Part of a long, personal letter from former Republican Congressman (and presidential candidate) Pete McCloskey to the voters of CA on the need to bring back a semblance of oversight in Washington.

There is another strong reason, I believe, for Republicans to work this fall for Democrat challengers against the DeLay-type Republicans like Pombo and Doolittle. That is the clear abdication by the House over the past five years of the Congress’ constitutional power and duty to exercise oversight over abuses of power, cronyism, incompetence and excessive secrecy on the part of the Executive Branch.

Interesting. Not the first Republican to jump ship. The nation needs more patriots like him and fewer party apparatchiks.