than a passing interest in Iraq".

[Cleita]

19. I don't believe this.

I did a search at the SF Gate from 1-1-01 until today regarding Dianne Feinstein and Richard Blum and they turned up no results. They have scrubbed all articles about DiFi and her husband. I will find something else.

[Cleita]

21. Okay, I hope this works.

This article says the same as the SF Gate article:

http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=11123

This worked on a test so I hope it works for you.

[wtmusic]

23. Her husband's firm donated $10G to BUSH'S REELECTION CAMPAIGN????

"Although connected to the one of Washington's leading Democrats, the company has also donated more than $10,700 to President Bush's re-election campaign and $3,800 to Democratic candidates, according to Center for Responsive Politics."

Unfuckingbelievable (thanks for the link).

[Cleita]

24. Yep, ole Richard did and DiFi is corrupt IMHO.n/t

[EFerrari]

12. Lying tripe, you forgot the part of your form letter that said

"Diplomacy has failed, so now we must go to war."

Diane, your integrity couldn't keep you warm or legal.

And we're going to bounce you because we need no naked LIARS or WAR PROFITEERS in office in California.

Wave your @ss goo'bye. :hi:

[KharmaTrain]

13. This Is Boxer's Turf...

At least you got a response. And I, too go hot & cold with Senator Feinstein. She's too comfy/cozy with the corporate for my liking, but she's solid on social issues. These days we take all the friends we can.

Right now the ball has to remain in the Houses' court on this one. The Senate is a firewall...the place to fight for the social battles...judges, Bolton and so on. It's the only place where there's any political clout. There's virtually zero in the House...thus the reason DSM works best there.

I'm more concerned that I haven't heard from a Henry Waxman (I looked for his signature last week on the petition...it wasn't there...maybe it is now) and several others who could be staging more hearings and taking to the house floor, like the Repugnicans did during the early Gingrich days...that led to greater media coverage. See how nicely it worked today? Let's do more!

Lastly...right now, beggers can't be chosers. Without any majorities, Democrats must pick their battles and still the rules are stacked against them. If people get uncomfortable with the abuse of power the Repugnicans have been displaying...and Democrats can get out the message that we represent their concerns more than a James Sensenbrenner or Duncan Hunter or Tom DeLay, then the worm turns. Retaking the House would create a dynamic shift that would change a lot of tunes.

For those all pissed about DINOs...yes, they are a problem, but let's deal with them from strength...when they see the power flowing from our side, not from the other. Then we'll settle past discrepencies. Right now, all the angst and infighting among Democrats waste time and energy to go after the real crooks.

[EFerrari]

17. Sorry, disagree. Where did all our compromising get us, ever?

Do you realize Feinstein's husband's company built CENTCOM?

She's up to her hairline in defense contracts.

This isn't "in fighting" in any way. This is asking a Democrat to either act like a Dem or face the consequences.

Or, she can keep doing her Condi and we can continue to go straight to hell.

She's my senator. And she hears from me and will hear from me.

If an old tire runs against her in the primaries, I'm voting for real rubber.

[wtmusic]

20. Me too!

Throw her out on her keyster. :thumbsup:

[KharmaTrain]

22. I'd Vote For The Tire, Too

I'm just looking at where we're at...not where either of us want things to be. And it sucks.

Yes, I'm very aware of many of Mrs. Feinstein's corporate connections...and unfortunately Defense contractors are one of the few industries that can pump in the big bucks needed to run in that state. Again, not condoning, just attempting to rationalize.

Now when it comes to "Acting Like A Dem"...I think we can agree that she would have voted with us if it had gotten down to a judicial fillibuster (or when it will happen) and that she was one of Bolton's toughest critics. She's become a critic of this invasion and I think if given another shot at an IWR, she'd be right with us there as well. Yes, she's caved on the bankruptcy bill and leans over toward the corporations more than most Democrats...on the whole I'd rather see her on that Senate floor than a Pete Wilson or <shudder> Dennis Miller.

I'm in Illinois and I'm watching folks here going after my junior Senator for being a "sell-out" since he wasn't that bright "savior" they thought he was at last year's DNC. Wndycty summed up my thoughts, thus I didn't bother to post...but there's another centrist who has always been a centrist...these people were expecting miracles in a first term.

Again, we're in a weak position. Change the game and the players change with it as well. Get Progressives elected and more in positions of power within the Democratic party and the "priorities" of a Senator Feinstein will change as well.

I applaud your letter and keep giving her hell. I'll join you as well, since I'm an erswhistle Californian these days (I'm out that was 2 or 3 times a year) and she needs to know we're wise to not just some of her record but ALL of it. Kudos to you for keeping her honest in that direction.

Yes, there is in-fighting when we start deeming whose a Democrat or not. One major difference, in my opinion, about Democrats is that we aren't a monolithic party...we aren't just white, christian, males...or that we want to be. There has to be some room to tolerate different opinions or we're fighting two fronts at the same time. I'd rather concentrate on taking Repugnicans down.

Cheers!

[EFerrari]

25. If you want to take a Republican down, Diane is a good place to

start. She votes with them, she invests with them, she profits with them.

[KharmaTrain]

26. If Wishes Were Horses

I'd have Duncan Hunter (with his two fruits...snicker), Duke Cunningham, Chris Cox and the boatload of those San Diego kleptocrats out. Talk about war profiteering, listening to Hunter cry about closing Gitmo sounded like he personally was losing a meal ticket. Then there's Cunningham with that cute house and boat deal with another contractor.

Yes, Feinstein would not be one of the last people I'd want "on the island"...but there's bigger fish to fry right now. Fortunately you have Barbara Boxer as a balance. We saw what infighting in the California Democratic party brought about in 2003...do we need an Dennis Miller in the Senate or Darrel Issa?

Cheers

[wtmusic]

18. yes and no

Her position is indefensible. She completely evades the issue, which makes her no better than an administration shill.

This has nothing to do with infighting--it's called holding your leaders accountable. Keeping them honest. A dishonest Democrat is no better than a Republican.

[B Calm]

27. This is the kind of reply you'd expect from a republican. We need

to run someone against her who has a damn spine.

[wtmusic]

28. No kidding

what a disappointment. Complete evasion of the issue. I would have to consider voting for a liberal Republican based on this letter (Chuck Hagel moves to CA)?