{news} GP RELEASE Greens to 112th Congress: restore the rule of law after a decade of abuse of the Constitution

Mon Jan 17 11:51:30 EST 2011

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

For Immediate Release:
Monday, January 17, 2011

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, cell 202-904-7614, mclarty at greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene at gp.org

Green Party leaders challenge the new Congress to restore the rule of
law after a decade of constitutional violations and abuses of power by
Presidents and other officials

. Greens cite election theft, vote theft, torture, warrantless
surveillance of US citizens, official lies and impunity, 'preemptive'
military attacks, denied rights in DC and Puerto Rico

WASHINGTON, DC -- Green Party leaders challenged Democrats and
Republicans in the 112th Congress, as well as President Obama, to end
a decade of reckless violations of the US Constitution, international
agreements, and other laws by the US government and begin a new era of
respect for the rule of law.

"The new Congress began with a reading of the Constitution in the US
House, but the document seems to be incomprehensible for many
Representatives," said Muhammed Malik, co-chair of the Miami-Dade
Green Party in Florida (http://www.miamidadegreenparty.org).  "The
protections enshrined in the constitutional amendments and Article
Six's requirement that the US honor treaties are not subject to the
whims of Presidents, State Departments, the Pentagon, the Department
of Homeland Security, the Transportation Security Administration, or
any other government body.  If we don't restore the rule of law now,
we're in danger of seeing the end of the US as a republic and a free
country."

Greens listed examples of official lawlessness and disregard for
rights since 2000:

. The Obama Administration has maintained many of the Bush-Cheney
abuses of the Constitution: denial of habeas corpus, detention of
suspects for long periods without charges, persecution of
whistleblowers, targeting of innocent Muslim and Arab individuals and
organizations, and surveillance without warrant of US citizens.  The
Obama Justice Department has refused to investigate and prosecute
Bush-Cheney officials for torture and other crimes -- including
President Bush himself, who has boasted publicly of his approval for
waterboarding.

Guantanamo and several 'black sites' remain open.  The treatment of
Khalid El-Masri (tortured under the US's extraordinary rendition
program, later found to be innocent), PFC Bradley Manning (detained in
solitary confinement but unconvicted for leaking classified material
to Wikileaks: see
http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/12/14/manning
and http://www.psysr.org/about/programs/humanrights/gates-manning-letter.php),
and other prisoners reveals increasing disregard for laws against
torture in the US Constitution and Geneva Conventions.

The Green Party of the United States endorsed impeachment of President
Bush and Vice President Cheney.  Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.)
introduced articles of impeachment in December 2006, before joining
the Green Party and becoming the 2008 Green presidential nominee.

. Military action outside of immediate self-defense is prohibited
under international law, but the Bush Administration launched the
invasion of Iraq based on the neocon doctrine of 'preemption,' which
is now embraced by both Democrats and Republicans.  Some members of
Congress have urged a military assault on Iran based on the same
doctrine.

. The US, under both Bush and Obama presidencies, has continued to
politically support and fund Israel's brutal treatment of
Palestinians, which violates scores of UN Security Council resolutions
and amounts to war crimes under international law.

. The Wikileaks cables have exposed extralegal actions and official
lies, including US airstrikes in Yemen (denied by President Obama),
secret military operations in Pakistan, a secret agreement with
Britain to allow US bases in the UK to stockpile cluster bombs, and
bribery and illegal surveillance to undermine opposition to US climate
change policies (http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=4215).

"Exposure of wrong-doing by government officials, which often requires
publication of secret documents, is the responsibility of the press in
a free society.  The claim that Julian Assange doesn't deserve First
Amendment protections because he isn't a credentialed reporter is
unfounded, since the First Amendment covers everyone, not just
professional journalists," said Pat LaMarche, weekly columnist for
Maine's largest daily newspaper, The Bangor Daily News and 2004 Green
nominee for Vice President.  (See
http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=372)

. Irregularities in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections
disenfranchised thousands of US citizens, especially black, young, and
low-income voters.  The Supreme Court's patently biased Bush v. Gore
decision (2000), which handed the presidency to George W. Bush, held
that no national right to vote exists.

Greens led the effort in 2004 to expose and challenge election
irregularities in Ohio and New Mexico (http://www.iwantmyvote.com).
Although two Republican operatives were convicted in January 2007 of
election tampering in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Congress has taken no
action to protect voters' rights.

Greens have argued that Section 2 of the 14th Amendment requires
punishment for states that "abridge" voting rights.  In the wake of
the 2004 election, Asa Gordon, chair of the DC Statehood Green Party's
Electoral College Task Force, filed suit against the malapportionment
of Electoral College votes under the US's winner-take-all election
system, citing Section 2's penalty clause and the legacy of racial
disenfranchisement in southern states.

On Jan. 4, the day before the first session of the 112th Congress, Mr.
Gordon was granted an emergency presentation of arguments before US
District Court Judge Henry H. Kennedy challenging the seating of
Representatives from southern states.  Mr. Gordon's motion is
currently pending.  (More information and documents:
http://www.electors.us or contact Asa Gordon at 202-635-7926)

. Whole populations of the US remain outside the US Constitution's
coverage.  The local laws of the District of Columbia are subject to
Congress's control and veto power, regardless of the will of DC
residents.  Whether Democrats or Republicans have been in control, the
White House and Congress have ignored the repeated requests by the
citizens of the nation's capital, with its black majority, for full
representation in Congress and statehood.

The US has also ignored demands by the people of Puerto Rico for
self-determination and independence, ignoring protests against US Navy
bomb detonations in Vieques, which have spread depleted uranium
contamination, and unwanted laws and policies imposed on the island by
the US government.

"The Green Party calls for the end of the colonial treatment of people
living in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and others who've
been denied self-determination and self-government," said Darryl! L.C.
Moch, who serves on the steering committee of the DC Statehood Green
Party (http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org).  "We support statehood for DC
(http://www.gp.org/press/pr-state.php?ID=172).  We support the 2005
draft resolution by the UN's Special Committee on Decolonization
calling on the US to allow the Puerto Rican people to exercise fully
their right to self-determination and independence
(http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2005/gacol3121.doc.htm).
Bipartisan inaction on DC and Puerto RIco are an affront to the UN's
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the US's own equal
protection laws.  It's time to complete the unfinished business of the
Civil Rights Movement and the national rights of US colonies."

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
. Green candidate database and campaign information:
http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml
. Green Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml
. Green Party Speakers Bureau http://www.gp.org/speakers
. Green Party ballot access page http://www.gp.org/ballotstatus
. Green Party Livestream Channel http://www.livestream.com/greenpartyus

Green Pages: The official publication of record of the Green Party of
the United States (Fall 2010 issue now online)
http://gp.org/greenpages-blog

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