Replies: 93 Comments

Comment #1: jmatthan said on 12/20/05 @ 11:57am ET...

There is only one person competent to be the President of the United States of America which could bring your nation back under the rule of law - and it is you Congressman Conyers Jr.

I hope the other Democrats and every Republican who cares about the people of the USA and the world will be backing you through this firestorm of right wing noise.

Comment #2: hpcharlie said on 12/20/05 @ 12:11pm ET...

Dear Congressman Conyers,

I pray that your report will be the "beginning" of what will eventually lead to Impeachment Proceedings against the Administration!

I do want to share my phone conversation with Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison's office this morning.

I live here in Dallas TX, and called her Washington office. A woman answered, and I asked her what Senator Hutchison's views were about the "wiretapping" of U.S. Citizens and protecting our Civil Liberties. The woman responded back that Senator Hutchison believes in protecting Texas Citizens Civil Liberties but supports the President in what he did with the NSA wiretapping with out court orders as being "right!"

I repsonded that I disagreed. That it was no different than Hitler...and the woman said "That's Enough!" and hung up on me. Obviously, one does not have the right to disagree with Senator Hutchison! Therefore, I think she should be "investigated" as to how far involved she is with the Administration in all of their corruption!

THANK YOU SIR FOR BEING ONE OF THE FEW THAT STILL BELIEVES IN DEMOCRACY AND POSSESSES THE HIGH QUALITIES AND TRAITS OF BEING A PERSON THAT WILL NEVER COMPROMISE HIS "INTEGRITY, HONESTY, AND ETHICS!

Sincerely,

Charlie C.
Dallas TX

Comment #3: The Forest said on 12/20/05 @ 12:13pm ET...

Michigan Representative John Conyers: COURAGE IN ACTION.

Just let the establishment media and D.C. political consultant class elites TRY to marginalize this leader for espousing and VOICING the FACTS that a large majority of Americans already are, or soon will be, APPALLED to learn about the arrogance of power exhibited by those who occupy our Executive Branch of government.

The democratic process REQUIRES open, inclusive, honest debate to survive. Petty tyrants abhor, to their core, open and honest debate. America must stand up and demand an open, honest debate that examines the dictates of our Executive Branch tyrants, wherever they contravene the Constitution that the Founders of our Nation so wisely designed, with the prevention of just such king-size abuses uppermost in their minds.

Comment #4: UL said on 12/20/05 @ 12:16pm ET...

Thank you Congressman Conyers for your exceptional leadership in defense of our Constitution and the Republic, itself.

We will be out there doing everything we can to expand support for holding Bush, Cheney and all their neoconster minions (and financial backers) accountable.

Peace,
UL

Comment #5: Pissed Off American said on 12/20/05 @ 12:17pm ET...

Thank you. The time for this is far overdue, and I laud and support your efforts. An interesting aside to this is going to be the exposure of the DEMOCRATS that are willing to accept, abet, and participate in the criminal endeavors of this TREASONOUS Presidential Administration. The taxpayers, and the voters, are watching. I call on ALL of our public servants, at the federal, state, and local levels to support Conyer's efforts in fighting the most important political battle of our Nation's history. The welfare of our nation depends upon your efforts.

And BE AWARE. I believe that it is possible that the Bush Administration will, if cornered, hand us another "trifecta" that will make 9/11 look like a back alley fender bender. DO NOT under-estimate the lengths these people will go to to stay in power.

Comment #6: Pissed Off American said on 12/20/05 @ 12:40pm ET...

Mr.Conyers. The thought occurs to me that in light of Colin Powell's belated and half hearted efforts at redemption through his recent interview with BBC, and the revelations of his prior aide, Wilkerson, that Powell's participation in your efforts would be invaluable. I implore you to make overtures to both Powell and Wilkerson, if you have not already done so.

Comment #7: Marilyn Conner said on 12/20/05 @ 1:06pm ET...

Congressman Conyers,
Thank you for your outstanding leadership in this matter and so many others.
We will help in this fight for our Constitution and the soul of America.
Marilyn

Comment #8: Nolip said on 12/20/05 @ 1:52pm ET...

The journey of 1000 miles starts with the first step...thanks for making that "one giant step" for the Constitution and those in this country who still have some respect for it and don't wrap themselves in the flag in order to hide their criminal intent.

Comment #9: clbrune said on 12/20/05 @ 1:56pm ET...

Thank you Congressman Conyers.

I hope the Right Wing noise machine bellows like a beast.

Comment #10: sanitysojourner said on 12/20/05 @ 2:01pm ET...

Thank you, Congressman Conyers. You have done the right thing and I hope your colleagues stand with you.

Unfortunately, I, too, have thoughts similar to #5 POA. We are afraid of our own government! Do your colleagues in Washington fully realize the how deepseated the mistrust is that they have fostered? If there were another "fear generating event" such as POA suggests, my first suspicion would be that my own American government did it. An administration that can torture knows no boundaries.

Comment #11: Dr Alan H Levinson said on 12/20/05 @ 2:12pm ET...

I'll write more later, but I just wanted you to reinforce that your decision today is the culmination of 5+ years of misuse and abuse of government offices. This will not be easy for you, or for any of us who follow and appreciate your efforts...but rest assured, we stand by you 100%. THANK YOU!!

Comment #12: okcitykid said on 12/20/05 @ 2:18pm ET...

It is evident that to him, the Constitution was nothing more than a piece of paper.

http://justapieceofpaper.theinsideout.us/

Comment #13: Genghis Khan said on 12/20/05 @ 2:27pm ET...

In fact, we should be agent provocateurs to get the Right Wing Noise Machine to bellow. The more we stir them up about this controversy, the more WE frame the debate and the more coverage this report will get.

It's time to use their own tactics against them.

Let's start taking back our government by first taking back the Blogosphere.

Comment #14: Dr Alan H Levinson said on 12/20/05 @ 2:34pm ET...

The following is part of a speech made by GWB in Kleinshans Music Hall in Buffalo NY in April 2004.

Secondly, there are such things as roving wiretaps. Now, by the way, any time you hear the United States government talking about wiretap, it requires -- a wiretap requires a court order. Nothing has changed, by the way. When we're talking about chasing down terrorists, we're talking about getting a court order before we do so. It's important for our fellow citizens to understand, when you think Patriot Act, constitutional guarantees are in place when it comes to doing what is necessary to protect our homeland, because we value the Constitution.

To be a liar, one must have a good memory. It seems "Mr. Illustrious" doesn't!!

Comment #15: Pissed Off American said on 12/20/05 @ 2:41pm ET...

I hope all here and elswhere that support Conyer's efforts realize that his efforts will be for naught if they are not supported by his compatriots in Washington. PLEASE, join me in my efforts to engage upon a vigorous and forceful e-mail campaign to implore our representatives at ALL LEVELS to support Congressman Conyer's efforts.

I am extremely dissappointed in Reid's disengagement from the battle that is evident by the sacharin and feeble endorsement he offered yesterday on his blog in regards to Bush's latest photo op and Iraq spin. Please, if you agree with my assessment of his comments, and are as dissappointed as I am in his seeming reluctance to FOLLOW THROUGH with the grandstanding he exhibited in the Senate shutdown, (Where IS Phase Two???), than join me at his blog in informing him that it is our desire that he support Conyer's efforts to the fullest degree....

http://giveemhellharry.com/blog/62/a-year-of-significant-transition

Comment #16: LeslieB said on 12/20/05 @ 2:48pm ET...

Thank you Rep. Conyers!
Signed the letter and will notify friends and coworkers.

Comment #17: LeslieB said on 12/20/05 @ 2:50pm ET...

Oh, will post your message on the MoveOn forum as well. Maybe MoveOn members will vote it up and MoveOn will help?

Comment #18: Citizen J said on 12/20/05 @ 2:53pm ET...

THANK YOU, Congressman, for AGAIN demonstrating that you and a couple of others are doing your jobs- PROTECTING AMERICA AND AMERICANS, against ALL enemies- ESP. the CRIMINALS in the White House.

When the executives clearly don't care about the Constitution, what hope do we have? A fighting Mr. Conyers, that's what!!

We are behind you 10,000 percent.

Comment #19: Genghis Khan said on 12/20/05 @ 3:28pm ET...

censurebush.com goes to a pay-for-click "search" site.

Comment #20: Bill_o_Carolina said on 12/20/05 @ 3:43pm ET...

Thank you Mr. Conyers, and I support you 100%.
I also agree with POA's post #5 and #15!

Comment #21: Pissed Off American said on 12/20/05 @ 3:53pm ET...

PLEASE NOTE;

The address in Conyer's statement is www.censurebush.com....

IT SHOULD READ.....

www.censurebush. org

Comment #22: Jay Lechnyr said on 12/20/05 @ 3:57pm ET...

