GOP Whitewash of White House Continues

by Steve Cobble


The Republican majority on the House International Relations Committee yesterday again refused to investigate its own party. Barely. With a 4-member advantage on the IR committee over the Democrats, the GOP managed to hang on to a 25 to 23 vote win, defeating H.Res. 505, Rep. Dennis Kucinich's attempt to actually investigate the secret activities of the WHIG, his Resolution of Inquiry (ROI) to look into the White House Iraq Group.

More than 100 House Democrats joined Kucinich in cosponsoring this resolution, even before it never made it to the floor! Only 2 Republicans stood up for finding out the truth--Rep. Jim Leach of Iowa and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. Paul, who seems to be an extremely rare species, an honest conservative who is angry about the lies that took us to war, even had the decency to publicly compliment Kucinich for being consistent by not just investigating the war now but also opposing it beforehand.

The Democrats on the committee were united--at least those who bothered to show up. Every single Republican showed, with 25 of them determined to continue their whitewash for the White House. But for some strange reason, 2 Democrats on the committee--Rep. Faleomavaega and Rep. Berman--were too burdened with other pressing concerns to bother showing up to vote.