Lawmaker Says Rice Interfered With Iraq Inquiry

[Purveyor]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A leading Democratic lawmaker on Tuesday accused Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice of interfering in congressional inquiries into corruption in Iraq's government and the activities of U.S. security firm Blackwater.

Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman said State Department officials had told the Oversight and Government Reform Committee he chairs they could not provide details of corruption in Iraq's government unless the information was treated as a "state secret" and not revealed to the public.

"You are wrong to interfere with the committee's inquiry," Waxman said in a letter to Rice. "The State Department's position on this matter is ludicrous," added Waxman, a vocal opponent of the Bush administration's Iraq policies.

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Waxman said security contractor Blackwater, which was involved in an incident in which Iraqi civilians were killed last week, said they could not hand over documents relevant to an investigation without State Department approval.

"Congress has a constitutional prerogative to examine the impacts that corruption within the Iraqi ministries and the activities of Blackwater may have on the prospects for political reconciliation in Iraq," Waxman wrote to Rice.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN2542752620070925

[truthisfreedom]

1. They believe they own this country and everything in it, and they're above the law.

[DavidDvorkin]

7. Well, um, they are above the law

No one has held them to account yet, and no one ever will.

[rodeodance]

2. Go get her Waxman. Hound her!

[PSPS]

3. "a letter to Rice"

Look out! It's another one of those dreaded "strongly worded letters!!!11!"

[Cha]

4. That she'll ignore..when the going

gets tough..the tough go shopping.

[here_is_to_hope]

6. *snicker!* n/t

[Canuckistanian]

5. At any other time in U.S. history

Has a Congressional chairman EVER criticized a State Department position as "ludicrous" - and done it in print?

[cui bono]

10. The problem is...

sticks and stones
will break my bones
but words will never hurt me.

We need ACTION!

[Gonnuts]

8. This Witch

rice hasn't even responded to Waxman's requests for prewar information and has completely ignored the subpoenas issued for nearly a year, why would anyone think she'd roll over and co-operation by giving Waxman our involvement with a group of paid mercenary killers?

I will not be happy until I see every member of this administration behind bars.

[cui bono]

9. Exactly. I posted in the wrong place, but that's what I was bringing up.

Whatever happened with the subpoena???

DO SOMETHING ALREADY!!!!1

[MetaTrope]

11. Stonewall, stonewall...

"State secrets" are the given reason for delaying the trial of Stephen Green, ringleader in the rape and murder of the 14-year-old Iraqi girl and her family, until late next year.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

12. *Rice thumbs nose as Waxman*

Waxman should just stop killing trees by writing these letters to Rice.

Nothing has ever come from them. Not once.

[Javaman]

16. So what else is new? she ignored her subpoena.

no one is held accountable.

weee, wasn't democracy fun?

[NoodleyAppendage]

13. Oooooo! NOT A LETTER! Oh, no! I capitulate you big bully.

WORDS ARE MEANINGLESS to this criminal bunch. The only thing that will capture their attention is the threat of loss of power or prison.

J

[gratuitous]

14. Wait, why are we the people paying for this again?

Cut. Off. The. Funding. Now. Not another non-military dime for Iraq. If any of us hired a contractor to build a house, and the contractor refused to let us inspect the job site, that contractor would be out toot fuckin' sweet. Why are we pouring billions of Treasury dollars into the pockets of these trigger-happy mercenaries and not getting any reports? Since when did Blackwater's activities fall under the heading of a state secret???

[gratuitous]

15. Self-serving, genuine gratuitous brand

Kick.

Why are Blackwater's operations a State secret? How did they become a part of the Executive branch?