Democratic Senate Foreign Relations Committee HALL OF SHAME

[Walt Starr]

Not one of these Senators showed up to ask Karen Hughes the hard questions about Foreign Policy, National Security, and why somebody involved in the outting of of a CIA agent should be confirmed to a high level position involving these things:

Joseph R. Biden
Christopher J. Dodd
John F. Kerry
Russell D. Feingold
Barbara Boxer
Bill Nelson
Barack Obama

Every last one of these Senators LET THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DOWN!

[Mandate My Ass]

1. Lighten up!

It's Friday, during the summer everybody goes home early on Friday. x(

[Walt Starr]

2. So a criminal gets the rank of ambassador because going home is

soooooo important?

When I have an issue in my job, I damned well stay late to correct it!

[acmejack]

3. Lugar scheduled it when it would conflict with other Senate proceedings!

nt

[Village Idiot]

4. It is NOT THEIR FAULT!!!

Lugar admitted to scheduling the hearing at a time when he KNEW few Senators could attend.

beat me 2 it, i c...

[Walt Starr]

5. Yes it is

It's about priorities. For those senators listed above, going home early was more important than letting a criminal become a high ranking state official.

[K-W]

9. You have proof they were "going home early"? nt

[Walt Starr]

20. Read post 18 now

Salon article. Pretty enlightening.

[second edition]

12. Then provide proof they went home and didn't attend other conf.n/t

[Walt Starr]

15. Going off info in post 1. See my post 13.

[K-W]

16. Post 1 looks like a joke to me. EOM

[Walt Starr]

17. Then read my post 13.

[second edition]

10. Exactly! Now can we lock this so we don't start a bashing thread! n/t

[Walt Starr]

14. I'm going off the information in response 1. See post 13. n/t

[Walt Starr]

19. Now refer to post #18

Salon says most lawmakers leave early if there are no votes.

[globalvillage]

6. Lugar admitted during the hearing

That he intentionally scheduled it when most senators were unavailable to "expedite" the hearing.
I couldn't believe my ears, but the jackass said it, and several of us heard him.
It was a republican love fest. Intentionally so.

[Mandate My Ass]

7. Serious question. Is it too late for them to do anything about it?

Enquiring minds....

[Walt Starr]

8. Yes, I believe so

A criminal now gets the rank of ambassador.

[patcox2]

11. This is still america. She is not a criminal.

not until found guilty.

You are going to tire yourself out on peripheral issues.

[Walt Starr]

13. My email to Senator Barack Obama

To the Honorable Senator Barack Obama,

It is with great regret that I feel compelled to write to you today to express my dismay at your failure to meet your obligations on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, especially considering such an important event as the confirmation hearing of Karen Hughes.

As you may know, Ms. Hughes has been called to testify before the Grand Jury investigating the horrendous breach in national security caused by a member or members of the Bush Administration by revealing the identity of a covert CIA agent whose work involved proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. This incident underscores a particluar vulnerability that I and my family must face every day. It has increased the risk of me being personally affected by a terrorist attack utilizing weapons of mass destruction.

For a person involved in such a scandal to go unchallenged in a confirmation hearing over a post so high it carries the rank of ambassador is greatly troubling to me, my family, my friends, and my acquaintances.

I would like some explanation about what was more important at 10:00 AM on Friday July 21, 2005 than a confirmation hearing of a nominee for the postion of Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy with the Rank of Ambassador when that nominee comes before the committee under a cloud of suspicion over an incident that compromised our National Security.

I eagerly await your response.

Sincerely,
Walter E. Starr

[Mandate My Ass]

18. news item in Salon

Karen Hughes on Track to Confirmation
By BARRY SCHWEID AP Diplomatic Writer

July 22,2005 | WASHINGTON -- A scaled-back Senate Foreign Relations Committee showered praise Friday on Karen Hughes and put the former political adviser to President Bush on a fast track to confirmation as the State Department's top public relations official.

Only two senators attended the hearing. In the absence of votes in Congress on Fridays, most lawmakers leave early for the weekend.

http://www.salon.com/wire/ap/archive.html?wire=D8BGK3B00.html