Blue Herald

WASHINGTON — At his first hearing as House Judiciary Committee chairman, U.S. Rep. John Conyers of Detroit sent President Bush a clear message Wednesday: I still want answers, but now I have the power to get them.

“This president has tried to take unto himself what has been termed absolute authority on such issues as surveillance, privacy, torture,” said a confident and relaxed Conyers, who had just finished brushing doughnut crumbs off his graying moustache.

Sitting behind his new “CHAIRMAN” nameplate, Conyers chose as his kick-off topic Bush’s controversial use of presidential signing statements.

Other presidents, including Democrat Bill Clinton, used signing statements to indicate they disagreed with parts of legislation they were signing. However, critics like Conyers say Bush has taken the practice to a dangerous level.

Conyers’ critique of Bush was returned by the National Republican Congressional Committee, the group that works to elect House Republicans.

“It is not surprising that the chairman, who stood shoulder to shoulder with Jane Fonda this weekend, used the opportunity of his first committee hearing to rally the Democrats’ donors and left-wing activists,” said NRCC spokeswoman Jessica Boulanger.

Boulanger was referring to Conyers’ appearance at a huge anti-Iraq war protest in Washington Saturday, where, according to the Associated Press, he said, “Not only is it in our power, it is out obligation to stop Bush.”

Read more at DetroitNews