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Home Front: Politix
Congressman Stark responds to Constituent
2004-05-07
Constituent writes to Congresman Fortney "Pete" Stark
Dear Mr. Stark,

I am appalled that you voted against today’s House Resolution 627, Roll Number 150. This measure would have shown publicly that you condemn the abuse of the prisoners in Iraq while simultaneously commend the service of the fine men and women who are serving in Iraq that bring honor to the uniform that they wear and to the Nation that they serve.

There are many Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen and Coastguardmen from your 13th Congressional District who are serving with pride and distinction . These men and women bring great credit upon their hometowns and the State of California.

Your "NO" vote is an indication that you do not support the troops who selflessly serve our nation and in many cases have given the ultimate sacrifice so that you might have the freedom that you enjoy as a citizen of this great Nation. Further, your "NO" vote on this resolution is a disgrace to the people of this district who have elected you.

I urge you to stop your contemptuous display of bitter partisanship and your politicization of this War. Your actions are very divisive and destructive to the morale of our troops and the morale of our nation. I know that a majority of the population of the 13th Congressional District are very strong in their support of our soldiers and in their support of the War in iraq. Your "NO" vote today reflects that you are way out of touch with the people of this district.

Very Sincerely,

Daniel L. Dow
Learned Congressman replies to Constituent in voice mail after receiving fax of letter
Dan,

This is congressman Pete Stark and I just got your fax. I just don’t know what you’re talking about. So if you care about enlisted people, you wouldn’t have voted for that thing either. But probably somebody put you up to this and I’m not sure who it was. But I doubt if you could spell half the words in your letter and somebody wrote it for you. So I don’t pay much attention to it but I’ll call you back later and let you tell me more about why you think you’re such a great G-ddamn hero and why you think that this General and the Defence Department who forced these poor enlisted guys to do what they did shouldn’t be held to account, that’s the issue. So, if you want to stick it to a bunch of enlisted guys, have your way. But if you want to get to the bottom of the people who forced this awful program in Iraq, then you should understand more about it than you obviously do. Thanks.
Recording of Fortney’s message at link. Transcribed by me, so errors are mine.

I lived in this clown’s district and saw him speak on several occasions. This is a step up for him from what I heard in person. Sometimes I wonder whether people realize what wackos they have managed to ensconse in lifetime peerages in the House and Senate. Your tax dollars at work.
Posted by:Mr. Davis

#17  Dan Dow has now replied in a comment to the post Ken links in #15:
Yes, I ran for State Assembly in 2002...against a multi-millionaire developer John Dutra. Pete Stark is not "aware" enough to have noticed. I have met Stark on occasion, but I don't think that he would have left that message if he had known that I had run for office and might release his voicemail. I am not currently running for office and I have no plans to do so in the near future...

You're absolutely right that I didn't mention that I had been deployed or anything like that. This is not about me. I am merely a concerned citizen who wanted to contact my "Representative". I am no hero. And I would never claim to be.
RTWT.
Posted by: Old Grouch   2004-05-07 9:43:59 PM  

#16  Stalin would win there if he had the D next to his name.

Hell, there are LOTS of places in the US you can say that about.
Posted by: Robert Crawford   2004-05-07 7:39:29 PM  

#15  Mr. Davis,

I hope you don't mind but I stole your transcript for use here. I was transcribing myself but you beat me to it.
Posted by: Ken Summers   2004-05-07 7:04:39 PM  

#14  Angie,

Thanks. That explains why he got a phone call, I was wondering. Doesn't make "Pete" any less of a dork, though.
Posted by: Mr. Davis   2004-05-07 7:02:43 PM  

#13  I believe I may have the answer. There was a Dan Dow, Korean linguist, ex Army Sgt., who ran for State Assembly in (or maybe near) Stark's Congressional district. So maybe there were, as they say, "other issues" between the two of them. Dow's a Republican (information which is kinda hard to find on that page, keep clicking until you get to "endorsements").
Posted by: Angie Schultz   2004-05-07 5:09:21 PM  

#12  That's what they were asking on KSFO. I guess they were in a charitable mood.
Posted by: Mr. Davis   2004-05-07 4:57:58 PM  

#11  But I doubt if you could spell half the words in your letter and somebody wrote it for you.

Had Stark been drinking before he called?
Posted by: Super Hose   2004-05-07 4:55:17 PM  

#10  Any bets he'll face a primary challenger or have party support pulled from his next re-election campaign?

We've already had our Primary in California.
Posted by: BigEd   2004-05-07 4:14:43 PM  

#9  I'll take any bettors on Stark. RMcLeod has it right. Stark's district is next to Barbara Lee's and Stalin would win there if he had the D next to his name.
Posted by: Mr. Davis   2004-05-07 4:11:00 PM  

#8  Limbaugh played Stark's delightful message.

Question #1: How many Democrats will criticize the creep?

Question #2: Any bets he'll face a primary challenger or have party support pulled from his next re-election campaign?
Posted by: Robert Crawford   2004-05-07 2:30:59 PM  

#7  They were hammering Stark on KSFO (Bay Area) this morning. What a jackass.
Posted by: remote man   2004-05-07 1:34:17 PM  

#6  I heard Stark's voice mail response on the radio last night. This guy is a total asshole. A nasty, arrogant bully who has a long history of behavior like this.

He's from a "safe" district.
Posted by: RMcLeod   2004-05-07 1:28:22 PM  

#5  Here's the resolution. It is pretty much as described in the second sentence of Dow's letter.
Posted by: Mr. Davis   2004-05-07 1:22:51 PM  

#4  What is House Resolution 627, Roll Number 150?
Posted by: Anonymous4021   2004-05-07 12:57:36 PM  

#3  So, why does Stark want to restart the draft, thereby creating more poor enlisted guys to be betrayed by their commanders?
Posted by: Angie Schultz   2004-05-07 12:57:35 PM  

#2  What do you expect from a person named Fortney?

Thank God I have "Surfin'"(See website) Dana Rohrabacher as my rep. . .
Posted by: BigEd   2004-05-07 12:25:29 PM  

#1  Classy people, these liberal Democrats in Congress are, I tell ya, classy people!
Posted by: Mike   2004-05-07 12:14:03 PM  

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