Jim Leach email concerning HR 375

[cbear70]

Knowing of your interest in investigations related to the Downing Street Memo, I am writing to update you on recent developments.

The House International Relations Committee met on September
15 to review two privileged resolutions, H.Res. 375 and H.Res.
408. These resolutions directed the Secretary of State to transmit to the House all communication with officials of the United Kingdom relating to the U.S. policy on Iraq. I was the lone Republican who voted to bring the resolutions to the floor of the House, but Chairman Henry Hyde's motion to report the resolutions unfavorably prevailed by a single vote.

I consider the Committee's action extraordinarily regrettable. As I explained at the hearing, "the former Secretary of State Colin Powell stated that it was a 'blot' on his record that he misused intelligence when he made his presentation before the UN Security Council. I don't want it to be a blot on the Congress' record that we refused the most vigorous oversight of the most extraordinary foreign policy initiative of the last generation, an initiative that at this moment in time appears to have enormously consequential and frail implications for our national security."
Sincerely,

Jim Leach


I have been emailing him consistently and have been pleased with his stand. Is there anything else we can do or is this over?

[rodeodance]

1. the Senate committee also voted a hearing down. I do not know

where this is going at this time in Congress as it seems to be dead at the moment.

[patrice]

3. Help please . . . Does that matter, since HR 375 is only a

request for the US information that corelates with the UK DSMs?

[patrice]

2. I am proud of Colin Powell for admitting his responsibility

in this. He recognized the lies pretty early, but couldn't do more about them in his position. He seems to have been personally offended by the BushCo modus operandi.

I told Rep. Emanuel Cleaver about Jim Leach about a week ago at a townhall he had called to discuss the Patriot Act. Though Cleaver has co-sponsored HR 375, he hadn't heard about Jim Leach yet and was quite pleased to know.

I will write Jim Leach again today. I also intend to lobby my rep., Dennis Moore (his staff person actually), on HR375 Monday 9/26. I will ask his staff person to request that Moore talk to Leach as he, Moore, considers signing onto HR 375. Perhaps Leach can give Moore a few pointers for dealing with Moore's Republican constituency on this issue, afterall it IS about the validity/efficacy of the Intelligence that is supposed to keep America Safe!

Solidarity!