Last night, after Kucinich was done introducing his latest impeachment article, he made some time in his busy media schedule to answer some questions on various topics, from Continuity of Government to Whistleblower protection, with representatives from 911truth.org and myself. You can hear the entire Q & A here;
http://media.putfile.com/Kucinich-Q--A---7102008 - If the putfile stream doesn't play for you, here is a 4.6 MB MP3 download;
http://www.911podcasts.com/files/audio/Kucinich-Conference-Call_7-10-08_911truth-org.mp3Here are the questions we asked, (there is more information in the audio, including a little preamble from Kucinich about last night's impeachment article at the beginning of the call), and a transcript of answers from Kucinich. (The phrasing of the questions varies slightly in the audio, but the questions were provided in the written form you see below to Kucinich);
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Paul: There are millions of Americans working to reclaim their government. Whether the issue is impeachment, voter fraud, a new 9/11 investigation, or ending and preventing wars, the American people seem to have no voice in their own government. They have protested, educated, presented an impeachment petition with more than 1 million signatures from a former attorney general. Numerous polls show all time low support for Congress, the President and the direction the country is going. Given these facts, we have 2 questions:
What prevents members of Congress from taking the action they know is necessary and demanded by the people? For example, why are there only have 7 co-sponsors on your impeachment bill when we know more representatives than that actually support it?
What is the single, most powerful strategy to reclaim our government?Kucinich: Well, these are very good questions. I think what prevents Congress from moving forward is a sense of fear. Fear of, what do you do when you start to exercise power? I mean, think about it, it's a classic story of a condition where people who have power, are afraid to use it, and then they forget that they have it, and when they're told to use it, they don't know how. This article of impeachment helps Congress regain its rightful role, not just as a co-equal branch of government, the Founders provided Congress would be established first, in a sense it has a superior position. We have to move away from this imperial presidency, away from a nation on a war path, away from a reach for empire and military build-ups, and return to a more humble position in world affairs, where we deal with the matters that people care about, their health, their housing, their education, their environment.
But America's first gonna have to go through a period of Truth and Reconciliation, and I know that's what you're about, and that's why I appreciate an opportunity to speak with you.
Paul: Dennis, you mentioned fear in Congress, what is the primary thing generating that fear and how can we help alleviate that fear so that they can take the proper action?Kucinich: Encourage people to stand up. People need encouragement. The people in Congress have come into an environment which is dramatically different than it was before 9/11. Let me give you an example. Today, all over Capitol Hill, you will see cameras, and guard dogs, and streets that turn into instant barricades - they actually fold up, guards with shotguns and automatic weapons and sniper rifles that can fire hundreds of yards... we're like a garrison state here. And that plays with people's heads, and when it becomes ordinary, it becomes ordinary to vote for FISA, ordinary to vote for war, ordinary to look the other way when the president lies us into war, ordinary to not ask the type of questions that need to be asked about what do we do to make this country more secure without going into war...
We're in a condition right now which is not conducive to democracy. And so in a very simple way, an article of impeachment gives us the ability to reclaim some of that power that belongs to the people. It's not for these people that hold the offices, it certainly doesn't belong to the president to hoard the power and to pretend that somehow he's now a dictator or a monarch.
Paul: So, Dennis you've almost described a police state, in a way. What is the most powerful strategy for us to reclaim our government? What is the primary thing that you would suggest that we do, as activists?Kucinich: To practice being free, every day. That may sound trite, but to exercise the capacity of citizenship. To stand up and speak out in forums both large and small, to write that letter, to make the phone call, to meet with a Representative, to organize rallies, to bring people together, to have discussion groups, to reclaim a sense of agency as citizens, because that's a quality that has been lost in the last 7 seven years.
We can reclaim it. It was lost, it can be reclaimed. But we can only do it through action, and in a sense we have to acquire a capacity for active thought, word, and deed. And it can be done in a way that can be dedicated, it can be done in a way that's joyous, but it needs to be done.
We need to remember the ferment that caused a nation to be born. And the nation is born and dies everyday by each of us, depending on our inclination to challenge the status quo, or to accept it.
Paul: So you're saying, Dennis, Grassroots activism is really our most powerful strategy.Kucinich: That's what's gonna save America. Because what happens in Washington, everything in Washington is now from the top down. We're not paying enough attention to what's happening at that Grassroots level. And yet, the Grassroots activity, in its totality, has the ability to change Washington. People who are in positions of power... they lack a certain amount of humility, and secretly understand that they could be toppled very easily. And the system has a very fine line that supports its continuation, and if people get involved and decide to change it, they can do it. And that's actually our inheritance as you read the Declaration of Independence. If you don't like the system, you can change it.
