Do better: reclaim the powers of Congress and do oversight.
Senator Collins' public statement endorsing Donald Trump's illegal bombing shocked me.
Please look at the law and look at the facts:
"Trump acted unilaterally and in defiance of the US intelligence community, which advised him that there was no urgency to act. Rather than use the available time to consult Congress—the people’s representatives—he acted alone. And he acted based on a lie about the timeframe of Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons."
Why is a senior Senator (Collins) parroting lies?
Listen to Senator Chris Murphy:
"I was briefed on the intelligence last week.
Iran posed no imminent threat of attack to the United States. Iran was not close to building a deliverable nuclear weapon. The negotiations Israel scuttled with their strikes held the potential for success."
All senators swear to defend the constitution. The president's sworn constitutional duties includes the obligation to ensure the faithful execution of the laws.
Let me remind you: "The 1973 War Powers Act and the Constitution both give Congress—not the president—the power to declare war."
Please do oversight.
Ask why the gang of 8 was not informed. Ask why Trump has hollowed out intel capacity.
No Senator least of all a senior senator on the Intel committee should give a gratuitous and uncritical endorsement of a perilous course of action taken in defiance of the law, against Intel, and in breach of regular order.
The senate needs to hold hearings now. Pass legislation to reaffirm the war powers act. Condemn rogue illegal military action. Demand that the President confer with the gang of 8. Ask the house to impeach.
First sent on June 23 by Mary
