Proud to have Sam Johnson as my Representative

It's not often you hear from Rep. Sam Johnson. He's the antithesis of the media whores who proliferate on Capitol Hill. It's not often that anyone stands up to Sen. McCain either, but the good Representative did just that regarding McCain's proposed legislation to ban torture. The mere suggestion, by Sen. McCain, that torture is standard operating procedure by our armed forces plays into the hand of our enemies...domestic and abroad.

Mr. Johnson has circulated a letter to colleagues arguing that the McCain proposal, which sailed through the Senate, 90-9, would needlessly hamper counter-terrorism efforts – a stance that has surprised human-rights advocates.

"I can't imagine what he's thinking," said Mark Ensalaco, director of the international studies and human rights program at the University of Dayton.

"America should never do to anyone, even our worst enemies, what the Vietnamese did to John McCain and Sam Johnson," said Tom Malinowski, Washington advocacy director of Human Rights Watch.

Mr. Johnson defended his position Tuesday, after two weeks of avoiding requests to explain his views on the McCain proposal, which he called "well-intentioned but unnecessary" and potentially dangerous.

"I feel very strongly about this because I know what torture is. Torture is already against the law, and John's proposal doesn't make it any more illegal," said Mr. Johnson, who spent seven years as a POW and left the service with two Silver Stars, a Distinguished Flying Cross, two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star.

He said federal law already bans torture, and the proposed language – which also rules out cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment of foreign prisoners – would give enemy fighters tips for withstanding interrogation.

"I'm afraid John's proposal will drastically diminish our ability to gather intelligence," he said.

Representative Johnson is one of the good guys in Washington and we need others like him to stand up to the RINO's, like Sen. McCain and so many others in Congress. I'm happy that he represents me in Washington DC.

Much more about McCain's torture rhetoric can be found at the home of America's truth detector.