Subject: don't confirm Gonzales without promises to investigate torture
To: "The American Civil Liberties Union" <belmonte@MIT.EDU>
From: "The American Civil Liberties Union" <belmonte@MIT.EDU>
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 13:32:21 -0500 (EST)

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Message sent to the following recipients:
Senator Kennedy
Senator Kerry
Message text follows:

Matthew Belmonte
[address]


January 27, 2005

[recipient address was inserted here]


 [recipient name was inserted here],

I urge you to oppose voting on the nomination of an
architect of the government's detention, interrogation and torture
policies, Alberto Gonzales, for Attorney General until you have all key
torture-related documents, and until Gonzales commits to appoint an
outside special counsel to fully investigate and, if warranted, prosecute
civilians who violated or conspired to violate the nation's laws against
torture and abuse. Unless these two conditions are met, the Senate will
not have the information or commitment to accountability necessary to
meaningfully meet its constitutional duty of "advise and consent" on
nominations.

The abuses at Abu Ghraib and elsewhere would not have occurred without the
permissive tone that was set by Gonzales' memo on interrogation practices
and the Geneva Conventions.  These abuses will come back to haunt the
United States, exposing its troops and civilians to retribution in future
crises.  The Bush administration must release all torture-related documents,
and Gonzales should as a condition of his confirmation agree to appoint a
special counsel to investigate all the allegations of torture.

Once again, I urge you to refuse to vote on the nomination of Gonzales
until the administration releases torture-related documents and Gonzales
himself commits to appointing a special counsel.  Even when these promises
are made and the vote proceeds, I hope that you'll vote against confirming
Alberto Gonzales, who has demonstrated that his primary allegiance is to
his political friends, rather than to the rule of law.

Sincerely,


Matthew Belmonte