My Resolution... The Senate Treasongate Committee

[Independent_Liberal]

Check out my Watergate-style investigation. The Senate Select Committee on Treasongate. I haven't decided what I'm going to do with this. I'll probably send it to Leahy and Feingold after we win back Congress. I referred to Conyers' House bill so I knew how to word everything.

S. RES 912

Title: Creating a select committee and appointing a Special Prosecutor to investigate the Administration’s manipulation of intelligence in the run-up to the Iraq war, retaliation against critics, the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame, the White House Iraq Group (WHIG), the Iran-Syria Operations Group (ISOG), the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) spy case involving former Defense Department official Lawrence Franklin, authorization of torture of detainees at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo, use of depleted uranium, forged Niger documents, authorization of warrantless eavesdropping by the National Security Agency, what the Administration was doing in the months before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, former Enron founder Kenneth Lay’s ties to White House officials, White House visits by lobbyist Jack Abramoff, White House press corps appearances by Jeff Gannon, former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham’s (R-CA) ties to San Diego businessman Brent Wilkes, defense contractors and CIA officials, the involvement of White House officials in the New Hampshire phone jamming scheme during the 2002 election, secret energy meetings, no-bid contracts with Halliburton, deals with the Carlyle Group over Dubai Ports World, the involvement of White House officials with the companies Harken Energy and Betchel, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) response to Hurricane Katrina, and FBI translator and whistleblower Sibel Edmonds’ case with the Department of Justice on reports by the Inspector General that have been covered up by the FBI.

Date: __________________

Sponsor: Sen. ____________________________

Referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.

Resolved, that there is hereby established in the Senate a select committee to be known as the Select Committee on Treasongate (Introduced in the Senate)

S. RES 912

1__th Congress

___Session

S. RES 912

Title: Creating a select committee and appointing a Special Prosecutor to investigate the Administration’s manipulation of intelligence in the run-up to the Iraq war, retaliation against critics, the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame, the White House Iraq Group (WHIG), the Iran-Syria Operations Group (ISOG), the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) spy case involving former Defense Department official Lawrence Franklin, authorization of torture of detainees at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo, use of depleted uranium, forged Niger documents, authorization of warrantless eavesdropping by the National Security Agency, what the Administration was doing in the months before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, former Enron founder Kenneth Lay’s ties to White House officials, White House visits by lobbyist Jack Abramoff, White House press corps appearances by Jeff Gannon, former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham’s (R-CA) ties to San Diego businessman Brent Wilkes, defense contractors and CIA officials, the involvement of White House officials in the New Hampshire phone jamming scheme during the 2002 election, secret energy meetings, no-bid contracts with Halliburton, deals with the Carlyle Group over Dubai Ports World, the involvement of White House officials with the companies Harken Energy and Betchel, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) response to Hurricane Katrina, and FBI translator and whistleblower Sibel Edmonds’ case with the Department of Justice on reports by the Inspector General that have been covered up by the FBI.

IN THE SENATE

Date: _________________

Sen. ___________________________ submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.


RESOLUTION
Creating a select committee and appointing a Special Prosecutor to investigate the Administration’s manipulation of intelligence in the run-up to the Iraq war, retaliation against critics, the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame, the White House Iraq Group (WHIG), the Iran-Syria Operations Group (ISOG), the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) spy case involving former Defense Department official Lawrence Franklin, authorization of torture of detainees at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo, use of depleted uranium, forged Niger documents, authorization of warrantless eavesdropping by the National Security Agency, what the Administration was doing in the months before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, former Enron founder Kenneth Lay’s ties to White House officials, White House visits by lobbyist Jack Abramoff, White House press corps appearances by Jeff Gannon, former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham’s (R-CA) ties to San Diego businessman Brent Wilkes, defense contractors and CIA officials, the involvement of White House officials in the New Hampshire phone jamming scheme during the 2002 election, secret energy meetings, no-bid contracts with Halliburton, deals with the Carlyle Group over Dubai Ports World, the involvement of White House officials with the companies Harken Energy and Betchel, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) response to Hurricane Katrina, and FBI translator and whistleblower Sibel Edmonds’ case with the Department of Justice on reports by the Inspector General that have been covered up by the FBI.

