There's quite a bit of indignation out there over the monumental faux pas that 47 Republicans pulled, in writing an open letter to Iran about the negotiations on the nuclear policies, et al.
It's also interesting that when I tried to write to my Senator - Cory Gardner (R-CO) about this, and give him a piece of my mind, his 'contact' site simply refused to accept the letter - 7 tries, the same error message each time and some of the entered info erased - but not the same info each time.
So, I posted the letter on my Facebook page, and in the comments for most of the sites and pages that expressed the same outrage. So I thought, why not let all the other Kossacks have the benefit of the letter, and use it with THEIR Senators - or any GOP Senator they choose, for that matter. So beneath the Squiggle is the letter - help yourselves. You only need a bit of cut and paste to personalize it.
The Letter: Senator Gardner, I am aware that you and the rest of the Republican Senators are against the administration's current negotiations with Iran over the nuclear problem.
However, I am appalled that you have lent your name, and therewith Colorado's, to what can only be described as obvious political grandstanding. And, I believe, as do a good many other Coloradans I have talked to, that you have knowingly and willfully violated the law:
Text of the Logan Act: " § 953. Private correspondence with foreign governments. Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both. This section shall not abridge the right of a citizen to apply himself, or his agent, to any foreign government, or the agents thereof, for redress of any injury which he may have sustained from such government or any of its agents or subjects.
1 Stat. 613, January 30, 1799, codified at 18 U.S.C. § 953 (2004)."
The Constitution does not give Congress the right to conduct foreign affairs on behalf of the united States; that is reserved to the Executive branch.
At the least, this is a reprehensible (even by Republican standards) political play, at worst, it is a treasonous act. I call on you, sir, to immediately and publicly recant your support for this letter, and apologize to your constituency for ever joining this farcical activity.