He knows what I knew
A few weeks ago I got into a little contretemps with my congressman on the op-ed pages of the Times-Standard. I was frustrated by the fact that he and other Democrats SAY they oppose the war and various crimes the Cheney admininistration has committed, but they haven't done anything concrete to end the war most of us voted against last Novemeber, and they refuse to even consider impeaching Bush and Cheney. Despite the fact each of them took a "solemn oath" to protect and defend the Constitution, the lawless gang running this country has disregarded the will of the people, lied to them, and taken bribes from corporate donors to back this illegal and futile war, sweep away consititutional and human rights, and make our country the most hated and feared entity since Nazi Germany.
I wrote some of this in a letter to the TS, and mentioned the fact Mike Thompson had taken money from Indian gambling interests with ties to Jack Abramoff, and a lot of other folks interested in influencing his votes in Congress. This was what the congressman wrote to the Time-Standard:
"[The Times-Standard] printed a letter from a Mr. Walt Frazer which made completely outlandish and untrue comments about me. What's worse, the author knows these remarks were dishonest.
First, as everyone who has followed the Iraq war knows, I voted against authorization of the war and was one of the first and most vocal opponents of the war. Moverover, for the past two sessions of congress, I've authored legislation to redeploy the troops out of Iraq. I've also written op-eds advocating my position, and they have appeared in both national and local papers.
Second, I'm on record for supporting the closing of Guantanamo Bay and foreign "black site" prisons.
Third, I have never taken a penny from lobbyist Jack Abramoff. My campaign once received a donation from a California advocate who later employed Abramoff. Notwithstanding the fact that Abramoff was not at the time employed by that organization, I donated the entire contribution to charity.
Frazer regularly writes me espousing his views on many issues. I have responded to each of his letters, and he knows my positions. He knows that he has misled your readers with his silly and untrue assertions. Frazer is entitled to his own opinion, but he is not entitled to create his own facts.
U.S.Rep. Mike Thomson
Washington, D.C."
This was a classic ad hominem arguement, tiptoeing around the issue of whether the illegal donation came FROM Abramoff or the "California advocate" who employed him. And if it was clean and legal, why didn't he keep it? Also, the statement that I KNEW what I wrote was untrue and he somehow knew I knew, begged for a reply. I wrote one to the TS. . .and they never ran it, so I'll put it here:
Gee, the interesting things you learn in the Times Standard! Mike Thompson responded to a letter that I’d written stating not only that I wrote things that weren’t true, but says twice that I KNEW they weren’t true. The things I wrote were “Untrue, outlandish, dishonest, silly” and I “created my own facts.” I didn’t know that I knew these things weren’t true, but somehow Mike knew that I knew. And he’s a Congressman.
He got money from Indian gambling interests (I read this in the paper, but somehow knew it wasn’t true), and he gave it back, or away. I read that it was tied to Abramoff, in the Times Standard and the Press Democrat, but I knew that wasn’t true. I know that he got money from AKT Development of Sacramento, Constellation Brands of New York and at least three other producers of beer, wine and spirits, $10,000 from the Blue Dog PAC (of which he is treasurer), and they in turn got $1.2 million from folks like drug companies, computer companies, and Exxon. I know this from reading the Center for Responsive Politics website opensecrets.org.
Or rather, I THINK I know that. Only my congressman KNOWS if I know that.
I also thought I knew that Americans are dying every day because Mike and his Blue Dog pals may SAY they oppose the war, but they haven’t DONE anything, like impeaching Bush and Cheney, to stop it. That’s the only way the war, torture and lies will end, and I think Mike knows that.
Meantime he takes $10,910 from Lockheed-Martin for. . .something. And the war goes on, Guantanamo is still open, and Cheney and Co. rule the world.
But what do I know? Mike?"
I'll let you know what Mike says.