Resolved, that there is hereby established in the Senate a select committee to be known as the Select Committee on Treasongate (in this resolution referred to as the ‘Select Committee’).

PURPOSES AND FUNCTIONS

SEC. 2. (a) The Select Committee is authorized and directed to investigate all relevant government agencies actions and decisions relating to evidence of wrongdoing mentioned above, including:

(1) Actions by the White House, National Security Council, Department of State, Department of Defense, and Central Intelligence Agency regarding the Administration’s intent to go to war with Iraq;

(2) Actions by the White House and National Security Agency regarding warrentless spying and wiretapping of citizens in the United States;

(3) Actions by the Federal Emergency Management Agency regarding their response to Hurricane Katrina;

(4) Actions by the White House and Central Intelligence Agency regarding the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame;

(5) Actions by the Department of Interior regarding relations with lobbyist Jack Abramoff;

(6) Actions by the Department of Defense regarding former official Lawrence Franklin and the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee;

(7) Actions by the Department of Defense regarding torture of detainees at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo;

(8) Actions by the White House regarding relations with former Enron founder Kenneth Lay;

(9) Actions by the White House press corps regarding appearances by Jeff Gannon of Talon News;

(10) Actions by the Department of Justice regarding the Sibel Edmonds FBI whistleblower case;

(11) Actions by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Central Intelligence Agency regarding September 11, 2001 intelligence failures;

(12) Actions by the White House regarding the Randy “Duke” Cunningham bribery case and his relations with San Diego businessman Brent Wilkes, defense contractors, prostitutes, former CIA Director Porter Goss, and CIA official Kyle Foggo;

(13) Actions by the Department of State regarding the White House Iraq Group and the Iran-Syria Operations Group;

(14) Actions by the White House and the Department of Energy regarding secret energy meetings;

(15) Actions by the White House regarding no-bid contracts with Halliburton and White House officials who were involved with the companies Harken Energy and Betchel;

(16) Actions by the White House regarding deals with the Carlyle Group over Dubai Ports World.

(17) Actions by the White House, Department of Defense, and Department of State regarding forged Niger documents and use of depleted uranium;

(18) Actions by the Federal Aviation Administration regarding destruction of September 11, 2001 tapes containing interviews with air traffic controllers and former Rep. Tom DeLay’s (R-TX) misuse of the agency;

(19) Actions by the White House regarding the phone jamming scheme in the state of New Hampshire during the 2002 election;

(20) Actions by the White House regarding stolen computers from the Ohio Democratic Headquarters in the 2004 presidential election cycle;

(21) Actions by the Department of Defense regarding the tapes showing the September 11, 2001 attack on the Pentagon;

(22) Actions by the Environmental Protection Agency regarding former chief Christine Todd Whitman’s criminal negligence by telling citizens of New York City that the air was safe to breathe at ground zero shortly after the attacks of September 11, 2001 even though the air was not safe to breathe and this ended up resulting in New Yorkers being hospitalized or dying;

(23) Actions by the White House and Central Intelligence Agency regarding statements linking Saddam Hussein with al Qaeda and the attacks of September 11, 2001;

(24) Actions by the White House regarding possible relations with Ohio election officials and irregularities in the 2004 presidential election.

APPOINTMENT AND MEMBERSHIP

SEC. 3. (a) Members- The Select Committee shall be composed of 32 Members of the Senate to be appointed by the President pro tempore, of whom—

(1) 16 Members shall be appointed upon the recommendation of minority leader as set forth below;

(2) 1 Member he shall designate as chairman;

(3) 1 Member he shall designate, upon the recommendation of the minority leader, as vice chairman;

(4) 4 Members shall sit on the Committee on the Judiciary, of whom 2 shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the minority leader;

(5) 4 Members shall sit on the Committee on Foreign Relations, of who 2 shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the minority leader;

(6) 4 Members shall sit on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, of whom 2 shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the minority leader;

(7) 4 Members shall sit on the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; of whom 2 shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the minority leader;

(8) 4 Members shall sit on the Committee on Armed Services, of whom 2 shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the minority leader;

(9) 4 Members shall sit on the Committee on Indian Affairs, of whom 2 shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the minority leader;

(10) 4 Members shall sit on the Committee on Energy and National Resources, of whom 2 shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the minority leader; and

(11) 4 Members shall sit on the Permanent Select Committee on Ethics, of who 2 shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the minority leader.

