Barbara Boxer to * : Nominate a new UN Ambassador!

[paineinthearse]

Received by email.



Tell George Bush to nominate a new UN Ambassador!

Yesterday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee met once more to consider the nomination of John Bolton as UN Ambassador. In the light of many serious allegations against Bolton that have emerged over the past few weeks, I along with the other committee Democrats urged Chairman Lugar to hold off on a final vote until these allegations could be fully explored.

Most observers expected our efforts to fail, figuring that committee Republicans would steamroll Democrats on a party line vote and ram Bolton's nomination through, sending it to the Senate floor for a final vote. But that didn't happen.

Thanks in large part to your efforts, including more than 37,000 emails you sent to your senators in protest, Bolton's nomination was stopped in its tracks. Republican Senator George Voinovich of Ohio joined committee Democrats in urging more careful consideration of John Bolton's nomination, delaying a final vote for three weeks -- and I am so grateful for his support on this critical issue.

Now, it's time for us to do more.

Clearly, John Bolton is not qualified to be UN Ambassador -- and it's time to tell President Bush to nominate someone else.

John Bolton's nomination is dividing the country. This is a man who has shown nothing but contempt for the United Nations throughout his career. This is a man who has bullied intelligence analysts to try to get them to say what he wants, even when it's not true. This is a man who doesn't get along well with others and, if confirmed, would be entrusted with representing our nation in sensitive diplomatic negotiations at the United Nations.

Surely we can do better. Surely we can find a nominee for UN Ambassador that America can support and get behind -- not someone who divides our country and alienates our allies.

Tell President Bush to send the Senate a new UN nominee -- sign my petition to the White House now!

Every President has the right to choose senior members of his Administration. But every President also has an obligation to the American people that those nominees are well qualified for the positions they seek.

Clearly, with the nomination of John Bolton, George Bush has failed us. America deserves so much better from our United Nations Ambassador.

Tell President Bush to send us a new nominee today!

In Friendship,



Barbara Boxer


P.S. Please visit http://ga4.org/campaign/new_nominee to take action on this critical issue.

Send a letter to President George W. Bush:

Below is the sample letter:

Subject: President Bush, nominate a new UN Ambassador!

Dear President George W. Bush,

John Bolton's nomination is dividing the country. This is a man who has shown nothing but contempt for the United Nations throughout his career. This is a man who has bullied intelligence analysts to try to get them to say what he wants, even when it's not true. This is a man who doesn't get along well with others and, if confirmed, would be entrusted with representing our nation in sensitive diplomatic negotiations at the United Nations.

Surely we can do better. Surely we can find a nominee for UN Ambassador that America can support and get behind, not someone who divides our country and alienates our allies.

Mr. President, I urge you to withdraw John Bolton's nomination as UN Ambassador and nominate a better qualified, less divisive candidate that all of America can support.

Sincerely,

(your name)

[globalvillage]

1. done. n/t

[Nothing Without Hope]

2. OUTSTANDING!!!!! recommended!

This is wonderful, I hope everyone here sees it. Thanks for posting this, Paine!

[paineinthearse]

3. Thanks, but

The appreciation goes to BB. I'm just the messenger.

[FreedomAngel82]

4. Kick

Here's a kick. I hope everybody signs!!

[Nothing Without Hope]

6. Well, since bad news makes messengers unpopular, it's only fair that

someone pats you on the back and buys you a DU brew for this GOOD news:
:toast:

It's so good to see this spirit and lack of secrecy. This is just spectacular, best news I've had all day. Thanks again, Paine!

And to BB:
:loveya: :woohoo: :applause: :yourock: :loveya:

Keep it up, warrior lady!

[MelissaB]

5. Done and nominated!

Thanks for posting!

[A Brand New World]

7. Done! Glad to do it!!

[Nothing Without Hope]

8. She's been busy with her letters - I LOVE this one telling Condi Rice

that her order to subordinates to block info to the Senate Foreign Relations committee is UNCONSTITUTIONAL:

HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING
SUITE 112
WASHINGTON, DC 20510-0505
[phone]
http://boxer.senate.gov/contact

BARBARA BOXER
CALIFORNIA
FOREIGN RELATIONS

April 20, 2005

The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C StreetNW
Washington, DC 20520

Dear Secretary Rice:

According to reports in today's WashingtonPost, you have told senior members
of your staff that you do not want "any information coming out of the department that
could adversely affect the nomination" of John Bolton to be U.S. Ambassador to the
United Nations. I hope this report is untrue.

The purpose of this letter is to ask you to issue an instruction to your department
stating that they will cooperate with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's bipartisan
investigation of John Bolton.

I am sure you are aware that Article 2, Section 2 of the Constitution states that the
President is to appoint Ambassadors "by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate."
As such, the Senate is fully vested with the authority to investigate executive nominations
to ensure that they are qualified in terms of experience, temperament, and conduct. In
addition, paragraph 1 of Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate authorizes
Committees "to require by subpoena or otherwise the attendance of such witnesses and
the production of such correspondence, books, papers, and documents." The Supreme
Court has upheld this authority, calling it, "an essential and appropriate auxiliary to the
legislative function."

If you have, in fact, instructed your staff or any other employee of the federal
government not to cooperate with this important investigation, I urge you to act
immediately to reverse such course.

I look forward to your immediate favorable response.

