The following is a letter that I just wrote to my Congressman:
Dear Rep. McDermott,
Yesterday was the results of an amazing effort put forward by the people of the United States. We stood up and said in clear tones, "Enough". For those of us who have been working to elect Democrats and to hold everyone accountable to what we see as true American ideals and values, it was vindication of the work that we have done for years, even decades. On January 20th, Barack Obama will become the President of the United States, and we will be on our way to a much more positive future.
However, I want to remind everyone of an important event that took place on September 8, 1974. On that date, President Gerald Ford issued Proclamation 4311, giving a complete pardon for any and all crimes that MIGHT have been committed by President Richard Nixon.
I believe that we have seen the results of that event carry through all the way through our recent history, giving every President since that time the understanding that history starts anew after every election. The idea that actions taken by someone in office are not subject to investigation has become a tradition, from Bush I and Clinton stopping the investigations into the actions of Reagan, and Bush II ending the investigations into Bill Clinton. This is not a partisan issue, it's an American issue.
We do not now know everything that George W. Bush has done or provided the environment in our Federal Government for others to do. Many of it seems wrong to a huge majority of people in the United States. I believe that the current popularity of Congress is due in large measure to the failure of Congress to hold the Executive branch accountable for their actions. And I do not believe that those popularity numbers will budge if that failure continues through the next session. I know that you signed on to the Investigation and Impeachment resolution introduced by Representative Kucinich. I would like to ask you, as my representative, to do everything that you can to push for the start of Impeachment investigations in the US House of Representatives. The Constitution states that pardons may be granted by the President for anything EXCEPT Impeachment. Starting those investigations would prevent Bush from escaping to Texas without any possibility of holding him accountable for any crimes he may have committed from the Oval Office.
Please, don't let anyone, at any level of our government, get away with crimes. We must close the door on this escape route, once and for all. Otherwise in a few years or decades, we will see history repeat itself again, with even worse results.
If you agree, please echo these statements to your own, and pass this along. We must not allow any crimes of the current administration to be ignored by the next administration.
Close the door on crime!!!