RESOLUTION TO PURSUE CONCRETE MEASURES WITHIN CONGRESS TO DETERMINE ACCOUNTABILITY AND CONSEQUENCES FOR TORTURE

WHEREAS, the Democratic National Committee, convened in Chicago on August 19, 2006, unanimously condemned the use of torture by any agent or agencies of the U.S. Government; and

WHEREAS, the Democratic National Committee further called for accountability for those whose policies were seen to authorize the use of torture; and

WHEREAS, there has been credible public information in the media that Messieurs Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld and then National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice among others personally approved or presided over meetings that approved interrogation techniques such as waterboarding that are forbidden by Army Field Manuals and have been illegal under U.S. statute for over 100 years and violate international conventions;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Democratic Party of the County of Kaua'i and of the State of Hawai'i calls on the Democratic National Committee and appropriate Party and Congressional leaders to pursue urgently and forthwith concrete measures to determine accountability and consequences for likely violation of law, treaty, and the U.S. Constitution; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Kaua'i and of Hawai'i and of the United States invite all candidates for the office of President of the United States to declare their positions on accountability of the Chief Executive and the Commander-in-Chief before the law in times of war and in times of peace.

Adopted by the Democratic Party of Kaua'i

May 3, 2008