17 Congressmen got letters about Iraq prison abuse earlier this year?

[finecraft]

I listened to MTP this morning and thought I heard Russert say that. I just checked the transcript http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4938258/ and here it is (snip) "The irony, Mr. Lawson said, is that the public spectacle might have been avoided if the military and the federal government had been responsive to his claims that his nephew was simply following orders. Mr. Lawson said he sent letters to 17 members of Congress about the case earlier this year, with virtually no response, and that he ultimately contacted Hackworth's Web site out of frustration, leading him to cooperate with a consultant for `60 Minutes II."

Anybody have a clue who the congressmen were he wrote to? They all seem "shocked and awed" by the abuse, but evidently at least 17 of them were contacted by Frederick's uncle way before the crap hit the fan.

[bloom]

1. apparently everyone is impotant...

:(

[sallyseven]

2. Just remember

All mail that is sent to congressman by e-mail go through a house office that weeds out out of district mail. It is tossed out. Regular mail that goes to the congressmen are read in the office only if it comes from someone in their district. If it is not a constituent of theirs the send it on to the congressman in that district. It is conceivable that this gentleman's congress person got 17 pieces of mail. One for him and 16 sent to him by the staff of each of the other congressmen. It is weird but it goes that way. Otherwise the staffs will be overloaded by mail from outside the district on certain things like Abortion, Gay Marriage, Prison abuse etc, Hot button issues.

[Imalittleteapot]

3. Now there are 17 more who are conected and worried.

Wonder if we'll ever know who they are.

[PaDUer]

8. Congressmen Sherwood and Kanjorski

have been working with some of the people who are involved that I'm aware of. Appears to be MANY people involved from all over.

[madfloridian]

4. That is who they interviewed on MSNBC this morning.

Lawson's uncle, and what a powerful interview! It might be online at MSNBC now. He named off all the congressmen he had written.

[LittleApple81]

6. What program? do you have a link to where I might find the transcript?

thanks.

[LizW]

7. Who did he name?

The horrid truth of this thing is that MANY people knew this stuff, but no one cared enough to take the risk of pointing it out until the pictures made it a political issue.

The human rights organizations, the Red Cross and the anti-war groups were roundly ignored. Even the family of an accused soldier was ignored. No one gave a shit until it looked like it might hurt them politically.

[seabeyond]

5. i heard this man today on msnbc

and he isnt messing and letting his nephew and the other soldiers take all the blame. he is calling it like it is, is articulate and mad and right on. and he is a repug i am so sure, and voted for bush and for war i am so sure, lol . and he is mad, giving it to them all

[SEAburb]

9. How nice of Frederick's to complain about abuse after investigation

announcement on 1-16-04. Seeing as how he was involved in it up to his eyeballs.