Oy Vey, Mr. Conyers. The timing is right but how on earth do you plan on pushing this through a neocon controlled congress? I'm sure this will make them circle their wagons like never before.

My biggest fear is that you will not be able to make a big enough noise to get past the house's republican leadership. This needs to hit nationally and hard. That means we buy newspapers. And if Rep. Conyers is not near the front, we complain to the papers LOUDLY and OFTEN.

Comment #23: Reed31463 said on 12/20/05 @ 4:31pm ET...

History will remember Tuesday, December 20, 2005. When this constitutional crisis is over--and we're still a long way from being out of the woods yet--historians will point to this day when the opposition to the Bush fascists stood up for truth and justice.

This is the culmination of a long hard struggle that started with the release of the Downing Street Minutes and Congressman Conyers' letter to the President in May, which has reached fruition in today's report.

I will always remember the day, memorial day weekend, that JC solicited an internet email petition asking the President to address the DSM. It gave the signatories of that letter hope; just knowing that someone cared, and was willing to lend an ear, listening to the voices of all the world's people.

Only seven months have passed, and yet the awakening of America to the vile intentions of the neocons has seemed an eternity. I too, had an awakening. I knew something wasn't right, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

"Truth. I can't tell you the truth, because frankly, you wouldn't believe me if I told you. The only way to learn the truth is to see it for yourself."
Lawrence Fishburn

As a former soldier and leader, when I finally arrived at what I knew was truth, I felt betrayed and angry. Friends, comrades, and even former neighbors (from on base), were being sent into harms way for power and greed.

Then Abu Ghraib became exposed. My first thought was, this can't be the 800th MP Brigade or the 300th MP Command. These are the only two units in the US Army that are specifically organized and trained to handle Enemy Prisoners of War. They know how to conduct themselves.

10 years ago, I was assigned to the 300th MP Command and afterwards, I helped facilitate their training while assigned to a different unit. I know prisoner operations. Active duty soldiers don't like to train or be assigned to it as a duty. They call it babysitting. When I learned that it was 800th at Abu Ghraib, I was incensed, because I KNOW they knew better.

I began to speak out because, it is my duty to do so. Even though I was no longer under any obligation, I still live by the values of the oath I took. For speaking out, I was terminated from my civilian workplace on September 1, 2005.

When I arrived home around 11:00 AM that day, I broke the bad news to my wife and then sat down at the computer. 120 seconds later, my sister, followed by my mother, walk in the door unannounced. My sister was the first to speak.

She said, "Doug's dead."

I looked at her stunned, and said, "I was just fired."

Things are still messed up, but this report makes some of the sacrifice worthwhile.

Blogging and the internet have proven to be a powerful tool. Bloggers are proving to be courageous, honorable, and ethical. This report is the work of the House Judiciary Committee Democrats, and they deserve our all our thanks. But in part, it is all of ours, without which, the free association of credible information, this report probably would not have been possible.

Now it comes full circle, because it was John Conyers innovative use of this medium to connect with grassroots support.

Bravo JC, Bravo!!

Comment #24: Neerav Trivedi said on 12/20/05 @ 4:32pm ET...

Comment #22: Jay Lechnyr said on 12/20/05 @ 3:57pm ET...

Oy Vey, Mr. Conyers. The timing is right but how on earth do you plan on pushing this through a neocon controlled congress? I'm sure this will make them circle their wagons like never before.

My biggest fear is that you will not be able to make a big enough noise to get past the house's republican leadership. This needs to hit nationally and hard. That means we buy newspapers. And if Rep. Conyers is not near the front, we complain to the papers LOUDLY and OFTEN.

-----------------------------------
I agree. And with the mainstream media whoring for Bush and Co, we should look for other ways (as many as possible) for getting this document out to the mainstream American public.

If any of you have any ideas on how to do this, let us brainstorm and help Congressmen Conyers and the Democrats get this out to the American people nad make them aware of the lies and deceptions that led us integal war with Iraq.

Any ideas on this?

Comment #25: Reed31463 said on 12/20/05 @ 4:39pm ET...

#23 and #24

Just a guess.

These allegations are so serious, it is my belief that JC has an informal thumbs up or thumbs down from all involved. I think it would be wise to let colleagues get a chance to review and together come up with a strategy before publically announcing it.

Comment #26: Pissed Off American said on 12/20/05 @ 5:07pm ET...

I agree. And with the mainstream media whoring for Bush and Co, we should look for other ways (as many as possible) for getting this document out to the mainstream American public.

"If any of you have any ideas on how to do this, let us brainstorm and help Congressmen Conyers and the Democrats get this out to the American people nad make them aware of the lies and deceptions that led us integal war with Iraq."

"Any ideas on this?"

I have just finished phoning ALL of my local newspapers and radio stations and contacted their editorial staff, informing them that I will actively pursue a local vendetta of encouraging the cancelling of subscriptions and advertizing if they refuse tio give Conyers efforts the FRONT PAGE attention this merits. I encourage all of you to do the same. And STAY AFTER IT, talk to REAL PEOPLE, and do not back off.

Comment #27: Rusty said on 12/20/05 @ 5:34pm ET...

On March 23, 1775 Patrick Henry condemned an earlier King George, in words that have haunting relevance today:

"I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. The questing before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.

It is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.

I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House. Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet.

I ask gentlemen, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? It is meant for us: it can be meant for no other. It is meant to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging.

And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain.

Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on.

We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament.

Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne!

In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free-- if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending--if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained.

We must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight!

They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot?

Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us.

We shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave.

Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged!

What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"

Comment #28: Bill_o_Carolina said on 12/20/05 @ 5:37pm ET...

And use every avenue available. Don't forget to email or phone the MSM networks where the majority gets their news.
I still don't understand why this document doesn't expose PNAC? Someone explain that to me please, POA?

Comment #29: koryannder said on 12/20/05 @ 5:50pm ET...

I don't believe this classifies as "Mewling." In fact, I'd think of it as "Snarling." Now, what is needed is for those out there who read this blog but don't post, who have Republican Representatives on the House Judiciary Committee, to put their feet in the fire and hold them there! You don't have to say "Support Rep. Conyers' investigation or you lose my vote and every vote I control," but you can imply it. In fact, those of you who live in Hutchinson's district can say that to her directly. A Congressman I once knew well told me. "A letter represents fifty votes. A telephone call represents about two hundred votes, and a personal visit, over a thousand." It may have been a trifle overblown, but the only way they are going to know what their constituents think is to tell them! I think email messages probably are ignored, because they are free, and telephone calls are probably devalued because of 'phone cards, but personal letters, showing your anger have probably been upgraded! (When John Moss told me that, First Class Mail was eight cents!) Anyhow, let them know, early and often!

And if the man actually said that the Constitution was just a "Goddamned piece of paper," that alone is grounds for impeachment, because it is a clear violation of his Oath of Office!

Comment #30: Bill_o_Carolina said on 12/20/05 @ 6:05pm ET...

http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/lieofthecentury.html

Comment #31: Rusty said on 12/20/05 @ 6:35pm ET...

Patrick Henry's impassioned defiance of tyranny must echo in our own hearts in the coming weeks and months. We may all have to choose between liberty or the slow death of meek submission to this bastard who thinks he is king.

For years, this new King George and his corrupt party have imposed their illegitimate rule through lawlessness, false patriotism, and boundless deceit. They have raped the truth and left it lying in a ditch. They have torn the Constitution to shreds and scattered it to the four winds. They praise God while blaspheming his teachings. They invoke freedom as they crush the life out of it. The praise our troops while betraying them. They wage illegal war and call it liberation. They subvert elections and call it a mandate.
They sanctify the unborn, the brain-dead, and the wealthy, and demonize everyone else.
They are an abomination to democracy, Christianity, and justice. We cannot rest until we redeem this country and restore the freedom, honor and dignity the Founding Fathers bequeathed to us so long ago, and trusted us to defend.

A Second American Revolution must be proclaimed and waged. Congressman Conyers has been our Paul Revere, our Patrick Henry, and our Thomas Jefferson. We must stand beside him against King George and the Redcoats of the GOP. With this censure resolution, the House of Representatives has become our Concord Bridge. Like the embattled patriots of 1775, who stood on that bridge to defend their freedom and fired the shot heard round the world, we must stand together and banish tyranny from this land.

Comment #32: Pissed Off American said on 12/20/05 @ 6:46pm ET...

"I still don't understand why this document doesn't expose PNAC? Someone explain that to me please, POA?"

I would assume it is because it is not a crime to belong to a think tank or to share ideologies with one. The only way Conyers can hope to prevail here is by avoiding accusations and associations that will place his efforts in the realm of "conspiracy theories". Just because a group of people recognized the usefulness of a "modern Pearl Harbor" does not mean they actually staged one. Conyers will need to be believable and concise in his accusations and presentations of evidence. Now is not the time, in my opinion, to address the issue of 9/11 and the PNAC's arguable involvement.

