To: ABC, AP, CBS, Chicago Tribune, CNN, FOX, Los Angeles Times, McClatchy, MSNBC, NBC, Newsweek, NPR, New York Times, PBS, Time, USA Today, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal
On November 4, 2008, the American people demanded change in Washington DC.
One of the most important changes must be excluding felons and proven liars from serious national policy debates, including our commercial airwaves and and opinion pages.
This is not a First Amendment issue because we are not asking Congress or the White House to engage in censorship.
Rather, this is an editorial standards issue. We believe any credible news organization should adopt standards that exclude felons and proven liars.
Below is a list of individuals who have disqualified themselves from serious national policy debates.
1. Convicted criminals Ted Stevens (2008) Bob Ney (2006) Duke Cunningham (2005)
2. Under indictment William Jefferson (2007) Tom DeLay (2005)
3. Proven Liars
a. Members of the White House Iraq Group (WHIG), who manufactured pre-war propaganda to defraud Congress and the American people into supporting an invasion of Iraq.
Andrew Card (Founder), White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove (Chair), Deputy White House Chief of Staff Nick Calio, Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs Stephen Hadley, Deputy National Security Advisor Karen Hughes, Counselor to the President Scooter Libby, Vice President's Chief of Staff Mary Matalin, Counselor to the Vice President Condi Rice, National Security Advisor James Wilkinson, Deputy National Security Advisor
b. Former military officers who promoted Pentagon propaganda to invade Iraq while serving as paid consultants to military contractors who benefited from the invasion of Iraq.
Col. Ken Allard Robert Bevelacqua Gen. Wayne Downing Timur Eads Rick Francona Lt. Col. Robert Maginnis Jeffrey McCausland Lt. Gen. Tom McInerney Maj. Gen. Bob Scales Gen. Montgomery Meigs Maj. Gen. Don Sheppard Paul Vallely
c. Politicians and journalists who knowingly lied about crimes or ethical violations, under oath or on camera.
Bill Clinton (Monica Lewinsky court testimony, 1998) Robert Novak (Valerie Plame outing, 2003) Sarah Palin (Alaska Ethics Violations statement to reporters, 2008)
4. Likely War Criminals
Senior members of the Bush Administration authorized or failed to stop torture and other war crimes.
Elliot Abrams David Addington John Ashcroft John Bolton Jay Bybee George Bush Dick Cheney Douglas Feith Alberto Gonzales William Haynes Donald Rumsfeld George Tenet Paul Wolfowitz John Yoo
One of the most important changes must be removing criminals (h/t Juan Cole) and proven liars from serious national policy debates, including our commercial airwaves and and opinion pages.
