Another VT Dem says "Don't be afraid to fight" Roberts' confirmation

[BurtWorm]

A few weeks ago more than 100,000 of us filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for key documents on Supreme Court nominee John Roberts. This week, just before the legal deadline for a response, the Justice Department formally brushed aside the public interest and refused to release the documents.

Senate Democrats waited for the Bush Administration to come clean about Roberts's record -- the administration chose not to. During the hearings, they asked Roberts serious, precise questions about his record and his views -- but Roberts dodged question after question.

Our Senate Leader, Harry Reid, is right: there are simply too many questions left unanswered. John Roberts, and the sham process that has accompanied his nomination, does not deserve our support.

But it is obvious that the Republican-controlled Senate will confirm John Roberts. Some people even say that it's useless for us to speak out against him. They say we're wasting our time.

But how will we win any battle if we don't stand up for what we believe and speak the truth? More importantly, how will Americans know what to expect from a Democratic Congress and Democratic president if we don't fight for our values at every opportunity?

Democrats can disagree with Democrats in good faith -- and many do on this issue. But when political calculations silence our conscience, we have abandoned our true values. We cannot let that happen.

Our party must speak plainly and fight for the values of equality, opportunity and security that bring our party -- and the vast majority of Americans -- together.

And that's exactly what we're going to do.

If you want to take a stand in your community, you can start by writing a letter to the editor of your local paper about why John Roberts is the wrong man at the wrong time. Nearly 75,000 letters have already gone to newspapers.

Don't be afraid to fight:

http://www.democrats.org/robertsletters

Thank you.

Governor Howard Dean, M.D.

[BurtWorm]

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