is robin hayes withholding evidence of iraq's involvement in 9/11?

CNN reports on statements made by Rep. Robin Hayes (R - North Carolina):

"Saddam Hussein and people like him were very much involved in 9/11," Rep. Robin Hayes said.

Told no investigation had ever found evidence to link Saddam and 9/11, Hayes responded, "I'm sorry, but you must have looked in the wrong places."

Hayes, the vice chairman of the House subcommittee on terrorism, said legislators have access to evidence others do not.

CNN goes on to cite the report of the 9/11 Commission, as well as statements made by the President, that no evidence has been found that Iraq was involved in the 9/11/2001 attacks.

As George Lakoff has observed, frames are powerful constructs that facts simply bounce off of. Rep. Hayes certainly places a lot of faith in this particular frame, perhaps emboldened by the statistics about how many people believe this demonstrably untrue assertion.

Can someone explain to me why it is a good thing that Rep. Hayes is the vice chairman of the House subcommittee on terrorism?

Posted by Gene at June 29, 2005 07:03 PM