Sen Klobuchar still refuses to discuss prosecuting Torture

[annm4peace]

our good Patriot, Chuck, and others good citizens have been lobbying Sen Klobuchar as well as Sen Franken, and the MN Reps to investigate and prosecute those who authored (like MN St Thomas law Professor Delahunty), ordered and participated in Torture.

chuck has shared another attempt for the group to meet with Sen Klobuchar, through her rep. Joe Campbell. (not much of a surprise)

Hi folks,

At about 8:30 this morning, I went to Sen. Klobuchar's office, explained to the receptionist why I was there, and sat down to read my The Professor and the Madman. I expected to be there for a while. The receptionist returned and told me Joe Campbell was on the phone but would be out shortly.

I only got to read a couple pages and Joe came out. He was prepared to give me 15 minutes, but our conversation was over in less than five. He didn't cut it short; I did. Here's the gist of it. Joe, if I mischaracterize anything, or if you have anything to add, please reply to the group.

Joe said he couldn't give a date -- even a rough date, like "in a couple of months" -- as to when we will be getting a response. He said they are still working on it, but it requires approval at several levels. I said we shouldn't have to wait another six months, and that having already waited six months was too long. I told him we had no right for the Senator to agree with us, but we did have a right to a response as to what her position is on the issues we raised. As I wrote in my email to Ms. Herwig, I repeated that otherwise the whole basis of representative government goes down the tubes. I added that if that were the case, we'd need a revolution. I told him that torture was an issue even before the Senator was elected.

Joe said we wouldn't have gotten a quicker response if my name were Opperman or Dayton. I think he was sincere in this belief. As I walked out, I told Joe I would be back, maybe in a month.

I did not mention that one of our "asks" was whether the Senator supported an extension of the statute of limitations applicable to the Federal Torture Statute. Unless a continuing conspiracy can be shown, a provision in the Patriot Act is applicable, or a death results, the statute of limitations is eight years. This August 1 will be the eight year anniversary of the Yoo-Bybee torture memos.

When I entered the office, I didn't know if I intended to stay until I got a more definitive answer as to when we'd get a response. But I got on my bike and went home. After all, it's World Cup semi-finals day.

This is frustrating.

Chuck

[Angry Dragon]

1. I wrote a letter to the president

kline, klobuchar, and Franken asking them why bush and cheney have not been tried for torture and am still waiting to hear from the president and my senators. Kline's office did call me and I had a nice chat with his military liaison about it and she told me she would talk to kline and would get back to me.

[annm4peace]

2. I hope you keep trying

and I look forward to whatever updates that you have.

I hope more voters keep calling and writing to get an answer.

[becxx]

3. Amy is very, very busy

I am sure you know that Amy Klobuchar cannot respond any more quickly because she is very, very busy. Her very heavy workload includes developing new sound bites almost every day in hopes of attracting the national press, finding all available cameras and putting herself in front of the lenses in hopes that someone will take a picture, making speeches before any and all groups, personally inspecting the sites of any natural disasters to ensure she maximizes her publicity ops there, etc. When Amy is not busy with these urgent tasks, she has been entirely too busy with her select issues to worry about torture, the 20% of Minnesota kids who are hungry and the thousands and thousands who are unemployed. Why? Because, dang it, baggage fees are important as are our loons. Amy is also busy pretending she thinks BP should pay the whole cost of the spill cleanup but, of course, we know that isn't going to happen.

I am glad you are putting pressure on Klobuchar. We all need to push and push her on many issues. But, frankly, I think we would be wisest to just give up on her and spend our time trying to get a better candidate to replace her.

[annm4peace]

4. this was my response to Chuck and to Joe (Sen Klobuchar's staff person)

Thank you Chuck, and Thank you Joe for meeting with Chuck.

On 4th of July weekend I went with my 70 year old parents to the new Lincoln Museum, Home site, and New Salem. We were there for 3 days so we heard many actors give many talks and speeches by Lincoln, and also characters that were around him.


I also read and heard what many Democrats of the 1850'-60s had to say about slavery. In Lincoln's era many Democrats saw slavery as a necessary evil or just commerce, just like many Democrats see torture as a necessary evil. Or, they believe it is evil but keep their mouth shut. No wonder they are unable to speak out against torture. They would rather keep the corporate money flowing than to speak out against what is just and right.

Thankfully many Democrats of the 1860's left the Party and helped form a new party and asked Lincoln to run as their candidate.


I had never heard of the "wide awakes" before. Lincoln saw the local Democrats towing the Party line, even though it pulling the country to a disaster. And the National Party was just doing whatever the "corporations" and plantations wanted.

Thus, Lincoln saw the Democrat Party failing the people and the country, so he and other Democrats left it for a new Progressive party. we all know that party isn't what it started out to be, but we do know there are still people who believe in Justice and are Wide Awake and like the Wide Awakes back in the 1860's they take to the streets and make noise.

Although the Democrat leadership refuses to seek justice, and many Democrat Senators also refuse to seek justice of horrific actions by our government, we will continue to be
WIDE-AWAKE and we will continue to make noise.

So the question from me is: Will Sen Klobuchar be WIDE-AWAKE and represent the people, or will she let the slave holders tell her to do ?

[annm4peace]

5. In case you want to contact Amy

http://klobuchar.senate.gov/


Washington, DC

302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
phone: [phone]
fax: [phone]
Metro Office

1200 Washington Avenue South, Suite 250
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Main Line: 612-727-5220
Main Fax: [phone]
Toll Free: 1-888-224-9043
Southern Office

1134 7th Street NW
Rochester, MN 55901
Main Line: 507-288-5321
Fax: [phone]
Northwestern & Central Office

121 4th Street South
Moorhead, MN 56560
Main Line: 218-287-2219
Fax: [phone]
Northeastern Office

Olcott Plaza, Suite 105
820 9th Street North
Virginia, MN 55792
Main Line: 218-741-9690
Fax: [phone]
Toll Free Number:

1-888-224-9043

[Spike from MN]

6. C'mon now. Cut her some slack.

What the heck does Amy know about prosecuting stuff? I mean, it's not like she was ever a prosecutor or anything...oh wait.

She's had 4 years to do something about this and she has done precisely squat. It's obvious that she's just sandbagging until the statute of limitations runs out. Predictable. Can't even take a stand against torture. But hey, what do you expect from a pro-war torture-loving public-option-hating pro-wiretapping pro-bailout disaster-exploiting corporate sell-out like Amy?

Why are the damn Senate terms so long? 2012 can't come soon enough. Klobuchar needs to go.

[clt]

7. Sen. Klobuchar certainly is unusual

She has sponsored federal anti-truancy legislation. Not to mention federal anti-texting-while-driving legislation. Within a week of a plane overshooting its Minneapolis destination by 150 miles, she proposed legislation banning laptops in airplane cockpits. And shortly after a tragic accident in which a six-year-old girl was injured (and subseqently died) by a swimming pool drain, Sen. Klobuchar sponsored safer swimming pool legislation. If you do a search on her website for "swimming pools," 15 separate entries will come up. If you do a similar search for "torture," nothing -- absolutely nothing -- will come up. And she of course is a former prosecutor and now sits on the Judiciary Committee, which has oversight responsibility for the Department of Justice. I hate name-calling, but I believe her moniker should be "Panderer-in-Chief."

[annm4peace]

8. no kidding. She is an embarassment.

I thought she would make me proud. She is such a disappointment