To the Editor:

In most cities of this country and for most people, when someone stands up and says I broke the law and intend to keep breaking it, there are consequences. However, this is not true in Washington, DC for the President of the United States.

President Bush has said that not only has he authorized warrant-less eavesdropping, he intends to keep doing so. Even though it’s against the law, he’s said that law was for different times.

Torture of prisoners is against US and International Law. Congress even passed an anti-torture law earlier this year which President Bush signed with an additional signing statement adding that only the president will decide when the law applies and does not.

Most recently, President Bush signed the renewal of the Patriot Act with yet another signing statement. This one states congressional oversight only applies at the discretion of the president.

There are numerous other examples of such signing statements. However, the point is clear. This president does not just break the law, he rewrites the law to suit himself.

Senator Feingold introduced a Censure Motion, a statement of disapproval, regarding the President’s actions in authorizing illegal warrant-less eavesdropping. Of the other 99 Senators in Washington, DC only two, Senators Boxer and Harkin have voiced support.

Wisconsin Senator Kohl’s office says that Senator Kohl does not support the Censure Motion believing that “more investigation is required”. Only in Washington, DC.

I have many questions for the other 97 Senators but have boiled it down to this. Are we a nation of laws or not? No action, not even on such a mild slap on the wrist as the Censure Motion, speaks loud and clear. Apparently we are no longer a nation of laws.