Download PDF / print friendly version here
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 16th, 2009
IOWA CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE MIKE DENKLAU COMMENDS THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FOR PLAN TO BRING TERRORISTS TO JUSTICE
Council Bluffs, IA – December 16, 2009 – Mike Denklau, Democratic candidate for Congress in Iowa’s 5th District, issued the following statement on the national security and constitutional issues raised by Representative Steve King relating to the Justice Department’s plan to prosecute and seek the death penalty for individuals implicated in the September 11th terrorist attacks.
Last week, Congressman Steve King gave a speech in front of our Supreme Court in Washington to incite fear and discredit the ability of our American system of government to bring accused terrorists to justice. Steve King’s partisan dedication to distractions is a disgrace. We know that bringing accused terrorists into our most experienced federal courts for one of the most important national security trials of the century is not an invitation to play games.
Mike Denklau welcomes the plan to support the rule of law by prosecuting accused terrorists, who have been carefully selected for prosecution by our Justice Department, in courts ordained by Article III of the United States Constitution. Mike Denklau reminds Steve King that our American system of government is comprised of not two but three branches of government. We should be proud of it. As Chief Justice of the United States John Marshall proclaimed famously in 1803: “It is emphatically the province and duty of the Judicial Department to say what the law is.” Our federal judicial system has proven its ability to successfully bring terrorists to justice over the past decade. Since September 11th, 2001, over 190 terrorists have been successfully prosecuted in U.S. federal courts. National security trials have traditionally protected the security interests of the United States while balancing the basic rights of the accused.
While Steve King may be afraid of defense lawyers and sketch artists, 5th District Iowans know better. The Zacarias Moussaoui (the 20th September 11th hijacker) trial proves that terrorists can be tried and convicted in American courts without creating a propaganda circus.
Steve King is also wrong on the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. It’s time to repair the stain that Guantanamo has put upon our country's reputation and demonstrate to the world we are a nation dedicated to the rule of law. Steve King’s support for maintaining the facility on foreign territory indefinitely is short-sighted, has undermined our national security, and alienated our allies around the world. We need strong alliances with our friends in this difficult and costly global fight against extremism. Furthermore, the Guantanamo Bay prison unnecessarily threatens the safety of our troops abroad and serves as a terrorist recruiting tool. To protect our men and women in uniform, we must uphold our values, the Geneva Conventions and the policies of the Uniform Military Code of Justice.
Our federal prison system has consistently demonstrated its ability to house terrorists over the past two decades, and it is more than capable of safely incarcerating Guantanamo detainees. Furthermore, the transfer of Guantanamo prisoners to federal prisons would offer significant economic benefits to the communities housing those facilities. In fact, Iowa stands to gain if detainees are transferred to the Thomson, Illinois prison. Opening the Thomson Correctional facility would bring 3,000 high-quality jobs to the area. These jobs would help working Iowans and the entire state during these difficult economic times.
Unfortunately, Steve King is more focused on fear mongering and outrageous partisan distractions than real, long-term national security priorities that Iowans in the 5th District pay him to work for. All 5th District Iowans can agree that our representative in Congress should be working to create jobs, working to deliver low cost healthcare reform, working to promote business development in western Iowa and working for a strong and serious national security policy to deal with real threats to the United States.
Republicans, Independents and Democrats across western Iowa can do better. Mike Denklau’s campaign urges 5th District Iowans interested in stronger representation in Congress to visit www.denklauforcongress.com or call today to join his campaign. Together western Iowans will make a difference next November.
Contact
Justin Petersen
Denklau for Congress
(712) 256-0742
justin.petersen@denklauforcongress.com
|
|
