Subject: Letter to Dan Burton
 

Hey bc,
 
Faxing this off to Dan Burton  this evening. Hopefully I've even got someone from the Orlando Slantinel's message boards who may get someone in this jerks district in Indiana to send it to him. Much more likely to get a response that way.
Dear Congressman Burton,

I''m writing to you in regards to your ongoing investigation of the Clinton pardons and the current state of affairs in our nation. I'd like to make a few points and ask a few simple questions. I would really appreciate some answers.

 I'll be doing my utmost to have this letter released to every media outlet, print, broadcast, and online that I can. Some will publish it, some won't, but I'm certain that in some manner it will become a part of the permanent public record. I'd be happy to encourage everyone who does publish it to include your response when I get it.

 As I am sure you are well aware, eight years ago then President George Bush pardoned six Iran-Contra defendants. I would note that these defendants had not been convicted of anything, they were merely defendants who had yet to testify or provide a defense.

 There is substantial evidence that had any of them testified, or had the evidence been further investigated and presented to a jury, they might well have implicated President Bush and former President Reagan in their crimes.

 The House, led by House Speaker Tom Foley and Rep. Lee Hamilton apparently decided that pursuing the allegations was not in the interest of the country. The incoming Clinton administration also apparently decided that moving forward was preferential to digging further into the past. Without political support, the "scandal" died away and we moved on.

 This brings me to my first 2 questions.

 >Are you doing what is in the best interest of America or the Republican party?

>Which do you hold most dear to heart, your party or your country?????

 For most of the last decade the American people have been subjected to one ongoing investigation after another. This incredible onslaught has been carried out largely against the wishes of the American people.

 Bill Clinton has defeated you in the polls and at the polls. He's defeated you in the courts of our nation and in the court of public opinion, time and time again. We've seen over $50 million dollars spent chasing allegation after allegation and none have been proven, exclude one. I might note here that polls that I've seen clearly indicate that, in that instance, Mr. Clinton foolishly stumbled into a well laid legal entrapment that had little, if anything to do with the unproven allegations that permitted it to be laid.

 I've got to ask you -

 >Are you just out to get the Clintons, or are you just incredibly bad at uncovering conclusive evidence???

>Don't you have any other job or something to do that might be constructive, like working on legislation???

 As you are also aware, the presidential right to pardon is absolute, there are no loopholes. It's in the Constitution. You also should be aware that people with money, and close access to the trappings of Government inherently are more likely to have their case submitted and reviewed than those who don't. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out. The American people have known it for years.

 The fact is that there are no provisions in the constitution for a Congressional investigation of a pardon. The only basis for any investigation would be if Clinton had received something in exchange for a pardon. That would be a legal matter to be investigated by the appropriate agency, the Department of Justice, not Congress. One of your aides has publicly stated that the objective of the Congressional investigation was to "illuminate" the events "for the American public".

 >Do you think that the DOJ is incapable of conducting an investigation that will shed enough "light"
   on the pardons???

>Are you so concerned that there will be no evidence of a quid pro quo that you need to try (again)
  to win in the court of public opinion???

 It would appear that you have no legal basis at all for your investigation.

>Are you just playing politics???

 Many Americans contribute to the party or candidate of their choice because they believe that the candidate will act favorably to their cause. Some people probably believe that they will receive special consideration. Some will. Some won't.  Some people can be bought, others not.

 As I’m sure you’re also well aware, during the Clinton Presidency, an individual named Richard Mellon Scaife funded a remarkable amount of conservative organizations, both profit and nonprofit. These organizations and other contributing individuals, including American Spectator magazine, provided significant funding for the legal teams, accusers and people who were engaged in digging up and exposing “dirt” on the Clintons. This includes, but was not limited to, what came to be known as the Arkansas Project. This multimillion-dollar “project” spanning several years resulted in not one finding of legal culpability on either of the Clinton’s parts.

 >Have you, Sir, any member of your family, your political party or friends received or benefited
   from any donations or actions of any of this wide range of organizations and individuals???

>Have you been bought???

 In the words of a member of your own branch of government, Are you a “political prostitute”???
 (Quoting the same man, “If you’re offended by that, I apologize. If you’re not, I commend you.”)

 This brings me to my final question.

 In spite of the fact that it appears you have no legal basis for your actions, I’m curious.

 >Will you call Bill Clinton to testify???

 I, for one, hope you have the intestinal fortitude to do so, but somehow I doubt it.

 And I hope to hell that he agrees and arrives in a bad mood.

 I hope he explains to you that, in this instance, based on his own view of the merits of the case,
 he can do what he damned well pleases.

 And I hope that he engages in a bit of plagiarism. As attorney Joseph Welch said to Joseph McCarthy some time back…

 “Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you no sense of decency?”

 It would seem to me that in the eyes of many Americans your party abandoned that principle quite some time ago.

 I, and America, look forward to your prompt and detailed response.

 RW