November 5th, 2007
Dallas, Texas

 

Senator Harry Reid, Democratic Majority Leader

Senator Patrick Leahy, Judiciary Committee Chairman

Senator Edward Kennedy, Judiciary Committee Member

Senators:

 

Currently, I am a Democratic Precinct Chair in Dallas, Texas. In fact, when Senator's Reid, Biden, and Obama came to Dallas and spoke at Lee Park, they were in my precinct.

 

I am a lifelong Democrat (well, except for a few years in high school when my cousin Bo Callaway ran for governor against Lester "Ax Handle" Maddox).

 

Here's my problem: I have been a strong and consistent supporter of Majority Leader Reid, Speaker of the House Pelosi, and have explained the failure to stop the war and various other things on the basis that you don't have a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate or a veto proof majority in the House. The problem is that when you have the ability to put a road-block in Bush's way, you don't do it and then expect us to think you are doing the best you can when you can't deliver. If you won't deliver where you can, my voters justifiably think that you are not serious about stopping the damage Bush is doing to our country.

 

I cannot defend the confirmation of Judge Michael Mukasey to my voters. There are many things Senate Democrats cannot control, but we do have sufficient numbers to reject Bush's nominees. It was a horrible mistake to confirm Judge's Roberts and Alito. When Senator Biden was chairman, he was able to orchestrate a hearing that stopped Robert Bork. We need that kind of courage now.

 

My voters are angry. What can I tell them about your allowing Judge Mukasey to become Attorney General of the United States when I think you are dead wrong on this one?

 

 

 

You already know the reasons for blocking Mukasey, but the smoking gun was the firing of Assistant Attorney General Daniel Levin after he ruled that water-boarding is torture and is illegal, and the fact that Judge Mukasey refuses to state definitively that water-boarding is torture and therefore illegal. 

 

 

Don't forget that Senate Democrats have gotten themselves into trouble on a number of occasions with confirmations of other Bush nominees. When  Attorney General Mukasey blocks oversight attempts - which he will - Senate Democrats will only have themselves to blame.

 

Please give us some ammunition loyal Democrats can use to build our party!

 

Geoff Staples

Precinct Chair, Precinct 1234

3883 Turtle Creek Blvd., Suite 1812

Dallas, Texas   75219

 

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