DSM Rally Update

[Kevin Spidel]

1. TIME AND PLACE FIXED FOR THURSDAY RALLY



2. NEW BRITISH DOCUMENTS LEAKED



1. Hearings and Rally

On Thursday June 16, 2005, Rep. John Conyers, Jr., Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and other Congress Members will hold a hearing on the Downing Street Minutes and related evidence of efforts to cook the books on pre-war intelligence. (Time and place yet to be determined.)



Later on the same day at 5:00 p.m. ET in Lafayette Square Park, in front of the White House, a large rally will support Congressman Conyers who plans to deliver to the White House a letter addressed to President Bush and signed by over 500,000 Americans and at least 94 Congress Members. The letter asks the President to respond to questions raised by the Downing Street Minutes.



Among those speaking at the hearings will be: Joe Wilson, Former Ambassador and WMD Expert; Ray McGovern, 27-year CIA analyst who prepared regular Presidential briefings during the Reagan administration; Cindy Sheehan, mother of fallen American soldier; John Bonifaz, renowned constitutional lawyer and co-founder of AfterDowningStreet.org.



Among those speaking at the rally will be: Congressman Conyers and various other Congress Members, Cindy Sheehan of Gold Star Families for Peace, John Bonifaz of AfterDowningStreet.org, Ray McGovern former CIA analyst, Medea Benjamin of Global Exchange, Rev. Lennox Yearwood of Progressive Democrats of America, Stephen Cleghorn of Military Families Speak Out. More information, and flyers promoting the rally, are available at www.afterdowningstreet.org



Flyers to print, copy, and distribute widely:

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/downloads/rally.pdf



LOCAL RALLIES PLANNED AROUND COUNTRY

Supporters of this campaign are independently organizing rallies on Thursday at locations around the country.

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=211



2. New Documents

AfterDowningStreet.org has made available additional secret documents leaked from the British government.

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=205



Statements from leaders of the AfterDowningStreet.org Coalition:



"The UK Iraq War documents provide a roadmap for U.S. investigators, the media and Congress. Shame on them if they become complicit in the coverup and do not pursue them. It is time to interview current and former intelligence officials about whether they were asked to 'fix' the intelligence, whether intelligence was designed to convince people to support the already planned war or whether intelligence was intended to provide real information about whether Iraq was a threat. Public opinion has turned against the war -- it is now safe to report the truth."

Kevin Zeese of Democracy Rising



"George Bush may think that his lone 'accountability moment' was last November's election, but as these new documents show that he planned all along to invade Iraq and lie as needed, his real 'accountability moment' may be yet to come -- in the form of a House of Representatives Resolution of Inquiry into impeachable offenses. That resolution cannot come to soon for Veterans For Peace or for the people of Iraq, whose deaths and suffering demand justice.

Mike Ferner, Veterans for Peace



"Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) is committed to continue to organize at the grassroots level with this coalition to demand Members of Congress introduce a Resolution of Inquiry directing the House Judiciary Committee to launch a formal investigation into whether sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise its constitutional power to impeach George W. Bush. Citizens from across the country will be on the ground in Washington DC this Thursday at the hearing and rally to demonstrate their resolve."

Tim Carpenter, Director of PDA



"My son was killed and my family destroyed by a war in Iraq that was premeditated and prefabricated. My son was killed by people in power who wanted this invasion and occupation at all costs. Anyone who lied to us about this invasion should be brought to justice. I am heart broken and devastated that my son was already a dead man by July 2002, if not sooner. We didn't even know. We had no way of knowing that our leaders were planning to engage in this massive subversion of the United States Constitution. I urge every person in this country with courage and integrity to rise up and demand that the truth be finally exposed to the light and that those in power who are responsible, including the President of the United States, be held accountable under the rule of law."

Cindy Sheehan, Gold Star Families for Peace





AfterDowningStreet.org is a rapidly growing coalition of veterans' groups, peace groups, and political activist groups, which launched on May 26, 2005, a campaign to urge the U.S. Congress to begin a formal investigation into whether President Bush has committed impeachable offenses in connection with the Iraq war.

[Just Me]

1. Oh, thank you, kindly, for posting that update!!!!

I wish wish wish I could be right there.

For the love of God, media cover this!!!!

[jarnocan]

2. kick and related pics from my trip to WDC

[jarnocan]

3. Orange post card capaing in WDC.

Really mailing them is good too.
If you can go to the above rally AWESOME, if you can't (or even if you can) please sign petitions of course, and consider sending a few post cards to your congress folks and the media! I think it can make an impact if MANY of us, do this, You can cut them from poster board or just send index cards OR send from your favorite progressive site -Buzzflash has some good ones also. (Bush lied soldiers died) Your concise message, can make an impact. Any graphics from my web site can be printed and used for this -I have black and white for orange cards.