Date: 5/21/2007 Time: 5:40 PM To: Leahy, Sen. Patrick @ 224-3479 May 21, 2007 Dear Senator: I am writing in connection with the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing tomorrow on "Restoring Habeas Corpus: Protecting American Values and the Great Writ." I am forwarding letters by nine prominent conservative leaders as well as the Constitution Project's statement by a bipartisan group of over forty-five legal and policy experts, all of which urge Congress to restore the habeas corpus jurisdiction eliminated by the Military Commissions Act. The authors of the letters are Colonel Lawrence B. Wilkerson, I hope you find these materials helpful. Sincerely, Harm Gradford Franklin Sharon Bradford Franklin Senior Counsel 1025 Vermont Avenue, NW, Third Roor, Washington, DC 20005● tel 202-580-6920 fax 202-580-6929. www.constitutionproject.org Date: 5/21/2007 Time: 5:40 PM To: Leahy, Sen. Patrick @ 224-3479 Lawrence B. Wilkerson Colonel, U.S. Army (Retired) 7312 Rockford Drive Falls Church, Virginia 22043-2931 3 May 2007 Dear Members of Congress: I served for thirty-one years in the United States Army and, from 2002 to 2005, as Chief I believe that this issue should unite all Americans, no matter what their political philosophy, and I urge you to support legislation that will restore these habeas corpus rights. Sincerely, Lawrence B. Wilkerson Date: 5/21/2007 Time: 5:40 PM To: Leahy, Sen. Patrick @ 224-3479 I am writing to urge that you restore the habeas corpus rights eliminated by the enactment of the Military Commissions Act (MCA) last year. I am a former Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas and served as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Earlier this year, I was pleased to join with a broad, bipartisan group of over forty-five legal and policy experts in a statement urging restoration of these rights. I have enclosed the statement, which was issued by members of the Constitution Project's Liberty and Security Committee and the Project's Coalition to Defend Checks and Balances. The statement notes that habeas corpus rights are most critical in situations of executive detention without charge and that these rights represent the essence of the American legal system. I believe that this issue should unite all Americans, no matter what their political philosophy, and I urge you to support legislation that will restore these habeas corpus rights. Date: 5/21/2007 Time: 5:40 PM To: Leahy, Sen. Patrick @ 224-3479 Alberto J. Mora 6 Mission Hills Circle May 7, 2007 Dear Members of Congress: I served as General Counsel to the Department of the Navy earlier in the current administration and am writing to urge that you restore the habeas corpus rights eliminated by the enactment of the Military Commissions Act last year. Earlier this year. I was pleased to join with a broad, bipartisan group of over fortyfive legal and policy experts in a statement urging restoration of these rights. Í have enclosed the statement, which was issued by members of the Constitution Project's Liberty and Security Committee and the Project's Coalition to Defend Checks and Balances. Habeas corpus rights represent the essence of the American legal system, a manifestation of fundamental fairness. But restoration of these rights is required not only as a matter of consistency with our values and legal system. In the War on Terror, the extension of habeas rights to potentially long-term detainees helps etch the sharpest possible distinction between ourselves and our adversaries at no real cost to our security. At the same time, it helps establish a common legal framework with our traditional allies - which we do not now have — for the prosecution of the war. Such a framework, and the broad-based alliances it can facilitate, is a war-fighting necessity in this type of war. Its absence reduces our defenses. I believe that this issue should unite all Americans, no matter what their political philosophy, and I urge you to support legislation that will restore these rights. Sincerely, Ant Alberto Mora Date: 5/21/2007 Time: 5:40 PM To: Leahy, Sen. Patrick @ 224-3479 I am writing to you today both as Chairman of the American Conservative Union and as The world wide struggle in which our nation is today engaged is one we must win and I agree completely with those who argue that our government needs the powers necessary both to pursue that struggle to a victorious conclusion and to protect the US homeland from terrorist attack, but that does not mean that we simply ignore the traditional American constitutional and common law rights that have made our regard for human liberty unique in world history. Earlier this year, I was pleased to join with a broad, bipartisan group of over forty-five legal and policy experts in a statement urging restoration of these rights. I have enclosed the statement, which was issued by members of the Constitution Project's Liberty and Security Committee and the Project's Coalition to Defend Checks and Balances. The statement notes that habeas corpus rights are most critical in situations of executive detention without charge and that these rights represent the essence of the American legal system. I believe that this issue should unite all Americans, no matter what their political philosophy, and I urge you to support legislation that will restore these habeas corpus rights. |