Rep. Lloyd Doggett

WASHINGTON – Speaking from the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, blasted Majority Leader Tom DeLay for his role in the legislative breakdown in Texas.

“Not content as U.S. House Commander, redistricting czar, and map-maker for the Texas Legislature, J. Edgar DeLay apparently also seeks a job directing law enforcement,” Doggett said.

DeLay said he wanted federal law enforcement agencies to pursue the Texas House Democrats who are in Ardmore, Okla., breaking a quorum of the House.

The Democrats are there to stop the passage of a Congressional redistricting bill, HB 3398, – the brainchild of DeLay.

		WATCH THE VIDEO
	Doggett's speech Watch Doggett's statement from the House floor.

A statement released Thursday by the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement shows there was some federal involvement in the search for former Speaker Pete Laney's airplane.

“Earlier this week, the ICE Air & Marine Interdiction Coordination Center (AMICC) received a phone call from a Texas law enforcement officer. The Texas law enforcement officer requested assistance from AMICC in finding a missing aircraft. AMICC was unable to locate this aircraft. AMICC advised the officer of this result and provided him with a number for the Federal Aviation Administration in case he wished to have the FAA initiate lost aircraft procedures,” the one-page statement said.

Doggett also said DeLay had asked the Homeland Security department to investigate a "cotton farmer," in Hale Center. He really mean for them to track down former Speaker Pete Laney.

Texas' congressional Democrats want to know how federal law enforcement agencies helped track down state house Democrats as they left the state in a maneuver to block legislation.

On Wednesday, in a letter to U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and FBI Director Robert Mueller, the Democrats say they have “great concern” about reports that federal officials may have participated in the search before the group of missing lawmakers was found in Ardmore, Okla.

The letter says that with the ongoing war on terrorism, using federal law enforcement resources for private political gain is reminiscent of Watergate.

Doggett wrote the letter.

	Doggett's remarks
Not content as U.S. House Commander, redistricting czar, and map-maker for the Texas Legislature, J. Edgar DeLay apparently also seeks a job directing law enforcement. His first response to political differences is "call in the G-men, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals," to brazenly pursue his political foes. He told reporters that "bringing in either U.S. Marshals or FBI agents is justified because redistricting is a federal issue." The United States Attorney in San Antonio was asked to explore how to employ federal resources. Meanwhile, someone in the Homeland Security Department was enlisted to track a cotton farmer from Hale Center, Texas. According to Plainview airport manager Marline Miller, the Homeland Security official "made the comment that I think this is some kind of political people they're looking for." Americans had thought this Department was to look for terrorists. Perhaps those who attacked these courageous citizen-legislators would treat them as terrorists. This is how tyranny begins. That's why 16 Members of this House requested an official Administration explanation. America is waiting. Who's hiding now?

	Doggett's letter
May 14, 2003 Attorney General John Ashcroft U.S. Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, DC 20530-0001 Via US Mail and Fax (202-514-4482) Secretary Tom Ridge U.S. Department of Homeland Security Washington, D.C. 20528 Via US Mail and Fax (202-772-9647) Director Robert Mueller Federal Bureau of Investigation 935 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington DC 20535-0001 Via US Mail and Fax (202-324-6490) Re: Attempts to Divert Federal Law Enforcement Resources for Private Political Gain Dear Attorney General Ashcroft, Secretary Ridge, and Director Mueller, With great concern, we have read multiple published reports regarding attempts to divert federal law enforcement resources for private political gain. Apparently, diversions are already underway against the Texas State legislators making a firm stand in Ardmore, Oklahoma: DeLay told reporters that "bringing in either U.S. Marshals or FBI agents is justified because redistricting is a federal issue, involving congressional seats." Houston Chronicle, May 13, 2003 DeLay said he consulted an attorney in his office who formerly worked with the Justice Department to determine for Texas House Speaker Craddick whether FBI agents and U.S. marshals could be used to arrest the Democrats out of state. AP, Suzanne Gamboa, May 13, 2003 DeLay reportedly already has a United States Attorney in Texas researching how he can employ federal resources. Hugh Aynesworth, Washington Times, May 14, 2003 "A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office in San Antonio had no official comment, but a source confirmed that an unidentified person had called to inquire about federalizing the arrest warrant." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, May 14, 2003 "One federal agency that became involved early on was the Air and Marine Interdiction and Coordination Center, based in Riverside, California -- which now falls under the auspices of the Homeland Security Department. The agency received a call to locate a specific Piper turboprop aircraft. It was determined that the plane belonged to former House Speaker Pete Laney, D-Hale Center. The location of Laney's plane proved to be a key piece of information because, Craddick said, it's how he determined that the Democrats were in Ardmore." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, May 14, 2003 We write with three requests: 1. Please confirm whether the Air and Marine Interdiction and Coordination Center indeed participated and tell us all who approved its use. 2. Please let us know immediately if any other federal law enforcement resources have been employed in any way with regard to any aspect of this matter. 3. We call on you to unequivocally declare that no federal law enforcement resources will henceforth be diverted against the Texas Representatives working today in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Especially with the on-going war on terrorism, any diversion of federal law enforcement resources for private political gain is an outrage reminiscent of Watergate. We hope you share our strong concern over this apparent abuse of power.