Local official wants Rep. Shea-Porter banned from town hall

[SoxFan]

To steal a phrase from George Carlin, some people are "stupid, full of shit, and fucking nuts":

EPPING – If Selectman Rene Archambault gets his way, Democratic Rep. Carol Shea-Porter will be shut out of Epping Town Hall next month.

Archambault plans to ask selectmen tonight to vote against allowing New Hampshire's congresswoman to hold a town hall meeting with residents on Jan. 23.

The request comes in protest after Archambault learned that Shea-Porter didn't sign a letter from some House members who want to stop the prosecution of three Navy SEALs facing court-martial for their handling of a suspect believed to be the mastermind behind the brutal killings of four U.S. contractors in Iraq in 2004.

http://unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=In+Epping%2c+a+move+to+ban+Shea-Porter&articleId=ce458370-b6d8-40e0-bb21-1b08cf7b25bc

Explanation for the inevitable "what's a selectman" question: In New England, municipalities that operate under a town meeting form of government elect a three or five member board to oversee the day to day operations of municipal government. They're similar to a city councilor or commissioner, except that they lack taxing and spending authority, which remains with the town meeting.

[KansDem]

1. So what's Archambault's beef?

Shea-Porter didn't sign a letter halting the prosecution of three Navy SEALS?

40 Congressmen Call on Special Ops Commander to Drop Navy SEALs Court Martial
Monday, December 14, 2009
By Fred Lucas, Staff Writer

(CNSNews.com) – Forty members of Congress are calling on the military commander who ordered the court martial of three Navy SEALs for allegedly punching a wanted terror suspect and allegedly lying about it to dismiss the charges.

A letter circulated by Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.) was sent Thursday to Army Major Gen. Charles T. Cleveland – commander of Special Operation Command Central, who ordered the court martial.

“In our opinion, prosecutorial discretion should have been exercised,” the letter said. “Failing that, we respectfully and strongly urge you to exercise your leadership authority, stop the impending court martial and exonerate these men.”

The letter comes after a separate letter signed by 33 House members to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, which was circulated by Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), asking him to intervene. However, military legal experts told CNSNews.com that the Defense secretary’s ability to intervene in a court martial could be limited.

House members representing two of the SEALs’ home district signed their names to the letters. Both letters are signed only by Republican members.

--more--
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/58451

The charges were brought by a military commander. Why should Congress reps meddle in what is essentially a military matter?

[derby378]

2. The argument could be made...

...that the military answers to their Commander-in-Chief, but the CiC in turn must answer to Congress, which is a purely civilian assembly.

[SoxFan]

3. Not a single Democrat has signed the letter

Medal of Honor winner Dan Inouye? Nope.

Former Secretary of the Navy Jim Webb? Nope.

Retired admiral Joe Sestak? Nope.

Iraq veteran Patrick Murphy? Nope.

It's a GOP stunt.

[nosmokes]

4. The SEALs tortured the dude.

What part about beating someone in custody doesn't register as a courts-martial offense, or a civil offense for that matter?

And if this all related to the four Blackwater mercenaries who were hung from the bridge in Fallujah then we're truly talking about a misguided effort of revenge and a totally dysfunctional military command.