Contact: Andrew Davis

E-mail: andrew.davis@lp.org

Office: 202-333-0008 ext. 225

Mobile: 202-731-0002

FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY:

Hoekstra’s defiance of Bush administration shows rare courage

Libertarian Party appreciates commitment to finding the truth behind the destroyed CIA tapes

Quick Quotes:

Shane Cory, Executive Director, Libertarian Party

• «Rep. Hoekstra put the truth above party loyalty, and showed tremendous leadership in standing up to the pressure by the Bush administration and others to abandon his investigation.»

• «Liberty, truth and justice should all be values that transcend party lines.»

Washington, D.C. – The Libertarian Party calls Rep. Peter Hoekstra’s (R-Mich.) refusal to kowtow to the Bush administration’s request to suspend the House Intelligence Committee’s investigation of the destroyed CIA tapes a courageous act in the pursuit of truth. «Rep. Hoekstra demonstrated great courage by breaking party lines in the pursuit of truth,» says Libertarian Party Executive Director Shane Cory.

«Blind partisanship has destroyed the credibility of Republicans and Democrats,» says Cory. «Any break from this culture of cronyism is worthy of praise. Rep. Hoekstra put the truth above party loyalty, and showed tremendous leadership in standing up to the pressure by the Bush administration and others to abandon his investigation. Corruption and misconduct should not go without reprimand, and Rep. Hoekstra seems to be dedicated to ensuring justice is rendered.»

Hoekstra is leading a House Intelligence Committee investigation of CIA tapes allegedly destroyed in 2005 by CIA officials after being told the tapes would be needed in investigations of abusive interrogation techniques. Despite being warned not to destroy the tapes, CIA officials proceeded anyway, claiming a need to protect the identities of interrogators. The tapes are believed to document the interrogation of top al-Qaeda suspects in 2002.

The White House, as well as the Justice Department, has requested Congress not to pursue the investigation. Hoekstra called the Executive Branch community «incompetent,» «arrogant» and «political.»

«Liberty, truth and justice should all be values that transcend party lines,» said Cory. «Hoekstra’s decision to pursue the House’s investigation shows a determination to rebuilding the credibility of a federal government mired in corruption and blind partisanship.»

The Libertarian Party is America’s third largest political party, founded in 1971 as an alternative to the two main political parties. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party by visiting http://www.lp.org. The Libertarian Party proudly stands for smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom.