Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Petition for open hearings into Sibel Edmonds' case & SSP

This post will stay on top. Scroll down for new posts. Please call the offices of Congressmen Waxman - (202) 225-3976 - and Conyers - (202) 225-5126 - demanding open hearings into Sibel Edmonds' case and the State Secrets Privilege. (Capitol switchboard number - 800-828-0498)

The Petition:
-------------------------------------
To: The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

A Petition to require public hearings by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform into confirmed reports by FBI Whistleblower Sibel Edmonds of wrongdoing, criminal activities, cover-ups against the security and interests of the United States and its citizenry, and the erroneous use of the State Secrets Privilege to shut down all court proceedings in her case.

In March 2002 the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-IG) began its investigation of Ms. Edmonds’ reports.

In June 2002, in at least two unclassified Senate briefings, FBI officials confirmed the validity of Ms. Edmonds reports; however, in May 2004 Attorney General Ashcroft retroactively classified information from these briefings and gagged the Congress, preventing further investigation.
In October 2002 Attorney General Ashcroft invoked the ‘State Secrets Privilege’ to block all court proceedings in Edmonds’ case.

In July 2004 the DOJ-IG investigation into Edmonds' dismissal was completed but was entirely classified.

In January 2005 the DOJ-IG released an unclassified summary report on Edmonds’ case which concluded that Edmonds was fired for reporting serious security breaches and misconduct in the agency's translation program, and that many of her allegations were supported by other witnesses and documents.

The issues that were reported by Ms. Edmonds include:
• Cases of espionage activities within the FBI, DOD, and the Department of State

• Cases of cover-up of information and leads pre and post 9/11, under the excuse of protecting certain diplomatic relations

• Cases of intentional blocking and mistranslation of crucial intelligence by FBI translators and management


• Cases of foreign entities bribing certain government officials and elected representatives

Edmonds filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the Department of Justice, but the government successfully argued that the state secrets privilege was an absolute bar to her suit going forward. She was even barred from the courtroom during the argument of her appeal! The Supreme Court declined to review the case. The government's invocation of the state secrets privilege in a motion to dismiss her case contradicts the core idea of judicial review and essentially allows the Executive Branch to dictate to the federal courts what cases they can and can’t hear.

Invoking the State Secrets Privilege is a tactic frequently used by the Executive Branch to stop potentially embarrassing lawsuits against the government. Many of these suits are brought by government employees, such as Ms. Edmonds, who allege fraud, mismanagement, or other unlawful conduct, and the state secrets privilege has successfully been invoked by the government to silence them. The state secrets provision has been used too frequently and with too little public protection.

Given the seriousness of Ms. Edmonds’ reports and in the best interests of the security of the country, it is incumbent upon the Congress to exercise its oversight responsibilities and authority as representatives of the people of the United States, therefore:

We, the undersigned, now call upon the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in Congress to hold public hearings into the case of FBI Whistleblower Sibel Edmonds, and the erroneous use of the State Secrets Privilege to shut down all court proceedings in her case.
-------------------------------------
See here for the full list of signatories including 30 liberal, libertarian and conservative groups including the American Civil Liberties Union, Citizen Outreach, OMB Watch, Electronic Privacy Information Center, Government Accountability Project, Electronic Freedom Foundation, and the National Coalition Against the Censorship

Please call the offices of Congressmen Waxman and Conyers demanding open hearings into Sibel Edmonds' case and the State Secrets Privilege.

Capitol switchboard number - 800-828-0498

Update: Emailers have suggested that those calling Waxman's office should ask for Michelle Ash (Michelle.Ash@mail.house.gov) & David Rapallo. Those calling Conyers' office should ask for Elliot Mintzberg.

Waxman Contact Details:
In Washington, D.C.
2204 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-3976 (phone)
(202) 225-4099 (fax)

In Los Angeles
8436 West Third Street, Suite 600
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 651-1040 (phone)
(818) 878-7400 (phone)
(310) 652-3095 (phone)
(323) 655-0502 (fax)


Conyers Contact Details:
Email: John.Conyers@mail.house.gov

2426 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5126
(202) 225-0072 Fax

2615 W. Jefferson
Trenton, MI 48183
(734) 675-4084
(734) 675-4218 Fax


669 Federal Building
231 W. Lafayette
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 961-5670
(313) 226-2085 Fax


You can also contact two senators who have previously showed support for Sibel.
Senator Grassley: ph: 202.224.3744 Full contact details here
Senator Leahy: ph: (202) 224-4242 senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov Full contact details here

NB: If you click on the envelope just below here, on the right, next to the word 'Comments' you can email this entire petition to anyone, including John Conyers at John.Conyers@mail.house.gov

(NB - this post has been 'post-dated' to keep it on top. Originally posted March 7th)

100 comments:

Unknown said...

thx for the heads up on this, lukery. I will contact both Conyers and Waxman ASAP

lukery said...

appreciate it.

thnx

Yankee Doodle said...

I discovered the Sibel Edmonds controversy about two days ago, and have been looking into it a great deal since then. I posted about it: Gag Me. That post links to several of yours, and my blog now links to yours. I suggest that you open up the links option to your posts -- it will get more traffic through here.

