What do long-serving Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), John McCain (R-AZ), and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) have against 9/11 families?
I really want to know. There must be some way to explain their lunacy in coming up with a “FIX” to the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA). JASTA was nearly unanimously voted for in the Senate with a 97-1 vote…truly bi-partisan. How often does that happen?
Yet, these three Republican Senators feel the need to “FIX” something that isn’t broken. Why?
Unless I hear of some good reason, the glaring gorilla in the room is sadly corruption. The Senators are attempting to alter the JASTA legislation that actually passed over President Obama’s veto.
The fix reportedly would add language to the law making it harder for victims to have a day in court because very stringent requirements would be in place to allow a case to proceed forward.
The JASTA bill provides the families of the victims of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 the authority to file lawsuits against supporters of the attacks, most obviously Saudi Arabia.
Back to my original question…What do three powerful and long-serving Senators have against our 9/11 families? Why would they want to make it harder on 9/11 families and other victims of terrorist attacks? Why would they seek to go against the will of the people in such a powerful way?
Graham, McCain, and Hatch are attempting to garner support for their “Fix”. Any Senator, no matter what letter is behind their name, should beware that President Trump campaigned on making things better for Americans who suffer at the hands of terrorists.
If anything, in his first days, Trump has shown that he means to carry out his campaign promises. Any legislator getting in the way of that runs the risk of being drained right along with the swamp.
McCain and Graham have made their disdain clear, condemning President Trump for his supposed Russian connections.
Maybe they should answer for their obvious Saudi Arabian connections? Why are they protecting the Saudi’s over our 9/11 families?
During the campaign, President Trump spokesman, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani stated that the victims had gone through unimaginable pain and the families “deserve the opportunity to seek justice and gain closure on this painful chapter in their lives.” If the Graham-McCain-Hatch “fix,” is signed into law, the entire JASTA law will be gutted and victims will not get their day in court.
The JASTA bill was originally introduced by Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and if allowed to be “Fixed” would be neutered like a dog and left in and an entirely innocuous state. Sorry, families of the victims, you’re out of luck.
On September 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 Americans were killed, and more than 6,000 more injured. Nineteen Islamic extremist terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners. Fifteen of the nineteen hijackers were from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; it is not a surprise that the Saudi Kingdom is the strongest opponent of the JASTA law.
Trumps appointees to the State Department will support protecting our 9/11 families or run the risk of removal.
The victims and their families deserve justice and a day in court. Too bad if that bodes poorly for Saudi Arabia. Members of Congress should think twice before signing on this “Fix” with McCain, Graham, and Hatch.
Remember the old saying, be careful who your friends are?
The three Senators pushing this “Fix” would do well to remember that Saudi Arabia may not be a good friend, no matter how much they’ve promised. The other members of Congress must also decide if they want to go down with the likes of the Three “Old” Amigos when they are on the wrong side of America.
photo credit: Gage Skidmore John McCain via photopin (license)
