Posted on 07/08/2004 11:13:38 AM PDT by jmstein7
As some of you may be aware, I have -- for what it's worth -- a complaint pending in the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. If you’re not familiar with the details of the pending complaint, you can click here.
Anyway, the rules of the Committee clearly state that the Committee shall meet on the first Thursday of every month. At this meeting, the Committee deals with all the issues – including complaints – on the table, i.e. everything they have received during the prior month. The first Thursday of this month occurred during a recess, so I merely called the Committee to see if they were meeting today (I checked the Senate calendar before calling, of course).
I was put on hold for five minutes, before the girl answering the phone got back on and told me that that information was “classified.” I repeated the rule to her – that they meet on the first Thursday – and then I asked her again when they would be meeting this month, based on the recess. She asked who I was, and I told her my name and also that I had business pending in the Committee. She responded that she was sorry, but that the Committee meetings are secret and that she could not tell me merely WHEN they were meeting (I didn’t ask her anything substantive). I pleaded with her, but she told me that it was none of my business.
The nerve!
Of course, please fell free to call the Senate Select Committee on Ethics (please be nice! NO foul language or shouting) at (202) 224 – 2981 and ask them the following questions:
1) WHEN is their July meeting?
2) Will they be considering the complaint about John Kerry’s illegal receipt of his salary?
3) Tell them to do the right thing and dock Senator Kerry his salary in accordance with 2 U.S.C. 39!
If you call, please post the details of your conversation to this thread J
Ping!
You think that's bad, you ought to try and call Asa Hutchinson's office.....
You need to repeat this to the highest ranking members of that committee. Send the email to each of their offices, or better yet a certified letter (spell-checked, on nice paper and signed)
BUMP!
You might also call your 2 Senators, and ask them to find out for you. Tell them what happened.
Well, I don't think that would do much good... my Senators are Clinton and Schumer.
My deepest sympathies.
It stinks; I have no representation in the Senate!
jmstein7, you are awesome! Just awesome! Sure I'll call for you.
"Well, I don't think that would do much good... my Senators are Clinton and Schumer."
OUCH! Have you considered moving?
Remember, they are YOUR Senators and YOU are a constituent. Give them a chance (or at least their staffs a chance). If the information is in the public domain, you should be given it. If it truely is not, they should let you know that as well. It is very possible that it is internal Senate business and that you really don't have business knowing about it. But I don't know.
Thank you!
Considering the fedgov doesn't abide by the US constitution, I am not suprised that the Senate Rules Committee doesn't follow its own rules. The idea that the state can ever be limited is naive at best.
Neither do I (Feinstein & Boxer)
Well, yes and no. The meetings themselves (and what is discussed) is generally private (and for good reason -- can't have unsubstantiated charges floating around), but the dates of meetings are public -- it SAYS when they meet in the rules, which is public info.
Therefore, the "rain date" for meetings is public info as well.
Wow.
On Fox news this morning, there was a Republican by the name of Brad Bxxxx (something or other). He mentioned in his comeback in response to the Edwards crony that both Kerry and Edwards were barely in Washington doing the job the tax payers paid them to do.
Do you know why this was? He was EXCELLENT in his responses. He might be a person to contact since he mentioned their absences also.
Also, send in a comment to Hannity/OReilly/Greta. Being a lawyer too, maybe Greta could help?
A very sweet, young voice told me that it was classified. I asked her where in the rules it said that this was classified information. She said she didn't know, that she was new, and that some lady just told her to say that. Honestly, I believed her. I told her that that didn't sound right and that they were obligated to inform the public about these sorts of things. (Even if they can keep the content private, they surely cannot keep the meeting private.)
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