One step at a time, Bill.

Comment #33: Reed31463 said on 12/20/05 @ 7:15pm ET...

PNAC is addressed in chapter 2, The Last Throes of Credibility Documents are cited and members are named. We probably won't see William Kristol's smirking face on FAUXnews again for awhile.

The only coverage I see in news outlets is RAWSTORY. BBC does not have a story up, but I know they will. I think it is a bit too early.

Judging from all the coverage today, it looks like this report will catch them ALL flatfooted. They were all reported as saying it's legal and we are going to continue spying whether you like it or not.

This admission has probably sealed their fate. It was a huge mistake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment #34: myxzptlk said on 12/20/05 @ 7:50pm ET...

Congressman Conyers, you are one of a very few Federally-elected officials who gives us hope, through your tireless efforts to expose the truth of what is going on in our country. Your role in connecting truth with righteous action is indispensible in this time of corruption and cowardice. Thank you so much for your service. We have your back!

Comment #35: cali said on 12/20/05 @ 7:52pm ET...

Thank you once again Congressman Conyers for doing what many won't!
If we could repeat 911 over and over in a speech the way they do but instead after each 911 comment, tell the truth to the American people that without more Homeland Security money, without protection from things like Katrina, without our troops home protecting us and making enemies in Iraq, without listening to the 911 commision, we are no safer, maybe the people that are in such a state of fear, would realize this administration is not making us any safer by spying on us or keeping our troops in Iraq! Barbara Boxer did a great job of starting to say that today.

Comment #36: Bill_o_Carolina said on 12/20/05 @ 7:57pm ET...

I say PNAC should still be addressed in order to show their desire to invade Iraq back in the late 90s. And that many of these members are the ones making Iraq policy today in the WHIG. You don't have to mention 911. When public attention is drawn to their statements and publications then people will see the reference to the need for a new Pearl Harbor and make the connections themselves.

Comment #37: kanamaru said on 12/20/05 @ 8:23pm ET...

Telegraph, Dec 6, 2005 - BNFL was weeks away from agreeing outline terms for the ￡1billion sale of its US-subsidiary Westinghouse, after whittling down the number of bidders from 15 to four.
Four companies are in the running to buy Westinghouse: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Toshiba, General Electric and Shaw Group. One will be awarded "preferred bidder status" next month with a sale to be agreed some time in the following 12 months.
http://money.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2005/12/06/cnbnfl06.xml

Why do Toshiba Corp and GE buy it ? They sell BWR type reactor. Westinghouse and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd sell PWR type reactor. (I don't know if Shaw Group sells PWR type reactor.) But I understand GE, therefore, it's American.
I think Shaw Group of America, an AP1000 partner, is the best and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd of Jpan is the second best for American people and Westinghouse persons in this case.

I care Toshiba Corp of Japan will win the bid using mind-control. I haven't ever heard Toshiba Corp became a loser in bids since 1999. (But I also suspect Toshiba Corp only interrupts Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.)

Where did nuke's booming come from in USA ?
http://www.perc.ca/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=878

* If Toshiba Corp gets Westinghouse, it isn't problem only for America and England. Chinese nuclear power plants are occupied by Toshiba Corp. And now in 2005 Areva and Westinghouse compete for new Chinese nuclear plants, I remember. Toshiba Corp may touch South Korean nuclear power plants.

Anyway, Toshiba Corp of Japan is too risky for living people. Morbid liar is worse than mistake.

Toshiba's Malfeasance in TEPCO, again
http://www.perc.ca/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=3110
Toshiba's Crime in Beilungang Thermal Power Plant
http://www.asiaobserver.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000052.html

(People say Mr. Donald Rumsfeld of Bush's Cabinet dominates American Government. It can be true. He uses mind-control like Japanese PM Junichiro Koizumi. Because Mr. Rumsfeld was Chairman and CEO of General Instrument Corp (GI) from 1990 to 1993. GI made American HDTV (High Definition Television) standard. Before then Mr. Rumsfeld agreed Toshiba Corp of Japan for HDTV networks system. Toshiba Corp makes/made maybe all HDTV networks systems of America with GI. Toshiba Corp probably uses the HDTV networks systems to mind-control American people. When GI agreed Toshiba Corp, Taizo Nishimuro, former Toshiba Chairman, was being or was Vice President of Toshiba America Corp. He probably planned all. I really wish Mr. Rumsfeld isn't Nishimuro's worker.)

I very carefully watch this case. Are Americans cheated again by Toshiba Corp ? I want American politicians to see this.

by Seitaro Kanamaru, a Japanese
I am an Mind-Control Victim by Toshiba Corp since 1997.
http://www.perc.ca/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=794
(My face is at http://www.discussanything.com/forums/showthread.php?p=838876.)
* My site in Japanese
http://jbbs.livedoor.jp/news/1301/

Comment #38: i_am_what_i_am2day said on 12/20/05 @ 8:39pm ET...

Mr. Conyers, it's about time something like this happened.

I believe our democracy is in peril...the right wing pundits are actually bragging about repealing the new deal in entirety

because of corporate investment and marketing of their candidates, the majority of Americans will happily vote against their own best interest.

in any event;

WE NEED A PRIME TIME MEDIA ADVOCATE.

we need a fox.

IN THE MEAN TIME

the democratic party needs to invest it's campaign war chest into prime time programming, we need to have these hearing publicized as the story's they are.

for instance, your downing street hearings should have been broadcast prime time...since corporate media wouldn't, we needed to pay for the air time

we need daily up to date briefings on prime time publicizing what's going on with delay, with frist, with the traitors that exposed our CIA assets.

we need to galvanize before it's too late

Comment #39: Bill_o_Carolina said on 12/20/05 @ 9:42pm ET...

ADVOCACY JOURNALISM is what they use very successfully. They mention it on the PNAC website. That explains what Judith Miller, armstrong Williams, Jeff Gannon, and the buying of news stories in Iraq is about. This has been what's swayed public perception.

Comment #40: noguns said on 12/20/05 @ 11:01pm ET...

just a few days ago i posted a comment on Bellaciao Collective, to johnnybgood's post, 'how much more will we take' kinda piece ... like will we impeach now???

i said there is not a single elected representative or official in the entire country with the courage to do what must be done, call us to stand in the streets until we get impeachment and removal ...

so reading your piece just now Rep. Conyers and taking a quick read of those who have commented,

i figured i should "break" my self imposed "Ban" to let you know i totally respect you and will be there when you ask us to go to the streets, as Yushenko (spelling?) had to do in the Ukraine, just a year ago ...

in the end, that is what will "PROVE," once and for all; what the "American Citizens" really want to be done ...

all "polls" aside ... we no longer need them, we need to Know ...
i think i know, that "WE THE PEOPLE" want impeachment and REMOVAL ! been wrong before ....

it is the safest way for us to go and will ensure they cannot do another "false" scarey event...
time is not on our side ....

noguns sheehan

Comment #41: JC said on 12/20/05 @ 11:37pm ET...

Thanks everyone for your support and comments today. It's been a big day as you can imagine. Reed's post earlier (#23) really hit the nail on the head. My Downing Street petition in May of this year generated over 580,000 signatures, and while the mainstream media did not give the story the full coverage it deserved, we did succeed in raising the profile of the administration's dishonesty and misconduct. Every movement has a starting point. I believe this next effort to bring the administration to justice will have an even bigger impact and will lead to change. But I need help from all of you. I need a huge number of people to join me in our message of censure to the President. A big response will force greater news coverage of my legislation to censure the President and Vice President and to create a Special Committee to investigate the White House. The Downing Street petition had a huge number of signatories, but the mainstream media had not yet begun asking the difficult questions of the President. We are at a different place as a nation now. Our message has a much wider audience and, with a big response to the censure initiative, we can have a greater impact than before. Already we have four Members of Congress who have joined me in this effort, Zoe Lofgren, Maxine Waters, Lynn Woolsey and Charlie Rangel and I expect plenty more to join me in the coming weeks ahead.

Join me in this declaration that we will no longer accept an imperial presidency. Add your name and encourage as many of your friends and family to join as well. With your help and commitment we can succeed in finally bringing the Bush White House to justice.

Comment #42: DTW 06 said on 12/20/05 @ 11:48pm ET...

God Bless Congresman Conyers and God Bless America!

Comment #43: Bill_o_Carolina said on 12/21/05 @ 12:12am ET...

Thank you Congressman Conyers for your great service to the people! We are with you!

Comment #44: blueblitz said on 12/21/05 @ 1:31am ET...

Thank you so much Congressman Conyers. You are truly a hero in a Congress full of cowards. You speak for so many people out there who are disgusted beyond belief and feel that there is nothing that can stop this criminal administration. Keep fighting, thanks again

Comment #45: Genghis Khan said on 12/21/05 @ 2:53am ET...

