“Loose lips sink ships; and sealed lips sink a democracy”
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Ranking Democrat on the House Ways and Means Tax Policy Subcommittee, called out Republicans' silence on President Trump. Rep. Doggett said on the House Floor:
"There's an old adage: ‘Loose lips sink ships.' But it is also true that when it comes to abuse of presidential power, sealed lips sink a democracy. We've gone through a period where it appears some of our Republican colleagues are in a witness protection program.
"At long last, what will awaken these Republicans from their partisan stupor? Our Republican colleagues need to decide whether they want to be accessories to Trump's obstruction of justice as he continues to endanger our national security.
"Trump reportedly told Comey: ‘I hope you can let this go.' My fellow Americans, Comey could not let it go and now he's gone. We cannot let this go. This is not business as usual.
"I say it is time to truly put America first. Reject Putin, reject partisanship, help restore confidence in our Democracy by supporting an independent special counsel and an independent, nonpartisan, nonpolitical inquiry that I have been calling for since last November into this Russian interference. Too much is at stake to remain silent. We must join together to address this challenge to our future."
You can view Congressman Doggett's full floor speech here.
You can also find Congressman Doggett's full speech as prepared below.
U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett
House Floor: "We Cannot ‘Let this go'"
May 17, 2017
"This is a very troubling time in American history. Our national security is in danger. The very future of our democracy is at stake. And without the continued engagement of millions of people across the country, this troubling time could become much worse.
"There's an old adage: ‘Loose lips sink ships.' But it is also true that when it comes to abuse of presidential power, sealed lips sink a democracy. We've gone through a period where it appears some of our Republican colleagues are in a witness protection program as they have been unable to come forward with any words to comment on the continued abuse of power that we see played out each day with one being more incredible than the one before.
"All U.S. intelligence services agree that the Russians interfered in the last election; Russia deserves sanctions, not secrets, not rewards.
"This is a President of the United States that invited Putin's gang right in the Oval Office; President Trump in a cavalier way proceeded to share secrets with them. At long last, what will awaken these Republicans from their partisan stupor? Because we need them to speak out as well.
"Last night we learned that Trump asked the FBI Director James Comey, before firing him, to drop the investigation into former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, who Trump had been advised before he fired him, that he was subject to being compromised by Russia in his operations. Our Republican colleagues need to decide whether they want to be accessories to Trump's obstruction of justice as he continues to endanger our national security.
"Trump's firing of Director Comey is a shocking example of incredible duplicity that threatens the very fabric of the future of American democracy. It is a Nixonian dismissal designed to obstruct further inquiry into collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Trump even said himself during an NBC interview with Lester Holt, that ‘regardless of the recommendation' from the Department of Justice, he was prepared to fire the FBI director because of what he was doing with the Russia investigation.
"And that's part of a pattern. Having fired the U.S. attorney in NYC, having fired the Acting Attorney General, Sally Yates, then Mr. Comey. If you are perceived as crossing the line with President Trump, it's like an episode of the old TV series, The Apprentice, ‘you're fired.' But this is not make-believe. This is the future of Democracy.
"With every day bringing new cover-up evidence, what could possibly explain the continued Republican silence? Their callous indifference.
"Trump is the Republicans' golden ticket to denying health coverage to 24 million Americans and at the same time showering a trillion dollars to the superrich and handful of special interests. He's their winning ticket to awarding multinational tax dodgers more tax breaks, while blowing a hole in the deficit that can change Medicare and Social Security forever.
"Trump reportedly told Comey: ‘I hope you can let this go.' My fellow Americans, Comey could not let it go and now he's gone. We cannot let this go. This is not business as usual. This is not just more tax breaks for the superrich, as Republicans are urging in a hearing tomorrow in the House; we cannot let this go. History will be unkind to those who could not find their voice at this critical time in American history. I say it is time to truly put America first. Reject Putin, reject partisanship, help restore confidence in our Democracy by supporting an independent special counsel and an independent, nonpartisan, nonpolitical inquiry that I have been calling for since last November into this Russian interference. Too much is at stake to remain silent. We must join together to address this challenge to our future."