Our Michigan members of Congress are falling all over themselves to get into the spotlight regarding the Underpants Bomber.
It’s like the news story that keeps on giving.
First, last week, we had Rep. Mark Schauer (D, MI-07) questioning with or not the flight crew on Flight 253 followed protocol in the process.
Was protocol violated when Flight 253 — after a failed attempt to set off a bomb on the Christmas Day flight from Amsterdam, Netherlands, to Detroit — proceeded to a gate at Metro Airport after the plane landed?That’s the question U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer, a Battle Creek Democrat, pressed Thursday at a hearing before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Aviation Subcommittee.
Then, over the weekend, former state Attorney General Candice Miller (R, MI-10) calling for Attorney General Eric Holder to get himself before the House Homeland Security Committee to answer some questions.
Miller, who sits on the House Homeland Security Committee, has sharply criticized the Obama administration for not treating Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab as an enemy combatant. The White House has pushed back against such criticism by disclosing that the suspect started talking again and has given useful information. Miller sent a letter to Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson asking for a hearing with Holder.
And now we have Pete Hoekstra (R, MI-02) calling Deputy national security adviser John Brennan a liar. Yesterday on Meet the Press, Brennan said the Hoekstra, along with other GOP House members, was briefed on the fact that the Undperpants Bomber Guy was Mirandized. Hoekstra responded with this:
A statement by Hoekstra’s office said the congressman had “a brief, nonsecure conversation with Brennan. Brennan only informed him that Abdulmutallab had severe burns and was being treated. Contrary to what he attempts to imply, he at no time informed Hoekstra that Abdulmutallab had been Mirandized, nor did he seek Hoekstra’s consultation or provide any sort of meaningful briefing. The faulty decision to Mirandize Abdulmutallab was the Obama administration’s, and its decision alone.”
This is clearly a story that will be milked by Michigan (and probably other states’) lawmakers for days, weeks and months to come.
Hey, at least our Democratic representative wants to make sure things get corrected in future so that people are protected. The GOP is clearly just out to make political points.
I’m just sayin’…
