In the next 48 hours, a handful of senators will determine whether habeas corpus -- the right that allows one to challenge the lawfulness of his/her imprisonment -- is restored. A majority of the Senate wants to roll back Bush's assault on our Constitution, and the best information indicates that we need only two more votes to overcome yet another conservative filibuster. Still in the undecided column? - Oregon Senator Gordon Smith. Call Senator Smith at 202/224-3753 now and speak up to save habeas corpus and restore our Constitution.
In September 2006, Congress passed the Military Commissions Act of 2006 (MCA), which stripped the right of habeas corpus for the first time since the Civil War. Habeas corpus is a fundamental right common to all modern legal systems, which requires independent judicial review of charges brought by the executive branch. But the passage of MCA has allowed the Bush administration to hold "detainees" at Guantanamo indefinitely -- without any explanation for their imprisonment.
Tell Senator Smith that you want to see habeas corpus restored by calling 202/224-3753 before this historic vote.
On June 7th, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to take the first step to restore habeas corpus by approving the "Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2007" (S. 185), sponsored by Senators Leahy and Specter. Last Tuesday, Senators Leahy and Specter introduced S. 185 as an amendment to the the Defense Authorization bill, and tomorrow the Senate will vote on whether to restore our Constitution.
Without habeas corpus, it's a very slippery slope towards dictatorship. So call Senator Smith today and ask for a "yes" vote on the Leahy-Specter habeas amendment.