"Advocacy Journalism" was used extensively between 1918 through to 1991.

Only then it was called "Pravda".

Comment #46: Genghis Khan said on 12/21/05 @ 2:59am ET...

One of my favorite sayings is:

====
There are four boxes used in the defense of Liberty:

Soap
Ballot
Jury
Ammo

Use in that order. Start now.
====

I fear time is running out.

Comment #47: radmoecci said on 12/21/05 @ 3:40am ET...

Hi,

There has been serious speculation that President Bush has "fallen off the wagon" and returned to his formerly alcoholic ways. See:

http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:NgVNi0KUYMgJ:www.nationalenquirer.com/celebrity/63426+bush+drunk+alcoholic+george+enquirer&hl=en

There has also been speculation that Mr. Bush is suffering from a mental disorder known as the "Dry Drunk Syndrome". See:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00076F0M0/qid=1135153783/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-4075703-0807250?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

http://www.greenmac.com/World_Events/drydrunk.html

For everybody's information the US Constitution Article II Section 1 states:

In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or INABILITY TO DISCHARGE THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE SAID OFFICE, the same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.

Comment #48: rainbowsally said on 12/21/05 @ 3:47am ET...

Hi John.

You wrote:

Today, I am releasing a staff report entitled, "The
Constitution in Crisis: The Downing Street Minutes
and Deception, Manipulation, Torture, Retribution
and Coverups in the Iraq War.

Before talking about the report, I must express my
profound gratitude to the readers of this site, who
kept this story alive when no one would cover it,
and continued to talk about it after some in the media
moved on.

----

"Moved on" is a euphemism, but we get the point.

Well, John, it's nice to be appreciated, but when
you get right down to it, we are all on the same
team and "thank you"s are mostly unnecessary.

http://usconstituion.net/const.html

But if anyone deserves a "thank you", you know who
does, right?

Hello, people.

John promised not to let the Downing Street Memo
issue die. And look! A man of his word.

I'm also prfoundly grateful that the "I" word is
now in our collective vocabulary. Capone should
not have been taken down for just income tax evasion
but then...

"It's a character issue".

That is, if this man is so vile that he'd take the
entire military hostage to assure his political
"capital" and if he'd sell America out to pharme-
ceutical companies and oil monopolies, he's probably
also a litter bug, eh?

I can't wait to see how big the iceburg under-
neath all this really is.

And...

Can Bush create a boulder so large even he can't
move it?

Comment #49: Oakland said on 12/21/05 @ 5:32am ET...

IMPEACH - IMPEACH - IMPEACH

So, the NYT covered up fOr him again until AFTER the ELECTIONS. Now we have this born again drunk for another four year. The only way this country will ever be safe is to get rid of King George and his crime family. He is stupid and evil and deserves to be impeached. Why? torture, deficits, lied about WMDs, invaded Iraq; stole 2000 & 2004 elections, outed CIA agent - illegal wire taps....(you remember Nixon, don't you?) IMPEACH! IMPEACH! IMPEACH! IMPEACH! The sooner this crowd is out of office and behind bars, the safer this country gets. IMPEACH, IMPEACH, IMPEACH.

Comment #50: A Concerned Citizen said on 12/21/05 @ 6:48am ET...

I was one of the 500,000 who requested answers along with you and other members of Congress about DSM months and months ago. I really felt proud to "do" something, no matter how small.

I wasn't surprised we were ignored, but I was wondering why nothing seemed to be happening to follow it up. Now I see what you have been busy doing, this was a lot of work! You have my support 110%. I remember when you were requesting timeline info from your bloggers. I'm thrilled to see so many Americans bond for this cause and jump at the chance to help you out.

As the mother of a son who spent one year in Ramadi, Iraq, and is pending a possible additional year there, this is so very personal for me. This adminstration has got to be stopped NOW.

You are a true American hero. Let the trolls and media whores rant and rave, we've learned to tune them out like background noise.

Thank you so much. Best Christmas present I've ever seen.

Comment #51: tahoebasha1 said on 12/21/05 @ 8:16am ET...

JC -- "Thank you" seems not enough for your moral fortitude, tenacity and courage in this momentous step forward "authored" by you. I, too, laud your efforts and you have my 100% support. Now, it will be interesting to see which of your "colleagues" will offer the same.

I imagine the "shredders" are whirring away at great speed at the WH with the advent of your announcement.

The Report will be "shock and awe" for those unaware Americans! Good!

I also believe that POA #5 makes a valid point in his 2nd paragraph.

Thank you for "shining" a light on this holiday season!

Comment #52: Symbolman said on 12/21/05 @ 8:22am ET...

Dear Congressman Conyers, thanks so much for all your fine work, you've inspired me to create flash animations to teach the public on the web more about the Plame Outing: for a little fun during your holidays after your hard work on these issues I offer this below.



Merry Fitzmas! I created an Interactive Flash that allows you to Decorate your OWN Fitzmas Tree, and thought you might enjoy it :)

Here's the blurb I wrote on it, and the links:

*

"I wanted a Fitzmas Tree ever since I heard the term invented on the Web, and NOW I have one, and you can too..

YOU can actually DECORATE YOUR OWN FITZMAS TREE, by dragging and dropping Ornaments on the FITZMAS TREE - if an Ornament sticks to your "hand" it may be because of the slimy people encased within, just give it another mouse click on the tree to shake it off. The first flash can be found here:

http://www.tbtmradio.com/flash/merryfitzmas.swf

But there are two Flashes that interact with each other - one is the Fitzmas Tree itself, with a box FULL of decorations, the decorations being the Subjects of Indictments, Investigations, etc - something your Right Wing brother-in-law might also be interested in knowing, lots of facts

If you click (click all over the page, lots of surprises on it) on the TITLE's of the Flashes you can go between the Tree itself, and another Flash that will load up with all the Decorations and an explanation of WHO they are, and WHAT they did.. for folks that don't know much about the Plame Outing they can get educated on the Ornaments and then click on back to the Tree and Decorate the Hell out of it

The first link goes to the Fitzmas Tree itself, but like I said, you can click to the other Flash for more info, or a pal can get more info and Trim the Tree after.

You can check out the Ornaments information at this link secondly (but maybe miss some surprises where the Presents are in the first link) HERE:

http://www.tbtmradio.com/flash/merryfitzmasornaments.swf

In case you're wondering what that building is in the background, it's the HAGUE, I thought it rather appropriate - and the guys in ORANGE, well, I think you'll recognize them

And don't forget to open the presents under the FITZMAS TREE, I wrapped them special just for YOU."

**

Sir I would love to send you a copy of my film "Rove's War", it's a 2 DVD set, the Definitive Chronology of the Plame outing, which I researched and edited for over a year - and it's getting rave reviews.

You read about the film at:

http://www.takebackthemedia.com

If you think the film is appropriate (and the firedoglake blog considers this a great film and primer) I would like to offer a Free set to any Congress person that wants this tool so that they know the subject inside and out and can fight the Right Wing and Media Spin designed to confuse everyone.

It is anchored by your hearing on the Downing Street Minutes (which I flew from Hawaii to film), along with Joseph Wilson's testimony used to debunk right wing talking points right up front. I've added Marcinkowski, Johnson and other ex Cia agents views to round it all out, with some humorous graphics and clips so it's entertaining, enlightening, and educational without being boring.

Please consider my gift to you and to Congress, which I think will compliment the Censure/Impeachment case with the Chronology of the Outing of a great Patriot Valerie Plame, and the DSM which I believe are joined at the hip and PROVE each other to be True.

Hope all is well with you and yours in this Season of Peace,

Best,

Micheal Stinson aka Symbolman, co founder of Takebackthemedia.com

Comment #53: koryannder said on 12/21/05 @ 8:59am ET...

I am encouraged by what the Senate did (so far) with the (misnamed) USAPATRIOT Act.
I am particularly encouraged by the fact that four lily white conservative Republicans,
one of whom is a suspect in vote fraud joined the Democrats in filibustering the thing.
It looks like an uphill battle, but if enough TRUE AMERICANS get off the dime and
badger their so-called "Representatives", maybe, just maybe we can get them
to do their Constitutional duty.

I suggest a visit to

http://www.americanfreepress.net/

for a take on what is REALLY happening.

Comment #54: Ohiodem1 said on 12/21/05 @ 10:23am ET...

Rep. Conyers, Thank you for taking the lead and standing against the corruption, prevarication, evasions, outright lying, and unconstitutional actions too numerous to count by this administration.

Regarding the recent admission by the president that he has authorized on 30 occasions domestic spying on American Citizens without court approval, this is just another unconstitutional action by an administration that thinks the Constitution does not apply to them.

Personally, I am not willing to give up a little freedom for a little "security". Any taking of freedom by our government will inevitably lead to the taking of more and more liberty, until we have none. We must stand against any taking of freedom by this or any other administration.

