Himes For Congress Releases Web Video On Shays’ Oversight Record
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 29, 2007
November 29, 2007
Stamford, CT—The Himes for Congress campaign released a web video today highlighting Congressman Chris Shays’ failure to provide adequate oversight of the War in Iraq.
The video features Congressman Shays in his own words praising Blackwater’s "perfect" performance in the Iraq war. The video, and accompanying website (http://www.APerfectJob.info), also document Chris Shays’ recent pattern of defending the Bush Administration during hearings of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee rather than conducting meaningful oversight.
Jim Himes issued the following statement today regarding Chris Shays’ refusal to provide real oversight and accountability:
"Oversight is hard and uncompromising. It is asking tough questions, and demanding answers. It is speaking truth to power. And it is absolutely essential to effective government. Without it, the Bush Administration is free to squander our treasure, our soldiers’ lives, and our national reputation.
"Instead of asking the tough questions that his job demands, Chris Shays has used his position on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to constantly defend and praise both Bush administration officials and private for-profit military contractors.
"We can’t afford to wait until November 2008 for new leadership to emerge. If Chris Shays isn’t going to ask the tough questions and demand accountability, I will."
The web video can be viewed here, with full sourcing of all quotes and links to full video footage of all hearings:
SHAYS TOLD BLACKWATER CEO HE WAS DOING A "PERFECT JOB": In a 10/2/07 hearing in front of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Shays effusively praised Blackwater CEO Eric Prince, saying "I am in awe of what your men and women… have done to protect our civilians, I am absolutely in awe of it.... That’s a perfect record, and you don’t get any credit for it, for some reason.... I just want to be on record as thanking you for an amazing job that you do.... You have done an amazing task.... Thank you for doing a perfect job in protecting the people you’re required to protect." [Source: House Oversight and Government Reform Committee website, 10/2/07]
SHAYS TOLD CONDOLEEZZA RICE HE WAS "HAPPY" SHE REFUSED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE: In a 10/18/07 hearing in front of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Shays attacked Democrats and defended Sec. of State Condoleezza Rice, saying, "everything this committee has done since we’ve gone into Iraq and this last year in part has been to try and point out everything bad that’s going on.... For you to be called in front of a committee and asked to name names is destructive, and I’m happy you have resisted that temptation." The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank described Shays’ performance a day later: "Shays sat opposite Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in a hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building—while ferociously defending the war and condemning Democrats for supporting a troop withdrawal.... Shays’s vigorous defense of the administration in odd-numbered years is emblematic of the solid Republican support Bush has relied on to thwart the efforts of Democrats to limit the war." [Sources: House Oversight and Government Reform Committee website, 10/18/07; "Democrats, the War and Shays’s Rebellion," Washington Post, 10/26/07]
LOCAL NEWSPAPERS URGE MORE CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT OF BLACKWATER: In an editorial on 10/11/2007, the New Haven Register called for Congress to extend U.S. law to Blackwater contractors: "If there were no war in Iraq, these private guards should be subject to Iraqi law. But since they work in a combat zone, Congress should extend U.S. law to their conduct." In an editorial following the hearings of 10/2/2007, the New York Times called for more Congressional oversight: "Blackwater’s contracts should spur Congress to further investigate the Bush administration’s practice of using Iraq to slip rich deals to its friends." And in an editorial on 10/17/07, the New Canaan News Review directly called on Shays to work with Democrats to help end the war: "We advocate—no, insist—on stronger congressional oversight of all outside contractors in Iraq and other war zones.... we urge Congressman Christopher Shays, R-4, to listen to his constituents and work with his Democratic colleagues to end the awful Iraq War." [Sources: "Blackwater outside law in Iraq," New Haven Register, 10/11/07; "Blackwater: Another Black Mark on U.S. Image," New Canaan News Review, 10/18/07; "Blackwater’s Rich Contracts," New York Times, 10/3/07]
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