If I may make a further suggestion, please add a post with more information specifying which legislators have done (or obstructed) what.

The strong impression that I have at this point is that the Bush Administration is obstructing many important, related investigations, and that Republican legislators are key in permitting this to go on.

My readership is mostly Republicans, and it might do some good if we have specific information regarding which Republican legislators are causing the problems, so those legislators can get an earful from people that the legislators know will show up and vote against them in their next primary election.

Sibel Edmonds needs to be heard, and Washington needs to be held accountable, starting in the Oval Office, but continuing through the Capitol Building, and snaking around the rest of DC, too.

It's our country. It's time decent people on all sides of the issue work together, and take our country back from the weaselocracy.

lukery said...

yankee doodle - thanks for your comment, and your help moving this story forward.

for an overview of Sibel's case, a good place to start is my recent interview with Scott Horton. For more background, see the links in my internal blogroll at wotisitgood4

Anonymous said...

I called today. The truth will set us free from the most corrupt administration in history.

George Oilwellian

lukery said...

thanks George - what did you learn?

were they responsive?

which office(s) did you call?

Jason said...

I'm glad I found this site. I think I read about Ms. Edmonds in Vanity Fair some months ago and was more than mildly shocked by the seeming disinterest in our government to excel and stay honest. I will try and call from Germany to the senators.

lukery said...

thanks jason. i really appreciate it.

the vanity fair article yuo mentioned is here
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9774.htm

Unfortunately, the article actually whitewashed many elements of the story - but it's a good place to start.

don't forget to recruit your friends anf family this week to call waxman and conyers.

Anonymous said...

I will be calling five congressional offices Tuesday morning seeking appointments with all of them. At a minimum, I will be voicing my right of redress to have public hearings of the material raised by Ms. Edmonds and others, concerning their reports of grave wrong-doing within governance itself.

I will not stand by, and simply watch my country dissolve for a lack of courage and spine in Congress.

lukery said...

thnx erin - let us know how you go.

Anonymous said...

I added information about this story to both WikiYourRights.com and Your-Rights.com!!!

I found out about your post from information someone left on my MySpace.com profile.

It's in wiki format, click my name to view and/or edit what I posted!

Anonymous said...

I suggest you create an online petition for interested parties to join

lukery said...

anon - thanks for your suggestion. actually, at this stage of the campaign, we want people to participate/help by calling waxman and conyers.

that's the most impactful thing that any of us can do.

Acebass said...

I sent them an e-mail and copied you I will also call their offices...
As well as my congressman.

lukery said...

thnx acebass - let us know how you go.

Anonymous said...

Have you received any indication from Waxman or Conyers that they are considering holding hearings? I called Waxman this weekend, and his voice mail was full, which I took as a good sign (I called today during office hours).

lukery said...

anon - yes, we have received positive noises. Waxman actually promised to hold hearings when he was in the Minority, and we are optimistic about getting a committment from him later this week - but we need to keep up the pressure for one more day, Tuesday.

Ennealogic said...

Contacted both congressman's offices. Got live folks at the end of the line who were polite, and who said they would communicate my plea for them to let Sibel Edmonds have a say in a public hearing.

lukery said...

Ennealogic - great work, thanks.

Anonymous said...

Is Sibel Edmonds saying that Richard Perle and Douglas Feith paid the US Military to execute the 9/11 hoax?

http://www.911movement.org/thread.php?377

lukery said...

"Is Sibel Edmonds saying that Richard Perle and Douglas Feith paid the US Military to execute the 9/11 hoax?"

No.

Anonymous said...

I guess Sibel Edmonds does not know about the NewRuleSets.Project

http://www.911movement.org/thread.php?377

Only the U S Military has the means, motive and opportunity to pull off 9/11.

Anonymous said...

It's great to see Ms. Edmonds finally have a shot at telling her story, he courage and will (and beauty!:) are remarkable. I haven't heard from Indira Singh in a while, any news?

Also, after 6729 views this clip was taken off my YouTube account, which was then killed - and no other copies are up. It's even gone from 911podcasts.com where I first found it, a strange extension of the incredible press blackout on this a year after Charlie Sheen went public.

Rosie has 30 million viewers a day who can help explode 9/11 Truth, and we should support her courage so that other celebrities know they'll be applauded for their efforts.

Since no one agrees with anyone on everything, consider this idea solely as a strong endorsement of her patriotism on this particular issue.

Please post and pass this video on:

::: VIDEO CLIP :::

9/11 Truth: Polite vs. Rosie O'Donnell & Christine Ebersole

Filename: froof.wmv
Filesize: 1.44 MB

SOURCE - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=RRCZ7BGY

Anonymous said...

I feel this is a question for all that live in and for democracy on this planet the goverments we give power to are responsible for transparencey and shpuld be held accountable for their behaviour Thank god for the sibel Edmonds of this world we need to cherish them adn respect them as they tell teh truth of the way we live and wish to be treated in the future. God Bless the search for truth and shame on the Bush and Howard goverments for hiding behind bogus laws and lies . Keep the faith that truth is the only light that we have to guide those that follow in our footsteps.

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