Again, thank you for leading the fight against unconstitutional behavior by the Bush Administration. I hope enough Republicans are willing to find the courage to stand with you and do the right thing and and take actions to hold this administration accountable for their many misdeeds, and actions that are in contravention of American ideals that have stood the test of time.

If America gives up its freedom in the name of a false security, then al Qaida has won the war on terror, and the Bush Administration will have handed Osama bin Laden the victory.

Comment #55: point of order said on 12/21/05 @ 11:09am ET...

Comment #53: koryannder said on 12/21/05 @ 8:59am ET...

"I am particularly encouraged by the fact that four lily white conservative Republicans,"
-----------------------------------
Why are hateful, biased, and outright bigoted and racial comments premitted to stand on the blog of a United States Congressman?

Comment #56: Bill_o_Carolina said on 12/21/05 @ 12:09pm ET...

It's called freedom of speach! poop!

Comment #57: Pissed Off American said on 12/21/05 @ 12:32pm ET...

PLEASE NOTE;

On Harry Reid's website he has posted a new topic for discussion this morning. It has NOTHING to do with Conyers' efforts, and as such is IRRELEVANT to the actual pressing need to act NOW to join in our support of Conyers, be it on the citizens level, or as the standing "Minority Leader" that is tasked and sworn to protect our interests. Yesterday I implored you to visit Reid's blog, and let it be known to him that we DEMAND representation, and expect him to announce, publicly, his support for the efforts of Conyers to investigate and possibly impeach President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. Without the help of people like Reid, and people like ourselves, Conyers efforts will be for naught. If we ALLOW Reid to maintain the status quo and ignore the efforts of Conyers, we will watch this campaign fizzle and die as the travesties and crimes of this administration continue to be IGNORED as they have been over the course of the last five years. Some of you heard my call, and made statements on Reid's blog in support of Conyers. IT IS NOT ENOUGH. We need to DROWN all other issues with our demands that the Minority Leader join, IMMEDIATELY, Conyers efforts. PLEASE join me in demanding Reid's support, and making it clear to him that AMERICA IS WATCHING. We DEMAND representation, and will accept NO LESS than Reid's COMPLETE support. WE MUST BRING THESE PEOPLE ON BOARD IF WE ARE TO SUCCEED. FLOOD HIS SITE WITH YOUR DEMANDS FOR REPRESENTATION. WE NEED HUNDREDS OF VOICES, THOUSANDS OF VOICES, MILLIONS OF VOICES.PLEASE, IF YOU POST AT OTHER BLOGS, LINK TO REID'S SITE WITH MY REQUEST.

http://www.giveemhellharry.com/blog

Comment #58: sanitysojourner said on 12/21/05 @ 12:54pm ET...

#54 Ohiodem: I concur completely as I always do with you. However, one point in response to your comment:

Personally, I am not willing to give up a little freedom for a little "security".

I agree wholeheartedly, but IMHO we have already given up some freedoms.

As soon as we were not allowed to travel with tweezers, cuticle scissors, crochet hooks, had to walk barefoot through airport screenings, had to unzip and open pants, had to be felt up by security personnel, and could not lock our suitcases, we ceded our personal liberties.

Those personal invasions served only to give people a false sense of security. I've asked my Congressional Rep and Senators what all the airport "security" has yielded and they can't tell me. I've even asked them to frame up the successes in an ROI statement (e.g., we spent this much and here's what we prevented as a result). So far, no answer.

After a particularly harrowing airport experience I observed (had nothing to do with me), I asked the attending police officer if we were safer. His response: "people like it because it makes them feel safer."

I asked the officer if anyone had ever been apprehended as a result of the invasive searches. He could cite only one case of a young man who was caught with a few bottles of prescription drugs in his suitcase. I asked if the purpose of yielding our bodies for fondling by airport personnel was intended to find drugs or terrorists. I also stated I didn't feel threatened at the thought of flying next to someone with a few bottles of Oxycontin stashed away.

As soon as the flying restrictions were imposed in 2001 and we capitulated, I had an eerie feeling that al Qaida already had achieved a partial victory by facilitating the elimination of some of the freedoms we used to have in this country.

Tommy Thompson, former dubya HSS secretary, said it best after his first trip through airport security as a normal citizen in 2005: "What happened to my country?"

Comment #59: Pissed Off American said on 12/21/05 @ 1:02pm ET...

"I also stated I didn't feel threatened at the thought of flying next to someone with a few bottles of Oxycontin stashed away."

Comment #58: sanitysojourner

Thats not a concern. Limbaugh's fat ass takes up both seats anyway, so you would undoubtedly would be seated in another area.

Comment #58: sanitysojourner

Comment #60: Ohiodem1 said on 12/21/05 @ 3:21pm ET...

sanitysojourner #58 - agreed that we have already given up some freedoms re: airport security. Point taken. The broader point is that this admin is on the slippery slope toward taking all of our freedoms away, and only vocal opposition, followed by vigorous actions will protect them. I am surprised more conservatives do not see this. They should be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with us on this.

Comment #61: Pissed Off American said on 12/21/05 @ 3:39pm ET...

agreed that we have already given up some freedoms re: airport security. Point taken. The broader point is that this admin is on the slippery slope toward taking all of our freedoms away, and only vocal opposition, followed by vigorous actions will protect them. I am surprised more conservatives do not see this. They should be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with us on this.

Comment #60: Ohiodem1

"There is only one force in the nation that can be depended upon to keep the government pure and the governors honest, and that is the people themselves.

They alone, if well informed, are capable of preventing the corruption of power,
and of restoring the nation to its rightful course if it should go astray. They alone are the safest depository of the ultimate powers of government."

-- Thomas Jefferson - END

Comment #62: Rusty said on 12/21/05 @ 3:44pm ET...

Pointless Disorder is SHOCKED, SHOCKED that a vicious racial epithet like "lily white conservative Republicans" is permitted on this family blog. How sad, how very sad that incendiary hate speech like "lily white conservative Republicans" is tolerated on this blog while Caucasian conservative Republicans are working their little patriotic tails off saving us all from the unholy hordes of liberal scum, atheists, gays, evildoers, gay atheist evildoers, unwhite gay atheist evildoers, Cindy Sheehan, that Negro guy in the 14th Congressional District of Michigan, and other assorted unwhite people who are up to no good and hate America and our troops and God.

Congressman Conyers, please try to control koryannder. I know you're busy, but we just can't have potty mouth language like "lily white conservative Republicans" on this blog.

Comment #63: Dr Alan H Levinson said on 12/21/05 @ 3:46pm ET...

Hi all. Bear with my ignorance. News reports imply that Presidents Carter & Clinton also authorized wire taps of citizens without court approval. My first assumption is that this is spin from the Repub's in order to cloud the issue. Does anyone know??

Alan

Comment #64: i_am_what_i_am2day said on 12/21/05 @ 4:20pm ET...

conent 63 said;

Hi all. Bear with my ignorance. News reports imply that Presidents Carter & Clinton also authorized wire taps of citizens without court approval. My first assumption is that this is spin from the Repub's in order to cloud the issue. Does anyone know??

no, it's not true, that's media spin

you can read here for the details;

http://thinkprogress.org/2005/12/20/drudge-fact-check/

and here for comentary;

http://thinkprogress.org/

Comment #65: DTW 06 said on 12/21/05 @ 4:29pm ET...

Fellow Bloggers, Congressman Conyers will be a featured guest on the Ed Shultz show next Monday (12/26) at 5:00 PM. Tony Trupiano will be sitting in for Ed next week.

www.Tony4Congress.com/blogs

Comment #66: DTW 06 said on 12/21/05 @ 4:30pm ET...

correction: www.Tony4Congress2006.com/blogs

Comment #67: Pissed Off American said on 12/21/05 @ 4:40pm ET...

"Pointless Disorder is SHOCKED, SHOCKED that a vicious racial epithet like "lily white conservative Republicans" is permitted on this family blog. How sad, how very sad that incendiary hate speech like "lily white conservative Republicans" is tolerated on this blog while Caucasian conservative Republicans are working their little patriotic tails off saving us all from the unholy hordes of liberal scum, atheists, gays, evildoers, gay atheist evildoers, unwhite gay atheist evildoers, Cindy Sheehan, that Negro guy in the 14th Congressional District of Michigan, and other assorted unwhite people who are up to no good and hate America and our troops and God."

Comment #62: Rusty

Hey, don't forget the all time AOL favorite, "Muslimes". I used to respond to those posts on the AOL message boards by asking the monitors if I could use terms like "spick, nigger, wop, kike, beaner, nip, etc" in my posting, and my queries were ALWAYS immediately removed. The posts that used the term "muslimes" were NEVER removed. Needless to say, I am no longer a member of AOL. BTW,if you ever want an interesting discourse on AOL, ask one of their message board attendants WHAT exactly is a LDRSGOV, and what purpose do they serve in monitoring the AOL message boards.

