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“WE CANNOT ``LET THIS GO''” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H4229-H4230 on May 17, 2017.
The Department is one of the oldest in the US, focused primarily on law enforcement and the federal prison system. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, detailed wasteful expenses such as $16 muffins at conferences and board meetings.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
WE CANNOT ``LET THIS GO''
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Jenkins of West Virginia). The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett) for 5 minutes.
Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, this is a very troubling time in American history. Our national security is endangered, the very future of our democracy is at stake, and without the continued engagement of millions of people across this country, this troubling time could become much worse.
There is an old adage: ``Loose lips sink ships.'' But it is also true that when it comes to the abuse of Presidential power, sealed lips can sink a democracy.
We have gone through a period where it would appear that some of our Republican colleagues are in a witness protection program because they have been unable to come forward with any words to comment on the continued abuse of power that we see played out each day, with one being more incredible than the one before.
All United States intelligence services agree that the Russians interfered in our last election. Russia deserves sanctions, not secrets, not rewards. A President of the United States invited Putin's gang right into the Oval Office. We don't know what they left behind to listen to the rest of the conversations, although they may not need to learn them surreptitiously since President Trump, in such a cavalier way, proceeded to share secrets with them.
At long last we wonder, what will awaken these Republicans from their partisan stupor? We need them to speak out as well.
Last night we learned that Trump asked FBI Director James Comey, before firing him, to drop the investigation into National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, whom Trump had been advised before he fired him that he was subject to being compromised by the Russians in his operations.
Our Republican colleagues need to decide whether they want to be accessories to Trump's obstruction of justice as he continues to endanger our national security.
Trump's firing of Director Comey is a shocking example of incredible duplicity that threatens the very fabric of the future of American democracy. It is a Nixonian dismissal that is designed to obstruct further inquiry into collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Trump even said himself during his NBC interview with Lester Holt that, ``regardless of the recommendation from the Department of Justice,'' he was prepared and planning to fire the FBI Director because of what he was doing with the Russian investigation.
And that is part of a pattern: he fired the U.S. Attorney in New York City, he fired Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, and he then fired Mr. Comey. If you are perceived as crossing the line with President Trump, it is like an episode out of that old TV series ``The Apprentice:'' You are fired.
But this is not make-believe. This is the future of American democracy.
Every day we hear new coverup evidence. What could possibly explain the continued Republican silence, the callous indifference?
Well, Trump is the Republican's golden ticket to denying healthcare coverage to 24 million Americans and, at the same time, already showering, with a bill passed in this House, almost $1 trillion of tax breaks to the superrich and a handful of special interests.
He is their winning ticket to awarding multinational tax dodgers more tax breaks while blowing a hole in the deficit that can change Medicare and Social Security forever.
Trump reportedly told Comey: ``I hope you can let this go.''
My fellow Americans, FBI Director Comey could not let it go; and now that he is gone. We cannot let this go. This is not business as usual. This is not just more tax breaks for the superrich, as Republicans are urging at a hearing tomorrow in this House. We cannot let this go.
History will be unkind to those who could not find their voice at this critical time in American history. I say it is time to truly put America first. Reject Putin. Reject partisanship. Help restore confidence in our democracy by supporting an independent special counsel and the type of independent, nonpartisan, nonpolitical inquiry that I have been calling for since last November into this Russian interference.
Mr. Speaker, too much is at stake to remain silent. We must join together to address this challenge to our future.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President.
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