November 8, 2005
The Honorable George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
At the heart of the criminal
indictment of I. Lewis Libby, former Chief of
Staff to Vice President Cheney, are indications of
a serious and reckless disregard for the public
trust. We write to you today to request you make
efforts to restore this public trust, with a
pledge to the American people that no one under
investigation in connection with the misuse of
classified information involving the identity of
CIA officer Valerie Plame will receive special
treatment from the White House during the course
of the investigation.
Specifically, we urge you to
pledge that you will not use your ability to issue
a Presidential pardon to any person prosecuted
for, or convicted of, a crime in connection with
the disclosure of Ms. Plame's association with the
CIA. Anything less is a misuse of the public
trust.
Under our system of law, all are
innocent until proven guilty. But another
fundamental tenet is that of equal treatment under
the law. It is only by allowing the special
prosecutor's essential investigations to continue
without interference, and abiding by the results
of any legal determinations based on the facts of
those investigations, that we can reassure the
American people that the White House officials are
not above the law.
Perjury and obstruction of justice
are serious crimes. The allegation that civil
servants, working for the highest offices in our
country, abused the public trust is a black mark
upon your Administration. We ask that you uphold
the rule of law by making clear that no one who
has been charged, or is being investigated in the
Plame matter, will be pardoned.
We look forward to your earliest
response on this vital matter.
Respectfully,
Nancy Pelosi
Steny Hoyer
House Democratic Leader
Democratic Whip
Robert Menendez
James E. Clyburn
House Democratic Caucus, Chair
House Democratic Caucus, Vice
Chair