TO MY REPRESENTATIVE

Sent today, to him.

Dear Congressman McHugh:

Please co-sponsor Representative Henry Waxman's efforts to investigate President Bush's uses of intelligence in taking the country to war with Iraq.

The Constitution divides authority over warmaking between the President (commander in chief) and Congress (appropriations, sole ability to declare war). Modern presidents have claimed a great deal of authority over the use of armed forces abroad; if Congress is going to acquiesce in such uses of presidential authority, then Congress should also attempt to fulfill its constitutional responsibilites by providing real and effective oversight over executive determinations that war is necessary.

A few years ago, members of Congress spent millions of dollars on an investigation and impeachment of President Clinton for matters that were wholly unrelated to his performance as President. Now, with a Republican president in office, Congressional Republicans seem uninterested in investigating charges that the President misused intelligence data in an effort to convince the public that an invasion of Iraq was necessary. It should also be noted that President Bush used public appeals in order to put pressure on members of Congress to support his plans for an invasion of Iraq as well.

An open and non-partisan investigation would show the public that Congress takes seriously its own constitutional obligations in the area of war powers. A refusal to investigate would prove that Congressional Republicans are more interested in winning power and destroying their opponents (a la the Clinton impeachment) than in using their power responsibly.

Sincerely,

Brett Marston

Oswego, NY

I got an e-mail from MoveOn that alerted me to this issue.