Cross posted at MyDD.Just a few quick links to remind Virginians that Cheney could never have succeeded in his power grab without a team carrying his water and parroting his talking points, and most importantly, leaving him alone. Tom Davis looked the other way for years while Cheney stole the Constitution out from under the American people. Davis's willingness to close his eyes to the abuses didn't stop the Congressman from holding out his oily palms to be greased by Cheney's chums in the energy industry--and then lying about it.
Most importantly, consider if Davis still were in charge of the Oversight Committee: no one would even know today that Cheney has considered himself "exempt" from the executive branch since at least 2004. Davis and his impotent Committee made no report and held no hearing about this disingenuous position. Certainly, Davis didn't campaign on the basis of bringing about Cheney accountability in 2006. Will you demand he do so in 2008?
The case against Cheney is compelling and large. If you have time to only read one piece, see the slideshow on WaPo here.
Waxman has a list of some of Cheney's violations of law and Constitution since 2001 here. Earlier, Waxman explained, Cheney's office tried to have the Information Security Oversight Office abolished when it appealed to the Department of Justice to try to investigate Cheney.
When WaPo's Dan Froomkin says there was "No Checks, No Balances, and No Supervision of Cheney, he might as well have named Davis. Cheney's power grabs went unchallenged by Davis or the Committee now headed by Waxman.
The Waxman list of Cheney abuses include:
* Exempting the Office of the Vice President from the Executive Order on Classified National Security Information.
* Blocking GAO Oversight as part of the task force to develop a national energy policy.
* Concealing Privately-Funded Travel.
* Withholding Information about Vice Presidential Staff.
* Concealing Information about Visitors to the Vice President?s Residence.
* Allowing Former Vice Presidents to Assert Privilege Over Documents.
The House Speaker has a link to Cheney issues here.
One blogger suggests Davis took a lesson from Cheney's management of Iran-Contra for the Reagan Bush administration, when Cheney obtained immunity for Committee witnesses, ending the ability of DoJ to negotiate its own information from that administration staff.
Davis wants to join Jim Webb in the Senate in 2008. The Washington Times reports this week that Warner is moving on from the Senate, while delaying his announcement to squelch a Republican primary primary that might weaken Davis.
Postal Reform passed. Davis held that up for 10 years so postal unions and delivery providers would give campaign contributions to him and his wife. (Notice a pattern here?)
Waxman held a hearing on the Plame leak. We found out about the Gonzales firings. Now Cheney is exposed. Next we expect a breakthrough on terrible news on US role in more torture. More here.