Sincerely,
Barbara Boxer
United States Senator

[PuraVidaDreamin]

9. done

:patriot:

[paineinthearse]

10. If you have, in fact, instructed your staff or any other employee of the f

"If you have, in fact, instructed your staff or any other employee of the federal government not to cooperate with this important investigation, I urge you to act immediately to reverse such course."

Interpretation: If you act in an obstructionist manner, you are subject to impeachment.

BB :yourock:

[Nothing Without Hope]

14. I forgot to give the link to BB's letter to Condi

It is a pdf file at Randi Rhodes' site:
http://www.therandirhodesshow.com/randirhodes/rice.letter.pdf

[calimary]

29. There's only one error in this letter from Boxer.

Contradicta is anything BUT "Honorable."

Yes, I know, it's a salutation and all that, but "honorable" is not a word I'd associate with contradicta - AT ALL.

[Nothing Without Hope]

11. It was also classy of her to issue this statement of thanks to Voinovich

for taking a stand and refusing to be bullied into voting for a candidate no matter what:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1734984#1735506
Thread title: Sen. Boxer issues "thank-you" to Voinovich

[stevedeshazer]

12. Wow, that's great

Sure is nice to see Dems standing up.

[derby378]

13. Boxer will never hear back from Condi because...

Bush needs John Bolton in place to beat the war drums for the invasion of Iran. It ain't gonna happen, Barbara.

[feelthebreeze]

15. do you think your cynicism is coming across as wise?

Here is a fine example of people doing heroic and needed action to stop this monstrosity that has invaded our hopes and the best you can offer is a misguided sentiment that basically says: Aw... why bother, what is the point, you have already lost...
I don't have time for armchair politicos and I hope you embrace the call for action. Here...Now...You.

[derby378]

23. I think you partially misinterpreted my meaning

I'm not saying that you or anyone else shouldn't get active. But your words are wasted on Bush and Rice - better to keep the pressure up on the Senators responsible for determining whether or not Bolton's nomination hits the Senate floor instead of dying in committee.

[DulceDecorum]

16. Bolton is a busted flush

What army are they going to use to attack Iran?

Do they have a supply of golemin that we are unaware of?

[feelthebreeze]

17. Done and Kick...

[Karma]

18. Bolton not qualified for UN, Bush not qualified for US..

[Jo March]

24. Good one, Karma!

Welcome to DU!!! :hi:

[Nothing Without Hope]

26. And an UNQUALIFIED WELCOME to DU to you, Karma!

Looking forward to "seeing" you around!
:hi:

[Nothing Without Hope]

19. GREAT VIDEO clip at CBS News on new Bolton allegations - see Condi Rice

strongly supporting Bolton. According to Condi, the two main reasons why he must be confirmed immediately are (my wording):

• It's ridiculous for the Senate to challenge him on the basis of his management style, which she believes is a GOOD management style
  
• The US is without an ambassador to the UN, and this is a Bad Thing!

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/04/20/politics/main689695.shtml
"He Said, She Said In Bolton Battle"
WASHINGTON, April 20, 2005

[Nothing Without Hope]

20. Condi's staff are trying to deny that she asked them to block Bolton info

The following is part of a new article at the same paper - The Washington Post - that reported Condi's unconstitutional demand that her subordinates hold back any information that might be damaging to Bolton. Oh, I'd love to see an investigation come out of this - but even the threat of the consequences implied in Sen. Boxer's letter is so sweet! She must have rattled Condi but good!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6101-2005Apr20.html

GOP Senator Wavers on Bolton

Yes Vote Less Likely, Chafee Signals; White House Defends U.N. Nominee
By Charles Babington and Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, April 21, 2005; Page A02

A key Republican senator {Chafee} signaled yesterday that he is less likely to support the embattled nomination of John R. Bolton to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations after a dramatic meeting Tuesday, and said he will discuss with GOP colleagues whether President Bush should withdraw Bolton's name.

(snip)

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, speaking in Lithuania, said, "We want a strong voice for a reformed U.N. and for American leadership in it, and the selection of John Bolton was to perform exactly that task." Administration officials are working with Senate Republicans to answer questions raised about Bolton and to assail the Democrats.

State Department spokesman Adam Ereli disputed a Washington Post report that, according to officials, Rice had told her senior staff members Monday that she did not want information coming out of the department that could hurt Bolton's nomination. Ereli called that "very inaccurate" but declined to elaborate on what was said in the meeting.

Allegations leveled at Bolton include accusations that he tried to have several lower-level government officials fired or reassigned after they challenged him on assertions about various nations or other matters. Also, a Dallas woman says that in 1994 -- when Bolton was a private lawyer for a firm at odds with her client over a contract -- Bolton chased her through a Moscow hotel, threw things at her, threatened her and spread false rumors about her to U.S. officials overseeing the government-backed project in Kyrgyzstan. Committee members also want to know why Bolton sometimes sought the identities of Americans named in conversations monitored by the National Security Agency.

[Catchawave]

21. A kick for the Boxer Rebellion !

I'm a PAC for Change donor and it's been wonderful to see my dollars working for a change too :patriot: :kick:

[Paradise]

22. done! thanks. n/t

[Stockholm]

25. Every country needs a Barbara Boxer!

Wish we had one :(

[Nothing Without Hope]

27. I'm sure the Republican leadership would prefer that Barbara Boxer

was living in Sweden! Thank goodness she's here - we are in such trouble, and she has already made a difference.

And hello from across the Atlantic! (I'm on the northeast coast of the US) :hi:

[im10ashus]

28. Done! Great post! n/t

[mcscajun]

30. Done! and Well-done!

Keep it goin'