(b) Vacancies- Any vacancy occurring in the membership of the Select Committee shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made.

(c) For purposes of this section, the term ‘Member’ means any Senator in the Senate.

POWERS OF SELECT COMMITTEE

SEC. 4. (a) In General-

(1) HEARINGS AND EVIDENCE- The Select Committee or, on the authority of the Select Committee, any subcommittee or member thereof, may, for the purpose of carrying out this resolution—

(A) hold such hearings and sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony, receive such evidence, administer such oaths; and

(B) subject to paragraph (2)(A), require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance testimony of such witnesses and the production of such books, records, correspondence, memoranda, papers, and documents, as the Select Committee or such designated subcommittee or designated member may determine advisable, including but not limited to—

(i) White House documents (e.g., memoranda, emails, notes of phone calls, handwritten notes, recordings of conversations);

(ii) Department of Defense documents;

(iii) Department of Justice materials;

(iv) Department of State documents;

(v) Department of Interior materials;

(vi) Department of Energy materials;

(vii) National Security Agency analyses;

(viii) Central Intelligence Agency analyses;

(ix) Defense Intelligence Agency analyses;

(x) Federal Emergency Management Agency analyses;

(xi) National Security Council memoranda;

(xii) Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald’s notes, grand jury materials, and other evidence collected or created as part of the CIA leak investigation.

(xiii) Federal Prosecutors’ notes, grand jury materials, and other evidence collected or created as part of the Jack Abramoff investigation.

(xiv) Federal Prosecutor’s notes, grand jury materials, and other evidence collected or created as part of the Randy “Duke” Cunningham investigation.

(2) SUBPOENAS-

(A) ISSUANCE-

(i) IN GENERAL- A subpoena may be issued under this section only—

(I) by the agreement of the chairman and vice chairman; or

(II) by the affirmative vote of 16 members of the Select Committee.

(ii) SIGNATURE- Subject to clause (i); subpoenas issued under this subsection may be issued under the signature of the chairman or any other member designated by a majority of the Select Committee, and may be served by any person designated by the chairman or by a member designated by a majority of the Select Committee.

(B) ENFORCEMENT-

(i) IN GENERAL- In the case of contumacy or failure to obey a subpoena issued under subsection (a), the United States district court for the judicial district in which the subpoenaed person resides, is served, or may be found, or where the subpoena is returnable, may issue an order requiring such person to appear at any designated place to testify or to produce documentary or other evidence. Any failure to obey the order of the court may be punished by the court as a contempt of that court.

(ii) ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT- In the case of any failure by any witness to comply with any subpoena or to testify when summoned under authority of this section, the Select Committee may, by majority vote, certify a statement of fact constituting such failure to the appropriate United States attorney, who may bring the matter before the grand jury for its action, under the same statutory authority and procedures as if the United States attorney had received a certification under sections 102 through 104 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (2 U.S.C. 192 through 194).

(b) Contradicting- The Select Committee may, to such extent and in such amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts, enter into contracts to enable the Select Committee to discharge its duties under this resolution.

(c) Information from Federal Agencies-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Select Committee is authorized to secure directly from any executive department, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, independent establishment, or instrumentality of the Government, information, suggestions, estimates, and statistics for the purposes of this resolution. Each department, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, independent establishment, or instrumentality shall, to the extent authorized by law, furnish such information, suggestions, estimates, and statistics directly to the Select Committee, upon request made by the chairman, the chairman of any subcommittee created by a majority of the Select Committee, or any member designated by a majority of the Select Committee.

(2) RECEIPT, HANDLING, STORAGE, AND DISSEMINATION- Information shall only be received, handled, stored, and disseminated by members of the Select Committee and its staff consistent with all applicable statutes, regulations, and Executive orders.