Comment #68: Pissed Off American said on 12/21/05 @ 5:35pm ET...

It is time, people. If our mainstream media will not do it, than we will have to do it.

http://freewayblogger.com/

*

Comment #69: Genghis Khan said on 12/21/05 @ 5:59pm ET...

Sign Barbara Boxer's petition to stop Bush's illegal wiretaps

Comment #70: Genghis Khan said on 12/21/05 @ 6:02pm ET...

Folks:

"lily white" doesn't refer to one's racial profile... let's not give smells-like-POO any more ammunition. That was clearly a distraction tactic on his/her part.

Comment #71: Bill_o_Carolina said on 12/21/05 @ 6:26pm ET...

MSNBC Live Poll (as of 6:15pm EST):

Do you believe President Bush's actions justify impeachment? * 10699 responses
Yes, between the secret spying, the deceptions leading to war and more, there is plenty to justify putting him on trial.
89%
No, like any president, he has made a few missteps, but nothing approaching "high crimes and misdemeanors."
3%
No, the man has done absolutely nothing wrong. Impeachment would just be a political lynching.
8%
I don't know.
1%

Comment #72: Rusty said on 12/21/05 @ 6:49pm ET...

"I don't know. 1%"

Harriet Miers must have participated in that MSNBC poll.

Comment #73: point of order said on 12/21/05 @ 7:29pm ET...

response to Comment # 70
Defending the undefendable, why am I not surprised?

Comment #74: Rusty said on 12/21/05 @ 8:13pm ET...

ALERT! ALERT!

FEEBLE, BRAIN-DEAD, NOT-SURPRISED INTRUDER ALERT!

DO NOT RESPOND TO MESSAGES FROM POINT OF ORDER, THEY HAVE ORIGINATED FROM A MUTATED LIFE FORM IN ANOTHER DIMENSION OF TIME AND SPACE.

DO NOT ADJUST YOUR COMPUTER SETTINGS. DO NOT CALL DR. DOBSON FOR ADVICE. DO NOT JOIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. YOU ARE SAFE. YOUR CHILDREN ARE SAFE.

PLEASE RESUME YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED ACTIVITIES.

THANK YOU.

Comment #75: point of order said on 12/21/05 @ 8:34pm ET...

President had legal authority to OK taps

By John Schmidt
Published December 21, 2005

President Bush's post- Sept. 11, 2001, authorization to the National Security Agency to carry out electronic surveillance into private phone calls and e-mails is consistent with court decisions and with the positions of the Justice Department under prior presidents.

The president authorized the NSA program in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks on America. An identifiable group, Al Qaeda, was responsible and believed to be planning future attacks in the United States. Electronic surveillance of communications to or from those who might plausibly be members of or in contact with Al Qaeda was probably the only means of obtaining information about what its members were planning next. No one except the president and the few officials with access to the NSA program can know how valuable such surveillance has been in protecting the nation.

In the Supreme Court's 1972 Keith decision holding that the president does not have inherent authority to order wiretapping without warrants to combat domestic threats, the court said explicitly that it was not questioning the president's authority to take such action in response to threats from abroad.

Four federal courts of appeal subsequently faced the issue squarely and held that the president has inherent authority to authorize wiretapping for foreign intelligence purposes without judicial warrant.

In the most recent judicial statement on the issue, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review, composed of three federal appellate court judges, said in 2002 that "All the ... courts to have decided the issue held that the president did have inherent authority to conduct warrantless searches to obtain foreign intelligence ... We take for granted that the president does have that authority."

The passage of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in 1978 did not alter the constitutional situation. That law created the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court that can authorize surveillance directed at an "agent of a foreign power," which includes a foreign terrorist group. Thus, Congress put its weight behind the constitutionality of such surveillance in compliance with the law's procedures.

But as the 2002 Court of Review noted, if the president has inherent authority to conduct warrantless searches, "FISA could not encroach on the president's constitutional power."

Every president since FISA's passage has asserted that he retained inherent power to go beyond the act's terms. Under President Clinton, deputy Atty. Gen. Jamie Gorelick testified that "the Department of Justice believes, and the case law supports, that the president has inherent authority to conduct warrantless physical searches for foreign intelligence purposes."

FISA contains a provision making it illegal to "engage in electronic surveillance under color of law except as authorized by statute." The term "electronic surveillance" is defined to exclude interception outside the U.S., as done by the NSA, unless there is interception of a communication "sent by or intended to be received by a particular, known United States person" (a U.S. citizen or permanent resident) and the communication is intercepted by "intentionally targeting that United States person." The cryptic descriptions of the NSA program leave unclear whether it involves targeting of identified U.S. citizens. If the surveillance is based upon other kinds of evidence, it would fall outside what a FISA court could authorize and also outside the act's prohibition on electronic surveillance.

The administration has offered the further defense that FISA's reference to surveillance "authorized by statute" is satisfied by congressional passage of the post-Sept. 11 resolution giving the president authority to "use all necessary and appropriate force" to prevent those responsible for Sept. 11 from carrying out further attacks. The administration argues that obtaining intelligence is a necessary and expected component of any military or other use of force to prevent enemy action.

But even if the NSA activity is "electronic surveillance" and the Sept. 11 resolution is not "statutory authorization" within the meaning of FISA, the act still cannot, in the words of the 2002 Court of Review decision, "encroach upon the president's constitutional power."

FISA does not anticipate a post-Sept. 11 situation. What was needed after Sept. 11, according to the president, was surveillance beyond what could be authorized under that kind of individualized case-by-case judgment. It is hard to imagine the Supreme Court second-guessing that presidential judgment.

Should we be afraid of this inherent presidential power? Of course. If surveillance is used only for the purpose of preventing another Sept. 11 type of attack or a similar threat, the harm of interfering with the privacy of people in this country is minimal and the benefit is immense. The danger is that surveillance will not be used solely for that narrow and extraordinary purpose.

But we cannot eliminate the need for extraordinary action in the kind of unforeseen circumstances presented by Sept.11. I do not believe the Constitution allows Congress to take away from the president the inherent authority to act in response to a foreign attack. That inherent power is reason to be careful about who we elect as president, but it is authority we have needed in the past and, in the light of history, could well need again.

----------

John Schmidt served under President Clinton from 1994 to 1997 as the associate attorney general of the United States. He is now a partner in the Chicago-based law firm of Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0512210142dec21,1,3677848.story

Comment #76: Genghis Khan said on 12/21/05 @ 9:27pm ET...

Poo-bear:

Bzzzzt. The President's authority to gain foreign intelligence STOPS at the US border. Notice the word "domestic" does not appear once in your posted opinion piece.

September 11 did not nullify the US Constitution and citizens' right to be secure from unwarranted searches and seizures.

Re: #73: It's not my fault if you can't properly understand common terms. Defend your own stupidity.

Comment #77: DTW 06 said on 12/21/05 @ 9:51pm ET...

Republican Party 99% White, Behind Facade of Diversity An interesting read. I assume there are different shades of white.

Comment #78: Bill_o_Carolina said on 12/21/05 @ 11:21pm ET...

The pres has legal authority to kiss my asterisk*!

Don't throw the constitution in my face, it's just a GD piece of paper! -Bush

Comment #79: Rusty said on 12/21/05 @ 11:45pm ET...

Good post, GK.

Clinton's Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee and stated that the executive branch has "inherent authority to conduct warrantless PHYSICAL searches."

As Media Matters explains to lying wingnuts everywhere, "physical searches are not the same as electronic surveillance and, as Gorelick's testimony made clear, were not restricted at that time by the Foreign Intelligence Authorization Act (FISA), which has since been amended to include them.

The foreign intelligence activity that the Bush administration has argued it can conduct without warrants -- domestic wiretapping -- has for 27 years been governed by FISA, which specifically requires court orders. On the other hand, the foreign intelligence activity to which Gorelick was referring -- "physical searches" -- was not covered by FISA when she said that Clinton had the "inherent authority to conduct" them.

Further, Gorelick testified that she supported legislation requiring FISA warrants for physical searches. Following the passage of such legislation in 1995, the Clinton administration no longer asserted that it had the authority to conduct warrantless physical searches. By contrast, the Bush administration has claimed that it is not bound by the corresponding FISA provision requiring warrants for DOMESTIC eavesdropping."

http://mediamatters.org/items/200512210012

Comment #80: Vyan said on 12/22/05 @ 2:56am ET...

Crossposted on Vyanblog.

Well, I was happy to see in my inbox today I had an announcement that three bills official censuring President Bush have been authored by Rep. John Conyers and presented to congress.

H.Res.635 would create a select committee - modeled after Sam Ervin's Watergate committee - to investigate the Administration's intent to go to war before congressional authorization, manipulation of pre-war intelligence, encouraging and countenancing torture, and retaliating against critics, and to make recommendations regarding grounds for possible impeachment.

