Downing Street Memo gets one Republican’s attention

August 29, 2005

In July, 27 House Democrats unveiled a congressional resolution called H.Res.375 in response to revelations about the now-infamous Downing Street Memos. The DSMs, as they’re usually called, provide an overview of a 2002 meeting between U.S. and British intelligence officials and quote the head of British foreign intelligence as saying “the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy” of regime change in Iraq.

The resolution doesn’t seem terribly controversial — it calls on the Bush administration to give Congress materials relating to the memos and their creation. Since then, the list of co-sponsors for the resolution has grown to 39, all of whom are Dems.

Surprisingly, a Republican House member is about to join them.

Count on Rep. Jim Leach. He’s going to make waves again as, apparently, the first Republican to sign on to a House resolution demanding disclosure of administration documents related to what’s known as the Downing Street memos.

Aides to the Iowa City Republican on Friday confirmed an announcement posted on an anti-war Web site, www. afterdowningstreet.org, saying that Leach will become a co-sponsor of House Resolution 375, authored by Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif.

This is no small gamble on Leach’s part. House Republicans may be accustomed to Leach occasionally breaking ranks on big issues, but for the Iowa Republican to join some of the House’s most progressive Dems in demanding answers about the DSMs may push some of Leach’s GOP colleagues over the edge.

To his enormous credit, Leach has been raising concerns about Bush’s approach to the war for quite a while. As far back as 2003, Leach — who used to work for Donald Rumsfeld — told reporters the administration’s approach to Iraq “one of the most misguided assumptions in the history of United States strategic thinking” and added that the U.S. presence in Iraq could increase the threat to American security, despite White House rhetoric to the contrary.

Dick Cheney once referred to Leach as “one of the most respected members of Congress” who is a “careful thinker” and “an independent voice.”

I bet Cheney didn’t realize at the time just how “independent” Leach was willing to be.

CB wrote: “Dick Cheney once referred to Leach as “one of the most respected members of Congress” who is a “careful thinker” and “an independent voice.”

Which means that Leach is now fair game for being Swift-boated. Just like Frist, the AARP, veterans, grieving mothers, et al.

Of course, we can expect to see more of this. There’s a story here on the latest poll data: http://www.motherjones.com/commentary/columns/2005/08/public_opinion_watch.html

Bush’s poll numbers have slipped below 40%. GOP survival instincts might kick in and lead to still more defections. If there is anything the GOP isn’t, it’s being a martyr (acting like them, maybe…).

  • Dick Cheney once referred to Leach as “one of the most respected members of Congress” who is a “careful thinker” and “an independent voice.”

    Cue the GOP talking point: that was before 9-11 in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…

  • I grew up in Leach’s district in Iowa, so just called his DC office to say how much I appreciate his stand on this. They seemed pleased to hear the news. A few appreciative calls might be worthwhile.

  • It’s about time. We’re starting to see a very slow drip of Republicans who are – at a minimum – beginning to question the administration’s actions regarding Iraq. Better late than never, I suppose. Hopefully the drip soon will turn into a trickle. I’m not holding my breath for a torrent just yet.

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