May 15, 2002
The Honorable Tom Ridge
Secretary
Department of Homeland Security
3801 Nebraska Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20393
Dear Secretary Ridge:
I am deeply troubled by recent news reports that the Department of Homeland Security
wasted scarce resources to search for a Texas state legislator. According to the Fort Worth Star
Telegram, the Air and Marine Interdiction Coordination Center (AMICC), which is part of the
Department’s Bureau of Customs and Immigration Enforcement, assisted Texas law enforcement
officers in trying to locate the private plane belonging to Rep. Pete Laney, former Democratic
Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives. Such action, if it occurred, raises serious
questions about the allocation of resources at a time when local first responders are being laid off
because of scarce resources.
In light of these reports, I urge you to conduct a full investigation into this matter and ask
that you provide me with the following information:
1) What action was requested of the AMICC, and by whom;
2) What action, if any, was actually taken by the AMICC;
3) If any action was taken, please explain how these actions fall within the missions of
the Homeland Security Department, and;
4) What steps will be taken to ensure that something like this does not happen again.
If you or your staff have any questions concerning this letter, please contact Jason
Yanussi on my Governmental Affairs Committee staff at (202) 224-2627.
Sincerely,
Joseph I. Lieberman
Ranking Minority Member
Josh Marshall has some things to say about this as well, and as funny as the situation is from the outside, those Texas Reps seem to be taking things very seriously sending out the Rangers and all. At least The Daily Show makes you laugh while it imparts the outrage quite pointedly. You must watch...
I don't know about you, but I don't think Homeland Security should be used to investigate and enforce the whims of the Republican Party. The department that's supposed to ensure the safety of America shouldn't become DeLay's and Rove's Brute Squad. (isn't that the NRA?) And don't even get me started on how utterly cheater-like whole redistricting plan is in the first place.
Hopefully, the scary goon tactics employed by DeLay's minions will get people to take a second look at the underlying issue: upending at least half a century of established tradition in which redistricting takes place just once a cycle -- absent voting rights lawsuits. This is part of a much bigger story of which the redistricting power grab is only a part.
I think he's right.
Laura
5:00:16 PM 
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