(d) Assistance From Federal Agencies-

(1) GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION- The Administrator of the General Services shall provide to the Select Committee on a reimbursable basis administrative support and other services for the performances of the Select Committee’s functions.

(2) OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES- In addition to the assistance prescribed in paragraph (1), departments and agencies of the United States may provide to the Select Committee such services, funds, facilities, staff, and other support services as they may determine advisable and as may be authorized by law.

(e) Gifts- The Select Committee may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or donations of services or property.

(f) Postal Services- The Select Committee may use the United States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as departments and agencies of the United States.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

SEC. 5. (a) Subject to the adoption of expenses resolutions in the Senate, the Select Committee may incur expenses in connection with its functions under this resolution.

(b) In carrying out its functions under this resolution, the Select Committee, is authorized to—

(1) appoint, either on permanent basis or as experts or consultants, such staff as the Select Committee considers necessary;

(2) prescribe the duties and responsibilities of such staff;

(3) fix the compensation of such staff at a single per annum gross rate which does not exceed the highest rate of basic pay, as in effect from time to time, of level V of the Executive Schedule in section 5316 of title 5, United States Code;

(4) terminate the employment of any such staff as the Select Committee considers appropriate; and,

(5) reimburse members of the Select Committee and of its staff for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by them in the performance of their duties responsibilities for the Select Committee, or a subcommittee thereof, held in the District of Columbia.

(c) The Select Committee and all authority granted in this resolution shall expire 30 days after the filing of the report of the Select Committee with the Senate.

REPORTS FROM SELECT COMMITTEE

SEC. 6. (a) The Select Committee shall report to the Senate as soon as practical during the present Congress, but not later than six months after the date of passage of this resolution, the results of its investigation and study, together with such recommendations as it deems advisable. The Select Committee shall report to the Committee on the Judiciary as soon as practical during the present Congress, but not later than six months after the date of passage of this resolution, of any substantial and credible information which such Select Committee receives in carrying out its responsibilities.

(b) Any such report which is made when the Senate is not in session shall be filed with the Senate Bill Clerk.

(c) Any such report shall be referred to the committee or committees which have jurisdiction over the subject matter thereof.

(d) The records, files, and materials of the Select Committee shall be transferred to the Senate Bill Clerk but, if the report of the Select Committee is referred to only one committee under the provisions of subsection (c), the records, files, and materials of the Select Committee shall be transferred instead to the committee to which the final report is referred.

SPECIAL PROSECUTOR

The Special Prosecutor shall be appointed by a majority vote of the Select Committee and confirmed by a majority vote of the full Senate. The Special Prosecutor’s job shall consist of independent investigations of the various matters and questioning witnesses who show up at the hearings in the committees. The Special Prosecutor must submit public progress reports on investigations to Congress every 90 days.

[savemefromdumbya]

1. I guess you could hold a Nuremburg style hearing for this?

[autorank]

2. Rate it up!!! This does their work for them & they need a boost;)

Excellent, comprehensive, detailed, considers the various problems that could arise...fair, and
able to coalesce the multiple threads of illegal acidity into one raging river.

I say this should be sent to our Congressional representatives. I know that mine is getting a fax,
pretty soon. Maybe I'll but some letterhead on it and the rep will think it's official.



Note: Please introduce this Tuesday morning and get back to me. Leader (smudged signature).

Think that will do it :evilgrin:

...and it will all be your fault Independent_Liberal. We'll have to sart calling you...

[SammyWinstonJack]

3. K & R

[stellanoir]

4. another day

another scandal. It's mind boggling really.

K'd & R'd

[Catrina]

5. That is excellent work, Independent Liberal ~ so many scandals to

investigate. I wonder how many years it will take to unravel all of it. That Abramoff Affairs alone, someone said recently, could take up to ten years.

This is so good, you definitely have done their work for them and should send it in ~

[Patsy Stone]

6. We can put the country back to work

in the DoJ. They're going to need a lot of help prosecuting all of this.

K&R. Great work. What a scary list.