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From Hugh's website:

"Congressional Hearings, Anyone?

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce has oversight authority over the operation of broadcasting, specifically the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, chaired by Fred Upton, Republican of Michigan, with Ed Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts as ranking minority member. Here are the rest of the subcommittee's members.

Call them. E-mail them. Ask for hearings on the CBS forgeries.

Congress has held hearings on Howard Stern and "wardrobe malfunctions" at the Superbowl. It has held hearings on the networks' disastrous performance on election night 2000. Now a network is party to a fraud committed with the obvious intent of influencing an election. Where are the hearings? This is very serious stuff, and the rise of technology capable of influencing elections is a worry on many minds. (See John Fund's new book Stealing Elections.) It doesn't do much good for Congress to arrive to conduct an autopsy. It should act before the fraud spreads.

The blogosphere can help Congress frame a witness list and question trees after the first hearing is scheduled, but like-minded bloggers are invited to join in this call for Congress to exercise its appropriate authority of oversight over the federal government's licensees. It will be interesting to see if much in the way of call volume can be generated by the pajama-clad.

Of course Dan Rather made his bones on Watergate, which involved a cover-up begun in the midst of a presidential election and some very famous Congressional hearings, so he couldn't possibly object to participating.

The Congressional switchboard number is 202-225-3121. Ask for Congressman Upton's office. Dan's got nothing to be afraid of, as he told us Friday and yesterday, so let the truth-telling begin.

UPDATE: The Subcommittee's e-mail isn't working, so try e-mailing Congressman Upton and everybody else directly using this service.

Instapundit and Blackfive have linked to my call for hearings, and the phones have begun to ring. I have also received many copies of e-mails sent to Congressman This and Congresswoman That as well. Very good. Surely CBS execs must fear such a hearing and may act preemptively to forestall one. "What did you know about the forgery, Mr. Moonves, and when did you know it," would be a very uncomfortable question under oath, especially with little Deep Throats popping up all over CBS according to KerningSpot, er, KerrySpot. (Is kerning related to keening? At CBS it is.) And media interest? Well, Powerline hits Special Report with Brit Hume in an hour. Don't miss it.

Calling Professor Bainbridge. Calling Professor Bainbridge. An e-mail has arrived in my box requiring your expertise:

"Morning Glory,

The Viacom web page has links to their Board of Directors and the responsibilities of their Audit Committee. These include, in part,

"Compliance with Legal and Regulatory Requirements

15. The Committee shall review with management, and any internal or external counsel as the Committee considers appropriate, any legal matters (including the status of pending litigation) that may have a material impact on the Company and any material reports or inquiries from regulatory or governmental agencies.

16. The Committee shall review with the general counsel the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s procedures to ensure compliance with its legal and regulatory responsibilities.

(end of quote. There are two others--17 and 18--on the web page.)

Viacom shareholders should contact the CEO and Audit Committee chair to request the Audit Committee "review with management" the situation surrounding the suspected memos and the source of the memos. It could be that you, along with millions of others, are shareholders of Viacom through mutual funds, IRAs, etc.

I enjoy your radio show and your web page.

Ronald Morris
SaddleBrooke AZ "

This is very funny. (Hat tip Thinking Meat.)"