H.Res.636 and H.Res.637 would censure, respectively, Bush and Cheney for failing to respond to requests for information concerning allegations that they and others in the Administration misled Congress and the American people regarding the decision to go to war in Iraq, misstated and manipulated intelligence information regarding the justification for the war, countenanced torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of persons in Iraq, and permitted inappropriate retaliation against critics of the Administration, for failing to adequately account for certain misstatements they made regarding the war, and – in the case of President Bush – for failing to comply with Executive Order 12958.

The brazen we-make-the-rules-around-here attitude reflected in the Bush administration's domestic spying ukase, and its let's-punish-the-leakers reaction to its exposure, is certainly not just an executive branch phenomenon. Last night's House Republican maneuvers on budget and defense appropriations measures exhibit the same mentality, especially in the strategem that made it possible: a rules change that basically abolished all the rules.

. . .

Thanks to martial law, the incredibly convoluted series of decisions made totally behind close doors on the budget bill, turned into a simple loyalty test for partisans. There was a grand total of 40 minutes of debate, which was probably about right since nobody had the chance to read the bill in the first place.

. . .

Republicans have steadily degenerated from the party of law and order, to the party that is actually contemptuous of the law when it doesn't serve their purposes, and indifferent to constitutional and legislative order when it thwarts their will. What the Schiavo incident said about the true Republican attitude towards federalism and separation of powers, the "martial law" rule says about the GOP's true interest in rational policymaking and honest debate.

July 17, 2003

Dear Mr. Vice President,

I am writing to reiterate my concern regarding the sensitive intelligence issues we discussed today with the DCI, DIRNSA, and Chairman Roberts and our House Intelligence Committee counterparts.

Clearly the activities we discussed raise profound oversight issues. As you know, I am neither a technician or an attorney. Given the security restrictions associated with this information, and my inability to consult staff or counsel on my own, I feel unable to fully evaluate, much less endorse these activities.

As I reflected on the meeting today, and the future we face, John Poindexter's TIA project sprung to mind, exacerbating my concern regarding the direction the Administration is moving with regard to security, technology, and surveiliance.

Without more information and the ability to draw on any independent legal or techical expertise, I simply cannot satisfy lingering concerns raised by the briefing we received.

I am retaining a copy of this letter in a sealed envelope in the secure spaces of the Senate Intelligence Committee to ensure that I have a record of this communication.

I appreciate your consideration of my views.

Most respectfully,

Jay Rockefeller

Q You have stretched this resolution for war into giving you carte blanche to do anything you want to do.

ATTORNEY GENERAL GONZALES: Well, one might make that same argument in connection with detention of American citizens, which is far more intrusive than listening into a conversation. There may be some members of Congress who might say, we never --

Q That's your interpretation. That isn't Congress' interpretation.

ATTORNEY GENERAL GONZALES: Well, I'm just giving you the analysis --

[...]

Q If FISA didn't work, why didn't you seek a new statute that allowed something like this legally?

ATTORNEY GENERAL GONZALES: That question was asked earlier. We've had discussions with members of Congress, certain members of Congress, about whether or not we could get an amendment to FISA, and we were advised that that was not likely to be -- that was not something we could likely get, certainly not without jeopardizing the existence of the program, and therefore, killing the program. And that -- and so a decision was made that because we felt that the authorities were there, that we should continue moving forward with this program.

Sen. Russell Feingold (D-Wis) responded to Gonzales' comments in an NBC interview this morning. "This is just an outrageous power grab," he said. "Nobody, nobody, thought when we passed a resolution to invade Afghanistan and to fight the war on terror, including myself who voted for it, thought that this was an authorization to allow a wiretapping against the law of the United States. "There's two ways you can do this kind of wiretapping under our law. One is through the criminal code, Title III; the other is through the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. That's it. That's the only way you can do it. You can't make up a law and deriving it from the Afghanistan resolution. "The president has, I think, made up a law that we never passed," said Sen. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.).

A December 16 New York Times article revealed that Bush had granted the NSA the power to eavesdrop on international phone and email communications that originate from or are received within the United States without court approval. During the December 19 press conference, the president defended this decision by arguing that "we must be able to act fast ... so we can prevent new [terrorist] attacks" and that the NSA program "enables us to move faster and quicker." Other administration officials have echoed this defense. For example, in a December 19 interview on CNN, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales stated, "I'm told by the operational folks at the National Security Agency that we do not have the speed and the agility in all cases, in every circumstance, to deal with this new kind of threat."

What this argument appears to ignore, however, is that the court created under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to provide authorization for international wiretaps is specifically designed to respond quickly to the type of requests in question. The so-called FISA court regularly authorizes these warrants within hours and even minutes. Moreover, in the case of "emergency" situations in which the attorney general deems it necessary to undertake surveillance immediately, the statute itself allows the government to obtain a warrant up to 72 hours after starting the necessary surveillance.

The problem here, besides the previously mentioned members of congress who gave President the authority to use "all neccesary force" who've specifically stated that that force was intended to be within the President's existing constitutional powers and the law - is the simple fact that if you know that someone is a member of al-Qaeda on Foreign soil - what's so difficult about obtainnig a FISA Warrant? Why is it truly neccesary to circumvent this step?

Possibly because it just might not be members of al Qaeda who are subject to this spying in actual promise - and Gonzales claim may eventually because just as ludicrous in restrospect as the claim that Saddam Hussein had mobile chemical weapons labs, or a fleet on unmanned aerial vehicles for delivering a chemical weapons attack.

Think Progress: Points out how Vice President Cheney from tonight's Nightline - is a bald-face liar:

It's the kind of capability [that], if we'd had before 9/11, might have led us to be able to prevent 9/11. We had two 9/11 terrorists in San Diego prior to the attack in contact with al Qaeda sources outside the U.S. We didn't know it. The 9/11 Commission talks about it. If we'd had this capability, then we might well have been able to stop it.

This is false and sensational.

The secret surveillance program authorized by President Bush did not provide the National Security Agency any new "capability." The NSA "already had the capacity to read your mail and your e-mail and listen to your telephone conversations. All it had to do was obtain a warrant from a special court created for this purpose. The burden of proof for obtaining a warrant was relaxed a bit after 9/11, but even before the attacks the court hardly ever rejected requests." Indeed, from 1979 to 2002, the FISA court issued 15,264 surveillance warrants. Not a single warrant application was rejected. Nothing in the law pre-9/11 prevented the federal government from conducting surveillance operations on terrorists. Cheney simply can't resist using that tragedy to shield himself from criticism. While the President, Vice President and Alberto Gonzales are pleading that the NSA needs this ability to greatly - and that they needed to circumvent Congress in order to get it - reports are pilling up that the FBI has already been spying on normal, non-terrorist Americans even with FISA authorization in place.

One F.B.I. document indicates that agents in Indianapolis planned to conduct surveillance as part of a "Vegan Community Project." Another document talks of the Catholic Workers group's "semi-communistic ideology." A third indicates the bureau's interest in determining the location of a protest over llama fur planned by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

[snip]

Many of the investigative documents turned over by the bureau are heavily edited, making it difficult or impossible to determine the full context of the references and why the F.B.I. may have been discussing events like a PETA protest. F.B.I. officials say many of the references may be much more benign than they seem to civil rights advocates, adding that the documents offer an incomplete and sometimes misleading snapshot of the bureau's activities.

Well, this is who they're spying on:

According to recent press reports, Pentagon officials have been spying on what they call "suspicious" meetings by civilian groups, including student groups opposed to the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual military personnel. The story, first reported by Lisa Myers and NBC News last week, noted that Pentagon investigators had records pertaining to April protests at the State University of New York at Albany and William Patterson College in New Jersey. A February protest at NYU was also listed, along with the law school's LGBT advocacy group OUTlaw, which was classified as "possibly violent" by the Pentagon. A UC-Santa Cruz "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" protest, which included a gay kiss-in, was labeled as a "credible threat" of terrorism.

With a bi-partisan group of Congressmen coming together to block the Patriot Act and calling for a spying investigation, Rep. Conyers call for a "Censure" of the President seems far more plausible than it did even when President Bush's poll numbers were in the toilet.

But the real question is just what such a committee will truly discover? With the activities of both the FBI and Pentagon spying on PETA and Lesbian groups they've designated as "terrorist threats" -- how likely is it that Bush and Gonzales's claims that they need to circumvent FISA, but that they've "only targeted al-qaeda"?

Not bloodly likely.

It's far more likely that this Administration, just as it has done with so many other aspects, has completely Politicized the NSA, and the reason they need to circumvent the FISA court isn't because of "timeliness" - but because not all their targets are legitmate members of al-Qaeda, they are most likely their political rivals, liberals, Democrats and Activists. I strongly suspect that we will eventually discover NSA abuse of Echelon and Carnivore this will make both File-gate and the breakin at DNC Headquaters at the Watergate Hotel look like amatuer hour. In several months, unless Senate Repubilicans can stage another faux investigation, we'll likely to discover that the Bush Administration has used the NSA pure partisan political gain - in the same that Tom DeLay used the FAA and Homeland Security to enable his Texas Redistricting plan.