Mike: Representative Kucinich, you told Student Scholars for 911 truth and stated in radio interviews that: "because you can you will hold hearings to examine the insider trading and financial market anomalies connected to the attacks." You told Justin of Student Scholars that you would have announcement about the hearings last September.
Since you stated you would hold these hearings more than a year and a half ago, what prevents you from holding these hearings? Additionally, would you include hearings regarding the missing $2.3 trillion dollars from the Pentagon announced by Rumsfeld?Kucinich: First of all, of course I remember speaking to Justin, the presidential campaign that I was in quickly turned into a congressional campaign where I had to fight to stay in Congress, I won that race in March, and since then, I've been I've been working on these impeachment resolutions, I have every intention of moving forward with a hearing, or hearings, on the matter of stock options. It's something that I've been looking at for quite a while, and gathering information. I'm hopeful to be able to do something before the election. I don't wanna make it hotter just for this campaign, it's a matter of seeking the truth, I have a small subcommittee, but I am absolutely determined to hold a hearing. The only thing that prevents me from doing it is limitations of staff and time. But I want to do this. No one is telling me not to do it, I want to do it, I've been gathering information, and I'm always ready to receive more. You just told me about that matter involving Rumsfeld, I can't say that I've heard that before, I'm certainly interested in hearing what anyone has to offer.
I'm the kind of person who's not afraid to ask questions, and I've certainly asked questions in Washington that others have failed to, and I will continue to do that, and I look forward to looking with you on some of the areas that we just talked about.
Mike: Well I would like to offer our effort in helping you, if you're short of staff, we would be more than willing to help you in any way we could, with time and volunteers, and I'm certain we could do that if you would like our help...Kucinich: Well of course I'd like your help! Look at the Domestic Policy Subcommittee of the Congress and go to the web and look at Government Oversight. I have one of the more active subcommittees. We cover a range of things that come into our view. And while I've been doing all the things you can look at, at the same time I have been meeting with people who talk about this issue of the stock transactions. Because from the minute it happened I've been interested. So, I'm gathering information, the Hearing process is a long and drawn out one in terms of setting the stage for a Hearing, but it's my intention to have a hearing, certainly before this Congress runs its course.
And that is a commitment.
Allan: There are many questions about 9/11 that could have been answered long ago if the 9/11 Commission had proceeded in a more open manner. The Commission turned over its records to the National Archives where they remain under a "general restriction from public access on these records until 2009". (1) The National Archives website states that these materials are free from FOIA requests, "Because the Commission was part of the legislative branch". (1)
My question is;
Will your office write a Bill or Resolution that will make the public release of these records lawfully binding? It should be crafted to include a message to all government agencies to collaborate with, and aid, the Archives in its work. It should also include text that will release physical evidence for public examination, so that the public can weigh the value of any proofs that the Commission used to draw their conclusions. (This would include all Pentagon surveillance videos depicting the attack on the Pentagon; all surveillance video that depicts the alleged hijackers boarding the aircraft that were used as missiles on 9/11; access to the debris from United 93 currently stored at the Iron Mountain facility in Boyers, Pennsylvania; and, access to the steel recovered from the World Trade Center, currently stored in Hangar 17 at the JFK airport in NY.) (2)References--
1.
http://www.archives.gov/research/9-11-commission/2.
http://www.panynj.gov/AboutthePortAuthority/PressCenter/PressReleases/PressRelease/index.php?id=695and
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=9289Kucinich: Well, first of all let me say that when the National Archives received the legal custody of the 9/11 Commission, it was back in August, 2004, it set up, through the commission this restriction for public access.
I think that saying the commission was part of the legislative branch... is not appropriate. And I think that I would argue that these records should be subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Especially since there are so many contests about the verifiability of facts that were presented to the public. And I certainly favor an open and transparent information process... wherever you have information that is not available, it's very easy to manipulate a public position. So I'd be happy to entertain the question that you raised about launching a law that would open it up. But, what we would have to do, apparently, is amend the Federal Records Act so that we would say that the Commission would be subject to the Freedom of Information Act.
And I think that it should be subject to the Freedom of Information Act.
