Congressman Lamar Smith, Twenty First Congressional
District of Texas
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today criticized testimony by Attorney General Eric Holder, saying:
“The Administration continues to insist that the prosecution against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and the other 9-11 conspirators is a shoe-in. Unless the Attorney General has suddenly developed ESP, there is no way that the Administration can guarantee that these prosecutions will be successful. If anything, bringing terrorists to the U.S.—and granting them additional constitutional rights—undermines our ability to ensure that justice is served.
“The 9-11 conspirators are enemies of war, not common criminals. This Administration has banned the terms ‘war on terror’ and ‘enemy combatants.’ Maybe the Obama Administration doesn’t see the distinction between terrorists and common criminals, but the American people do. The only way to keep Americans safe and to ensure justice is served is to try these non-citizen terrorists in military commissions at Guantanamo Bay.”
Ranking Member Smith today joined other Republican members in sending a letter to President Obama outlining the national security concerns posed by the decision and insisting that the Administration provide responses to the American people before any terrorists are imported to the U.S. for detention or prosecution.
“Throughout this year, a bipartisan majority in Congress has listened to the American people and voted against importing these dangerous terrorists into the U.S.,” the Members said in the letter to President Obama. “Republicans want to work in a bipartisan way on a comprehensive plan to keep America safe, but we will not stand by as your Administration defies the will of the American people and brings these terrorists to U.S. soil.”
The Republican Ranking Members also introduced a discharge petition to force a vote H.R. 2294, the “Keep Terrorists Out of America Act.” Republican Leader Boehner introduced the bill earlier this year, along with 169 Republicans, to require the President to notify Congress 60 days before the transfer or release of a Gitmo detainee occurs and to certify that such a transfer or release will not result in the release of any detainee into the U.S., adversely affect the prosecution of any detainee, or otherwise pose a security risk to the U.S.
Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas), Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Buck McKeon (R-Calif.), Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich.), Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Peter King (R-N.Y.) and Appropriations Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee Ranking Member Frank Wolf (R-Va.) released the letter at press conference today in Washington.