This is like the Watergate break-in and Nixon's Enemies List - times 10,000. And just what will Bush's poll numbers look like then - or rather, his bars?

Comment #81: point of order said on 12/22/05 @ 8:56am ET...

Wow! No problem with warrantless full body searches, but perish the thought that anyone should give a listen between two suspected persons potentially plotting to wreak havoc upon millions of people. By the way wasn't it President Clinton who pushed to expanded the power of the FBI to secretly wiretap your phones and intercept your emails?
As for the common term "lilywhite" Bigotry and racism disquised as a commom term is still just that, bigotry and racism.

Comment #82: Vyan said on 12/22/05 @ 1:39pm ET...

Poo #81

The Bush Admin and it's support are doing what they usually do when they find themselves yet again in Deep-Shit - Blame Clinton.

From ThinkProgress:

Prominent right-wing bloggers – including Michelle Malkin, the Corner, Wizbang and Free Republic — are pushing the argument that President Bush’s warrantless domestic spying program isn’t news because the Clinton administration did the same thing.

The right-wing outlet NewsMax sums up the basic argument:

During the 1990’s under President Clinton, the National Security Agency monitored millions of private phone calls placed by U.S. citizens and citizens of other countries under a super secret program code-named Echelon…all of it done without a court order, let alone a catalyst like the 9/11 attacks.

That’s flatly false. The Clinton administration program, code-named Echelon, complied with FISA. Before any conversations of U.S. persons were targeted, a FISA warrant was obtained. CIA director George Tenet testified to this before Congress on 4/12/00:

I’m here today to discuss specific issues about and allegations regarding Signals Intelligence activities and the so-called Echelon Program of the National Security Agency…

There is a rigorous regime of checks and balances which we, the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency and the FBI scrupulously adhere to whenever conversations of U.S. persons are involved, whether directly or indirectly. We do not collect against U.S. persons unless they are agents of a foreign power as that term is defined in the law. We do not target their conversations for collection in the United States unless a FISA warrant has been obtained from the FISA court by the Justice Department.

Meanwhile, the position of the Bush administration is that they can bypass the FISA court and every other court, even when they are monitoring the communications of U.S. persons. It is the difference between following the law and breaking it.

As a guest host on the December 20 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, National Review editor Rich Lowry claimed that the Clinton administration had asserted "exactly the same authority" that President Bush has cited in defense of his controversial decision to allow the National Security Agency (NSA) to conduct warrantless domestic surveillance. Lowry was referring to then-Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick's July 14, 1994, testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, in which she stated that the executive branch has "inherent authority to conduct warrantless physical searches."

But "physical searches" are not the same as electronic surveillance and, as Gorelick's testimony made clear, were not restricted at that time by the Foreign Intelligence Authorization Act (FISA), which has since been amended to include them. The foreign intelligence activity that the Bush administration has argued it can conduct without warrants -- domestic wiretapping -- has for 27 years been governed by FISA, which specifically requires court orders. On the other hand, the foreign intelligence activity to which Gorelick was referring -- "physical searches" -- was not covered by FISA when she said that Clinton had the "inherent authority to conduct" them. Further, Gorelick testified that she supported legislation requiring FISA warrants for physical searches. Following the passage of such legislation in 1995, the Clinton administration no longer asserted that it had the authority to conduct warrantless physical searches. By contrast, the Bush administration has claimed that it is not bound by the corresponding FISA provision requiring warrants for domestic eavesdropping.

Comment #83: Genghis Khan said on 12/22/05 @ 2:35pm ET...

Last word on this subject.

For the record "lily-white" in the parent context meant "attempting to appear blameless".

If someone else wants to assign racist overtones, then I submit that individual is either projecting his or her own prejudice or attempting to derail the actual debate.

Comment #84: Rusty said on 12/22/05 @ 4:32pm ET...

POO: "perish the thought that anyone should give a listen between two suspected persons potentially plotting to wreak havoc upon millions of people."

There's no reason not to get a warrant, you idiot! FISA has approved 99% of government requested wiretaps, you idiot!
Bush won't get FISA warrants because he's spying on all sorts of people and groups who have nothing to do with terrorism, you idiot!

The very conservative 4th Circuit just blasted Bush in the Padilla case. The Bush Administration's abuses of intelligence and executive powers have been pervasive, and even these right wing judges are furious.

Quit howling about Clinton to excuse your fascism! What he advocated or did regarding warrentless searches isn't even on the radar screen compared to Bush's Orwellian lunacy.

Comment #85: Rusty said on 12/22/05 @ 4:44pm ET...

Steve Cobble on HuffPo:

"Who were Bush & Cheney illegally and unconstitutionally spying on that made it impossible to request approval from what is essentially a rubber-stamp FISA court?

The Kerry Campaign? The DNC? The Dean Campaign during the primaries?
What about journalists? There are still a few not cowed by Karl.

Or maybe they were just gathering up dirt, in case some journalist got uppity later on.) Michael Moore? Jesse Jackson? Leslie Cagan and United for Peace & Justice and the antiwar leadership?

What about the guy who knew Bush went AWOL? (Or Dan Rather and Mary Mapes?) Or that frat buddy who partied with George W way back when?

Maybe they were wiretapping Steve Rosenthal and ACT, to try to catch an imagined violation of the 527 laws. John Sweeney? Gerald McEntee? Andy Stern? Or Cecile Richards--now that would appeal to King George, wouldn't it--given that she's not only a talented progressive political organizer, but the daughter of Ann Richards...

Or maybe everyone that John Bolton doesn't like.

It doesn't take long to think of some sinister possibilities, does it? So when do you suppose we'll get some answers?"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-cobble/which-opponents-were-they_b_12752.html

Comment #86: point of order said on 12/22/05 @ 4:57pm ET...

A person who feels the need to intersperse their comments with vituperation and name calling is a person that is insecure and unsure about the position they profess to hold. I am not howling about Clinton. I think he should have used every tool at his disposal to thwart the enemy. Which he did in the Aldrich Ames case, if you recall. I will sleep sounder tonight knowing our President is doing everything in his power to protect the United States from all enemies domestic and foreign.

Comment #87: Rusty said on 12/22/05 @ 5:30pm ET...

In regards to name calling, I call a tree a tree, the sky the sky, and a fascist a fascist. When someone lies, they are a liar. When someone engages in fascist conduct for years, they are a fascist. Using these names is accurate and honest.

Your president is a disgrace.

You deserve contempt, POO. I will confront you and identify you for what you are whenever I consider it necessary.

Comment #88: point of order said on 12/22/05 @ 6:13pm ET...

Representativo Conyers y todos los que participan aquí, le pueden y todos los que usted adora la Paz de la experiencia y la Alegría durante estas Vacaciones sazonar.

Comment #89: Neerav Trivedi said on 12/23/05 @ 12:59am ET...

POO:

You on crack or something......no wait, I guess too much kool-aid, facist propaganda and tin foil hats made you stupid, as you neo-con repukes normally are. My bad.

Comment #90: sanitysojourner said on 12/23/05 @ 12:04pm ET...

#88 Point of Order: thank you.

#89 Neerav: Point of Order is essentially wishing all of us, including Rep. Conyers, a peaceful and happy holiday season.

Comment #91: Neerav Trivedi said on 12/23/05 @ 1:37pm ET...

Point Of Order:

If you are wishing me a very happy holidays, then the same to you and your family. Have a very Merry Christmas to you and your family, and I'll see you around!!!

Comment #92: Rusty said on 12/24/05 @ 12:03am ET...

Pointless D,

La mierda del toro, no sirves para nada. El idiota! Pelotudo! Dios! Vas a callarte?

Comment #93: tmac100 said on 1/4/06 @ 2:49pm ET...

WARNING!!!

Just so you know...

The United States is now under a very prickly situation like a noose because of those who hate the Constitution who now dominate the government. Many have chosen even to oppose the Patriot Act without understanding all of the issues involved.

Because the government and military is thoroughly infiltrated with people who demand a New World Order, it is more of a challenge to combat the Patriot Act than most people realize...

IF YOU CHALLENGE THE PATRIOT ACT AND SUCCEED DISMANTLING IT, THE SAME PEOPLE WHO ALLOWED THE 911 TRAGEDY ON THIS COUNTRY WILL LIKELY ALLOW ANOTHER ONE SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THE NECESSITY OF "THIS VITAL LAW" WE NEVER NEEDED BEFORE IN OUR HISTORY THAT THE COMMUNISTS, NAZIS AND INQUISITORS OF HISTORY ALWAYS HELD!!

Just so you know...

BE WARNED!!