Ashcroft and Yoo agree to testify
 
Resent-Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 17:57:30 -0500 (CDT)


Dear tom,

This week, there was a rare sign of progress in the battle between
Congress and the executive branch over the balance of power in
Washington.

Just 14 days ago, I encouraged you to contact House Judiciary
Committee Chairman John Conyers and tell him to subpoena former
Attorney General John Ashcroft and former Justice Department official
John Yoo.  Our goal was to make sure that these individuals were
called to the Hill to testify about their involvement in development
of the Bush administration's torture policy.

Three days after our alert went out ? and after American Freedom
Campaign supporters had sent thousands of E-mails to Chairman Conyers
? he announced that Ashcroft and Yoo had four days to agree to
testify or else he would seek subpoenas.

Well, given the past actions of the Bush administration, we assumed
that Ashcroft and Yoo would refuse to testify voluntarily and
subpoenas would be necessary.  But earlier this week, the Associated
Press reported that both Ashcroft and Yoo had agreed to testify.

This is certainly a good sign and we look forward to seeing the two
men grilled (figuratively, of course) over their sanctioning of
torture by agents of the United States.  But we fear they may be
less than forthcoming when they are before the committee, claiming
that their correspondence and conversations were covered by executive
privilege.

This will simply not do.  Ashcroft and Yoo worked for the American
people, not the president, and it is time for them to tell the
American people what they did on their behalf ? for better or worse.

If they are not forthcoming, we will push for more aggressive
congressional action to ensure that Bush administration officials
are held accountable for their illegal activities.

We will keep you informed as the date of Ashcroft's and Yoo's
testimony before the House Judiciary Committee approaches.  And at
that time, we hope that you will, once again, make your voice heard
in Congress.

Steve

Steve Fox Campaign Director American Freedom Campaign Action Fund

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