RUBBER STAMP
Republican Mike Ferguson
(NJ-07)

In 2004, Ferguson claimed that "It's amazing to watch this president at work." But there's something far more amazing to see than that: watching Mike Ferguson try to have it both ways on the War in Iraq.

Mike Ferguson has voted in lockstep with President Bush on Iraq, rubberstamping the Bush administration's failed policies time and time again. Now, Ferguson claims that he's "beyond frustrated" and "disappointed" with the situation with Iraq, and that "the status quo in Iraq is unacceptable."

But it doesn't matter what Mike Ferguson says. It's how he votes. And the facts are clear: Mike Ferguson is still nothing more than a rubberstamp for George W. Bush on Iraq.

Case #1: Supporting Administration Policy

Ferguson Criticizes the War in Iraq...

  • 7/18/07: Ferguson "Beyond Frustrated"
    "I am beyond frustrated" about the situation in Iraq, Ferguson said in July 2007. [Newark Star-Ledger, 7/18/07]
  • 2/16/07: Ferguson "Disappointed" in Iraq
    "I am disappointed that the strategies employed thus far have not been more successful and that our progress in Iraq..." [Congressional Record, Page: H1793, 2/16/07]

... And Ferguson Supports the War

  • 10/10/02: Ferguson Supported War in Iraq
    In October 2002, Ferguson voted in favor of President Bush's resolution allowing him to declare war on Iraq. [HJR 114, Vote #455, 10/10/02]
  • 3/22/03: Ferguson "Convinced" Bush is Right
    "I have been convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that the administration has taken the right tack all along and that we are doing what is in the national security interests of the United States," said in 2003. [Courier News, 3/22/03]
  • 10/16/03: Ferguson Opposed Competitive Bidding on Iraq Contracts
    In 2003, Ferguson voted against an amendment to require that normal competitive bidding procedures were followed in procurement using funds appropriated for Iraq's oil infrastructure, even in emergencies. [HR 3289, Vote #557, 10/16/03]
  • 5/20/04: Ferguson Opposed Investigation on Abuse of Iraqi Prisoners
    In 2004, Ferguson voted against the establishment of a select committee to investigate the treatment of detainees in the global war on terrorism, including all allegations of abuse of Iraqi prisoners. [HR 4200, Vote #205, 5/20/04]
  • 10/31/04: Home News Tribune: Ferguson "Supports the President" on Iraq
    According to the Home News Tribune, "Ferguson, who has been to Iraq to view the war effort, supports the president on issues involving the war." [Home News Tribune, 10/31/04]
  • 10/31/04: Ferguson Compared Iraq to World War II
    According to the Courier News, "U.S. Rep. Mike Ferguson, R-Warren, compared the war in Iraq to the invasion of Normandy... " [Courier News, 6/06/04]
  • 3/15/05: Ferguson Opposed Investigation into Contractor Spending in Iraq
    In 2005, Ferguson voted against the establishment of a select committee to investigate reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, including contracting procedures, protection against money laundering, and the allocation of contracts to foreign companies and small businesses. [HR 1268, Tierney amendment, Vote #72, 3/15/05]
  • 5/11/05: Ferguson Opposed Crackdown on War Profiteering
    In 2005, Ferguson voted against a motion to recommit a gang violence bill with instructions that it be amended to include a provision expanding the criminal code to cover "war profiteering and fraud relating to military action, relief, and reconstruction efforts in Iraq." [HR 1279, Vote #167, 5/11/05]
  • 7/20/05: Ferguson Voted Against Setting Benchmarks for Success in Iraq
    In 2005, Ferguson voted against requiring President Bush to set benchmarks for measuring U.S. progress in Iraq in areas such as defeating the insurgency, establishing democratic institutions and bringing U.S. troops home. [HR 2601, Vote #398, 7/20/05]
  • 11/3/05: Ferguson Voted to Kill Hearings on Bush Iraq Policy
    In 2005, Ferguson voted to kill a bid by Democrats for the House to begin conducting oversight hearings into a wide range of administration actions and policies relating to the war in Iraq. [Washington Post, 11/06/05; Motion to Table the Appeal of the Ruling of the Chair, Vote #562, 11/03/05]
  • 3/16/06: Ferguson Voted Against Accountability in Iraq Contracting
    In 2006, Ferguson voted against an amendment that would prohibit contracts by the Secretary of the Army to any contractor if the Defense Contract Audit Agency has determined that more than $100 million of a contractor's costs involving work in Iraq were unreasonable. [HR4939, Vote #60, 3/16/06]
  • 6/16/06: Ferguson Endorsed Bush Policy in Iraq
    In 2006, Ferguson voted for a resolution endorsing President Bush's Iraq policy while declaring that the United States will prevail in the war against terrorism. The resolution also took a stand against setting withdrawal dates. [CQ Today, 6/16/06; HRS 861, Vote #288, 6/16/06]
  • 9/4/06: Ferguson Opposes "Cut and Run"
    "Winning the war on terror and defending America has to be our highest national priority," Ferguson said. "But we cannot cut and run from the battlefield." [Associated Press State & Local Wire, 9/4/06]
  • 10/22/06: Ferguson Believes Iraq Crucial to War on Terror
    "The war in Iraq is the central front... in the war on terror," Ferguson said. [The Star-Ledger, 10/22/06]
  • 10/22/06: Ferguson Blames Media for Not Showing Success in Iraq
    "We are making a lot of progress, but you don't hear that in the news because it doesn't make good copy," Ferguson said. [The Star-Ledger, 10/22/06]
  • 5/10/07: Ferguson Opposed Requiring Bush to Report on Progress in Iraq
    In 2007, Ferguson voted in favor of a motion to kill a requirement that the Bush administration report to Congress on benchmarks for success in Iraq. [HR 2206, Vote #332, 5/10/07]