Janice: On 9/11, Continuity of Government procedures were implemented. Are we still operating under COG? Is this the reason why Congress cannot do anything, because they literally have no power? Even the Committee on Homeland Security, which has proper clearance, has been denied access to the detailed documents. Has Congress been prohibited, legally, from talking about COG? The American people deserve to know what structure of government we're living under, and we appreciate you clarifying this for us. Congress clearly has no oversight over secret operations of the Executive Branch. What do the American People need to do to restore co-equal branches of government, given this scenario?Kucinich: Well, Congress does have power and is acting, whether it's acting wisely is another question. The president set a couple months ago an executive order that continued this emergency that existed... after 9/11.
I think that the questions that have been raised about Continuity of Government are very serious, because they relate as to whether or not the president can take us into a state of emergency and suspend the Constitution. We need to know what the rules are here. Members of Congress have made efforts to try to get the documents from the administration, that relate to continuity of government, and not been able to obtain them. This is something that I'm very concerned about, that I have followed, that I'll continue to follow up on.
If we hadn't seen this administration take us into a war based on lies, suspend habeas corpus, attack the Fourth Amendment and many other provisions to the Constitution, then there would be no reason to be concerned about this provision of Continuity of Government, but since they have done that, and have shown a willingness to compromise the Constitution of the United States, in very deep ways, we better be very concerned, and I think that Congress has to get the information about what the intentions are of this administration, with respect to the issues of Continuity of Government, COG should not be about a power grab. If the nation is under some of severe attack, then that would be a way to continue the government.
But COG should not be used as a cover for an anti-democratic takeover of this nation. And I think that we have to be suspicious of this administration's activities anytime the president signs an executive order that seems to take steps in directions of anti-democratic conduct.
Janice: And is there something that we the people who are familiar with COG planning and what that means can be doing to push our legislators to take more action? Even the Homeland Security Committee that has proper clearance was denied access when they were trying to find out what was happening with .Kucinich: Well, I can tell you that I've spoken to members of Congress who have been more involved with this than I have, and they told me they hit a stonewall in trying to get information out of the administration. Now when you have a Congress that is either unwilling or unable to enforce its subpoena powers... there are limitations here. That's why the articles of impeachment become important, because Congress reasserts its authority, causing the administration to realize that they're within the reach of legal process when Congress demands information.
Right now the Bush administration generally has ignored requests from the Congress for detailed information about areas that relate to its administrative conduct and its enforcement of the law, and its lack of enforcement of law.
Janice: So we need to push them to act on those subpoenas?Kucinich: Congress' subpoena power relates to Congress' co-equality, its checks and balances. The next article of impeachment could very well deal with the administration not responding and obeying the subpoenas of Congress. Congress has trouble getting information. And when it does get information we always see the administration is held in a very bad light because they've been proceeding along a path that has either been anti-democratic or has undermined the Constitution, broken the laws or put money in the pockets of some special interest group.
Again this is something that Congress is going to have to do. It's Congress that has to get this information out that the administration is holding with respect to their plans and their views with the issue of COG. I was the one who raised the question about
posse comitatus, where the administration clearly was taking a step that compromised the century old prohibition on the use of military in domestic affairs.
We've got to realize that our Constitution's on the line everyday, in every way, and COG is just one way...
Janice: We get contacted by whistle blowers on a regular basis with information pertaining to 9/11. For example, we are aware of a military intelligence officer who is sitting in prison, at this moment, in Georgia, who has no habeas corpus rights. He is in effect, a political prisoner. Without a criminal investigation into 9/11, who can these whistle blowers turn to with their information? There are no organizations willing to help them, or this person specifically. They have told us they do not have attorneys willing to take on the government or help with these cases as they are afraid of repercussions. The whistle blowers' lives are on the line. What can you do to help them? Kucinich: Well, whistleblowers are a special breed of people, it takes a lot of courage to put their careers on the line, they have a moral responsibility to come forward to protect the public, and I think that we need to protect whistleblowers, we need to welcome them, we need to make sure they don't lose their job. We need to encourage people that if information is being brought forward by their superiors that they learned is not true, we need to reward them. Currently, we have an administration where whistleblowers are always in jeopardy, if you stand up and speak out, you can lose your position, you can lose your job, lose your security.
So here again, we have to get rid of the fear in our society, have an open government, a transparent government, encourage people to have a place to come to -- I certainly have an open door to all those who come to bring information forward in confidence, and protect them, so we need to make sure whistleblowers are protected...
So I'm always interested in a case where there's a whistleblower at risk, and whatever help I can be to anyone who stands up and courageously challenges corrupt government... its an honor to do so.
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(Please check out the audio linked above for the full interview.)
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