Ha, apparently the Wolf offices have turned off their fax machines everywhere but at their Capitol Hill office! :)
From the Feder for Congress campaign (of which, yes indeedy, I am - as stated a gazillion times here on this very blog - a paid consultant):
Congressman Wolf's Office Flooded with Faxes from ConstituentsStaff Refuses to Answer Questions on Iraq
McLean, VA-Yesterday Judy Feder, Democratic Nominee for Congress in Virginia's 10th District, called on Representative Frank Wolf to clarify his position on a timeline for withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.
The Feder campaign was alerted yesterday that Congressman Wolf's office was refusing to answer questions about his position on the Iraq War, and demanding instead that constituents fax their request for information to his Washington, DC office.
"I just think it's outrageous that the Congressman's staff couldn't be bothered to answer questions about where he stands on the issues important to his district," said Feder. "The voters of the 10th District ought to be able to pick up a phone and get answers from their Congressman - especially a Congressman who is known for constituent services."
In a letter addressed to the Congressman and faxed to his office, Feder requested that Congressman Wolf answer the following questions:
1. Prime Minister Al-Maliki and the Iraqi government have expressed a desire for American troops to withdraw for Iraq by the end of 2010. Do you support a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. More specifically, do you support the 2010 timeline for withdrawal?2. Do you support Senator McCain's open-ended commitment to the War in Iraq?
The Feder campaign also reached out to supporters in the 10th District to send faxes and emails to the Congressman's office asking that he clarify his position. As of early this afternoon, Congressman Wolf's office had received more than 100 faxes and emails from around the 10th district from voters requesting that he clarify his position on a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq.
"There's nothing on either the campaign website or his congressional website about where he stands on this issue," said Luke McFarland, Feder campaign manager. "If you look at his record over the last couple of years, it's almost impossible to figure out what his position is on a timetable for withdrawal. The voters deserve to know his position on Iraq. And they should be able to call his office and get an answer from his staff without having to jump through hoops."
The full text of the letter sent to Congressman Wolf's office is below:
The Honorable Frank Wolf241 Cannon Building
Washington, DC 20515Dear Congressman Wolf:
As I am sure you are aware, over the weekend Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Maliki spoke out in favor of Senator Obama's plan for a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. Yesterday, senior Iraqi government officials again re-stated their support for troop withdrawal by the end of 2010:
The comments by spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh mark the second time in recent days that a senior Iraqi has endorsed a timetable for U.S. withdrawal that is roughly similar to the one advocated by Obama. Dabbagh suggested that a combat force pullout could be completed by the end of 2010, which would be about seven months longer than Obama's 16-month formulation. [Washington Post, Iraq Points to Pullout in 2010, July 22, 2008]
I am writing to you today because I have been unable to determine your position with respect to setting a timetable for withdrawal of American troops, or whether you support the position of your party's presidential nominee, Senator John McCain, who has called for an open-ended commitment in Iraq.
Early today we received word from several 10th district voters that they too have been unable to get an answer from your office with respect to your position on Iraq. Apparently your office requested that constituents fax their specific questions to your office on Capitol Hill. Based on the information we have received from your office, we are faxing a request for answers to the following questions:
1. Prime Minister Al-Maliki and the Iraqi government have expressed a desire for American troops to withdraw for Iraq by the end of 2010. Do you support a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. More specifically, do you support the 2010 timeline for withdrawal?
2. Do you support Senator McCain's open-ended commitment to the War in Iraq?
I am sure you agree that the voters of Virginia's 10th district deserve to know exactly where their elected officials and candidates for office stand with respect to the Iraq War. I look forward to your timely response.
Respectfully,
Judy Feder