Case #2: Changing the Status Quo

Ferguson Criticizes the War in Iraq...

  • 2/16/07: Ferguson: Status Quo in Iraq is Unacceptable
    "The status quo in Iraq is unacceptable. We need a new strategy, new tactics, new commanders on the ground, and a new and sustained commitment from the Iraqi government that they will do more of their share." [Congressional Record, Page: H1793, 2/16/07]
  • 12/3/06: Ferguson Supports "Changes" in Iraq
    "'I would suspect there will be changes... and I would support that,' Ferguson said after the 2006 election." [The Star-Ledger, 12/3/06]

... And Ferguson Supports the War

  • 3/23/07: Ferguson Opposed Bringing Troops Home by August 2008
    In 2007, Ferguson voted against a bill that would set in motion a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq by August 2008. [CQ House Action Reports, No. 110-3, 3/20/07; HR 1591, Vote #186, 3/23/07]
  • 4/25/07: Ferguson Opposed Requiring Iraqi Government to Meet Benchmarks for Success
    In 2007, Ferguson voted against a bill that set a goal of redeploying most U.S. combat troops in Iraq by the end of March 2008, if the president can certify the Iraq government is meeting benchmarks, and by the end of 2007 if he cannot. [HR 1591, Vote #265, 4/25/07]
  • 5/2/07: Ferguson Rubberstamped Bush Veto of Benchmarks for Iraq
    In 2007, Ferguson voted against an attempt to override President Bush's veto of legislation to require accountability in Iraq. The bill set as a goal of redeploying most U.S. combat troops in Iraq by the end of March 2008, if the president can certify the Iraq government is meeting benchmarks. [Congressional Quarterly; HR 1591, Vote #276, 5/2/07]
  • 5/10/07: Ferguson Voted Against Benchmarks for Iraqi Government
    In 2007, Ferguson voted against legislation to require the president to report on progress the Iraqi government has made toward meeting specified benchmarks and goals. [Congressional Quarterly; HR 2206, Vote #333, 5/10/07]
  • 7/12/07: Ferguson Opposed Accountability in Iraq, Redeployment of Troops
    In July 2007, Ferguson voted against a bill to require the Defense secretary to begin redeploying U.S. troops and contractors out of Iraq within 120 days of the bill's enactment. [Congressional Quarterly; HR 2956, Vote #624, 7/12/07]



Case #3: The Surge

Ferguson Criticizes the War in Iraq...

  • 1/11/07: Ferguson Not Convinced on Bush's Surge Plan
    "I'm not yet convinced about President Bush's plan to increase U.S. forces because the longer we bear the chief burden for Iraq's security, the longer it delays Iraqis from making the hard decisions about dealing with the terrorists." [Associated Press State & Local Wire, 1/11/07]

... And Ferguson Supports the War

  • Voted to Rubberstamp Bush on Escalation Plan
    In 2007, Ferguson voted against a resolution expressing support for U.S. military personnel serving in Iraq while disapproving of President Bush's decision to deploy more than 20,000 additional U.S. combat troops to that country. [HCONRES 63, Vote #99, 2/16/07]
  • 2/21/07: Ferguson Says Surge is Our Best Hope
    According to Ferguson, President Bush's escalation of the War in Iraq is "the best hope we have for the lasting success of the U.S. mission and for the future stability of Iraq's government." [The Hill, 2/21/07]



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