By Deborah Bucknam
On March 9, 1954, Republican Vermont Sen. Ralph Flanders stood on the floor of the U.S. Senate to condemn fellow Republican Sen. Joseph McCarthy on his claims that there were communists in the State Department. The Flanders speech was an immediate sensation, as Flanders’ courage to speak up against a member of his own party electrified the nation. Two months later, Flanders introduced a bill to censure Sen. McCarthy. It passed with bi-partisan support.
Congressman Peter Welch has taken up the mantle of Sen. Flanders. Welch stated in a VTDigger interview: “[Flanders] stood up and said no, this has got to end. The role I have to play is what Vermonters have always played. And that is to resist the encroachment of a single civil liberty of a single person at any moment at any time.”
St. Johnsbury-based attorney Deborah Bucknam
Now is that moment in time, Congressman Welch. Congressman Adam Schiff deserves condemnation in the well of the House and a bill of censure.
Inspector General Horowitz has issued a 435-page report in which he outlines the massive Fourth Amendment violations against Carter Page by the U.S. Department of Justice. Congressman Adam Schiff, as a member of the House intelligence committee, had access at least two years ago to the information about FISA abuses outlined in Horowitz’s. report Despite that, Schiff, on March 24, 2018, publicly released a memo which gave an utterly false picture of the classified material to which he and IG Horowitz had access.
The purpose of Schiff’s memo was to counter then Intelligence Committee Chair Rep. Devin Nunes’ report on FISA abuses. Schiff had claimed in a PBS Newshour interview that the Nunes memo was “directly misleading.” Schiff said his memo was going to set the record straight. Just the opposite happened. Schiff’s memo claimed “FBI and DOJ officials did not abuse the [FISA] process, omit material information, or subvert this vital tool to spy on the Trump campaign.” IG Horowitz’s report gives lie to that statement. According to Horowitz, not only did the FBI and DOJ omit material information, but they even doctored a document to support the FISA application. Schiff’s memo said that the “DOJ made only narrow use of information from Steele’s sources” for use against Carter Page. False again. Horowitz said the Steele dossier “played an essential and central role” in the FISA application to spy on Carter Page.
The DOJ spying on Carter Page was applauded by Schiff in his March 24, 2018 memo, smearing Carter Page in the process by darkly hinting in true McCarthyite fashion, that Page was a Russian asset. These had real consequences for this innocent American citizen. Not only was every aspect of Page’s private life surveilled for a year, but Page stated in the Wall Street Journal, “I have faced threats to my life and have been forced to live like a fugitive. I still don’t feel safe enough to establish a fixed residence.”
If Congressman Welch claims to take up the mantle of Sen. Flanders, then he must stand in the well of the House, and condemn his Democrat colleague, Rep. Schiff, for Schiff’s repeated false statements about the FISA process, Carter Page, and Republican Devin Nunes. It will take the courage of Flanders to stand up against a member of his own party. We shall see if Rep. Welch lives up to the Flanders standard.
Deborah Bucknam is a St. Johnsbury-based attorney and former Republican candidate for state attorney general.
When will people wake up, and see the dems for what they really are. DICTATORS we the people elected Trump following the constitution, the dictatorcrats have doing all they can to over turn the election, not because of Trump. Just to give themselves absolute power over the people
This is why we need to get rid of the Democrats in VT and in DC…they’re all about power and control and not there to represent the interests of US citizens but to use high office as launching pad for elections where they are paid millions. But then VT would have to contend with a possible Welch run for gov.
Al Green stated that there are no limits to how many times a potus can be impeached…I believe it was Shiff-for brains who said they will start the process again if it fails this time knowing full well Senate will not convict.
Comrade Bernard purchased an estate in Washington – one of three – bc he clearly planned to stay in congress for life. Unsure if Welch also owns one.
Welch will read this and understand it’s relevance but will still vote the party line. So sad and unfortunate.
Yes, Peter,. Now is the time to get off you duff, speak out and get back to the work you were elected to do. Now is the time to end this impeachment charade. Sadly., it will not happen.
Welch is in lockstep with the House Majority Democrats and the complete waste of
time & money on this Impeachment Scam.
Since day one they have stated they wanted to Impeach a Duly Elected President if
you don’t like him vote him out……Nah, just bitterness, and it’s eating them alive and
showing just how lame they are !!
Adam Schiff stated he had the data ” nope ” well all their shenanigans Collusion, obstruction
of justice, then quid pro quo ” nope “, abuse of power, probably not and the list goes, pretty
sad display …..Peter Welch will fall in line with this BS, another black eye for VT
Welch doesn’t have any B—s. He’s from MA, doesn’t obviously know any VT values and slithered into an opening to get elected. He needed a pay stub.
Whatever Pelosi wants, Welch is there huffing and puffing to obey. He’s not for VT, he’s for his own personal gains.
Gotta love the guy. Tried to get emails from him, he said I’m not a VT resident, gave him my address. Is he afraid of criticism?
Thanks for two dedicated people from St J, Deborah and The Caledonia Record publisher Todd M. Smith for their Kingdom intellect and writings.
Oh, C’mon. The guy is a worm. Hasn’t accomplished a thing since he’s been in DC; another useless politician from Vermont, like Leahy. Just sucking off your dime, folks.
You forgot about our biggest leach!
Bernie!!! The guy doesn’t even show up for his job. How many Votes has he been present for comparing to him being absent?
I do not believe Welch has much of a spine. He is too timid to go against his fellow democrats even when everyone else knows they are wrong. I watched him in these impeachment hearings and he makes me ashamed that he is the representative from Vermeont
Absolutely Ashamed of Welch as a VT representative.
If he doesn’t call out Schiff what does that tell you! He will Only represent a Party line and NOT the people of VT.
“Mr. Welch: You’ve done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last?”
Is this not ironic? So there really are communists in the state department, and also in the Vermont government.
Welch, I liked you better when you were making grape jelly.
How could Rep. Welch utter anything with respect to the ongoing events when he has not even cleared himself of the E-B5 scandal yet ?
EB-5?
Read article by TNR:
http://truenorthreports.com/fraud-and-embezzlement-in-vermont
Leaky Lahey, Sanders, and Schumlin was involved. Lahey wrote letters to get foreigners to provide $500K and get a green card. A scam. Also a business was suppose to be built in downtown Newport. The lot is empty, fenced in an Newport eyesore. Drive to Newport and looky, not far from you. It involved Jay Peak and Burke Mountain ski areas.
There are many articles about this, with their pics. TNR, VT Digger, perhaps Seven Days.
Corrupt VT and greed. When this situation hit the light, like an insect, these three ran and hid. Wonder how much money they got? They wouldn’t get involved unless there was payola. It’s in the Courts and ongoing and the SEC is involved.
Outstanding Deb!!!