Say it ain't so, C-SPAN...
centrexnews.com
Here a recent report by Rep. Ron Paul, R-Tex, of a confrontation between himself and other members of Congress on the Iraqi war resolution, and the subsequent cover-up by C-Span, which usually documents Congressional hearings for the record:
"The proposed resolution on the use of force mentioned the United Nations 25 times. That was considered safe. Not once did it mention the Constitution. I do not look to the UN to find the authority for this sovereign nation to defend herself. I look to the US Constitution. Article I, section 6, gives Congress (and only Congress) the authority to declare war. The ‘war power’ may not, and should not, be transferred from the ‘people's house’ to the president - the very transfer the White House's resolution attempted to achieve. Under US law, the president, as commander-in-chief, has the authority to execute a congressionally declared war.
"It was almost noon on October 3, the second day of the hearings, when my turn came. Under the harsh glare of television lights, I offered a substitute amendment, that is, new language to entirely replace what was currently in the resolution to use force. ‘Mr. Chairman, my amendment is a clear-cut declaration of war.’ [Rep. Paul is opposed to the war in Iraq but was attempting to make Congress take responsibility for their warmongering through an open declaration of war.]
"It was after that when the Chair [Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Il] stated that declaring war is ‘anachronistic, it isn't done anymore...’ It was a jaw-dropping admission...but there was more. The Chair went on to say that the Constitution has been ‘overtaken by events, by time’ and is ‘no longer relevant to a modern society.’ The Ranking Minority Member [Tom Lantos, D-Ca] called the declaration of war ‘frivolous and mischievous.’
"At least it was out in the open. Now surely the display of such disdain for their oath to ‘support and defend the Constitution’ would light up Capitol Hill switchboards with angry callers! Little did I know that no one was watching the hearings over C-SPAN – not a single person of what statistically is an audience of several million Americans – even heard those inflammatory comments. When my staff called C-SPAN to get a copy of the video record to document these outrageous statements, we were told ‘technical difficulties’ prevented that portion of the proceedings from being recorded, and that same portion of the proceedings was also the only part missing on the internal record the House makes of such official hearings." [End of Rep. Paul’s quote.]
Obviously, the record was purged without all the participants’ knowledge or permission, which is a violation of open meeting laws. Rep. Hyde could have been removed from Congress based upon his direct violation of his oath of office and his order that the record be purged. When officials collude with others to cover up for improper or illegal acts, it is a conspiracy – which is clearly not a rare occurrence in Washington. |
