Impeach Pelosi

Remember when Nancy Pelosi gave some gullible “journalists” cause to think she put impeachment “back on the table?” I know you weren’t fooled by that. And here’s exactly the kind of thing you knew would come of it.

After blocking any serious investigation or impeachment hearings on crimes committed by President Bush, Speaker Nancy Pelosi finally addressed the allegations of presidential crimes on that forum of deep intellectual and legal thought: the television show The View. She agreed to answer a question from Joy Behar, who will have to suffice as a substitute for Peter Rodino. In a perfectly bizarre moment, Pelosi stated that there is simply no evidence of any crime committed by the President despite the findings of the International Red Cross, various international groups, and a legion of constitutional experts. It seems that America has now had its impeachment hearing before the august body of Whoopi Goldberg, Barbara Walters, Joy Bahar, and Elisabeth Hasselbeck.

  Jonathan Turley

Only last week, Pelosi used the august body of the hosts of The View to reveal her view on impeachment: there is simply no evidence of crimes committed by President Bush.

My understanding is that her office was inundated with copies of the various documented crimes alleged against Bush. Now, Pelosi is claiming a different rationale: they could not rely on the White House and GOP supplying the evidence needed to convict.

[...]

The latest explanation can in an interview with Time Magazine. It seems that she would not allow an investigation because Bush would never have supplied incriminating evidence against himself. It seems that House investigators rely on the accused to build an impeachment case.

  Jonathan Turley

Where was Nancy when Dennis Kucinich read his 35-count indictment of evidence?

Impeach Pelosi.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.

Congressman Wexler's Email to Me

And my reply, which he’ll never even know came to him, much less read.

----- Original Message ----

From: Congressman Robert Wexler contact@wexlerforcongress.com

To: xxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2008 7:25:08 PM
Subject: Conyers Floats Inherent Contempt for Rove and Pelosi Shifts on Kucinich Impeachment resolution

Dear Xxxxxxxxxx,

Capitol Hill is buzzing today with major developments regarding our campaign for impeachment hearings for President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. Just today, in what could be described as a perfect impeachment storm:

• Karl Rove once again thumbed his nose at Congress and the American people by brazenly ignoring a lawful congressional subpoena to testify before the House of Representatives;

• Judiciary Chairman John Conyers indicated his willingness to use the power of inherent contempt against Rove if necessary;

• Rep. Dennis Kucinich introduced another article of impeachment on Bush's lies regarding the Iraq war; and

• Speaker Nancy Pelosi was quoted today saying that the House Judiciary Committee should address the issues that Kucinich raises in the House Judiciary Committee.

After years of work by so many of you, the time appears ripe to finally hold Bush and Cheney accountable.

DONATE

Conyers Opens Door to Inherent Contempt for Rove

Karl Rove has simply refused to appear, as he is legally required to do. His actions, endorsed by the Bush/Cheney Administration, are a challenge to our system of checks and balances and Congress must respond to this type of outrageous behavior with appropriate severity.

Today, Judiciary Chairman John Conyers courageously stated today that inherent contempt will remain an option for the House of Representatives so long as Rove and this Administration refuses to abide by the law.

We must now bring Mr. Rove (and other renegade Bush officials) in compliance with the law.

This is a defining moment for Congress: Will we continue to allow legislative power to be eroded by an out of control executive branch that ignores the rule of law - or will we finally put an end to this congressional capitulation and properly force Administration officials to testify in full view of the American people?

It is time for Congress to hold Karl Rove in inherent contempt. I congratulate Chairman Conyers' positive move in this direction, and we must work to move other Members of Congress in support of the use of inherent contempt. Inherent contempt properly enables the House Sergeant of Arms to physically take custody of Mr. Rove and bring him to the House of Representatives to testify.

How do you think a state or federal judge would react to a witness refusing to comply with a legal subpoena? The wayward witness would be arrested.

Should the Congress of the United States be shown any less respect than any courtroom in the nation?
Should the Congress react any differently than how any American judge would react? Absolutely not.

We are long past the time for threats and negotiation. We must bring Mr. Rove in front of the full Judiciary Committee, under oath. No administration official - not even the President - is above the law. They cannot be allowed to redefine it at will. We must all appear when called or suffer the consequences.

DONATE

Speaker Pelosi's Shift on Hearings and Rep. Kucinich's New Article of Impeachment

After stating unequivocally that impeachment "is off the table," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated to CBS News today that the House Judiciary Committee should address the issues that Rep. Kucinich's has raised in his impeachment resolution.

Pelosi's words provide genuine hope for our cause of accountability for this Administration. We must use Speaker Pelosi's openness to new hearings in the Judiciary Committee to pursue aggressively the serious allegations against Bush and Cheney relating to lies about the Iraq War, the illegal use of torture, the improper disclosure of the identity of a covert agent, the political firing of US attorneys, and on and on.

I again congratulate Congressman Kucinich on his continued leadership and work on behalf of this vital cause.

This issue now reaches far beyond the substance of the Judiciary Committee's original inquiry regarding the firing of US Attorneys for political purposes. The crisis at hand relates to our most fundamental laws and of our Constitution. It is, in many ways, more serious than the Constitutional crisis surrounding Watergate – yet the national media ignores the facts and ramifications of this renegade Executive.

Congress has a duty to protect the balance of powers. Mr. Rove, Mr. Bolten, and Ms. Miers have taken actions that severely undermine these powers, and we should not rely on a federal court alone.

The political tide begins to be turning and that is why I feel so strongly that we should aggressively push for inherent contempt for Karl Rove and impeachment hearings for President Bush and Vice President Cheney.

Thanks you for your work and your commitment to our constitution.

- Congressman Robert Wexler

DONATE

Dear Congressman Wexler,

I will not donate to any Democrat candidate until the Democrats consistently stand up for our laws and our Constitution. The recent FISA fiasco has absolutely convinced me, although I was already suspicious, that, with the exception of a tiny handful, they have no intention of doing so.

Impeach? Now that he'll be out of office before anything could possibly be done? It would be laughable if it weren't so depressingly predictable and disappointing.

Karl Rove again thumbed his nose at Congress. Well, what a surprise. And John Conyers again issued a sternly worded reprimand. Another big surprise.

You people are playing impotent political games, and the Democrats are not the opposition party, but rather the weak-kneed party, bowing and bending to the lawbreakers and petty tyrants in the White House, allowing our Constitution and our laws to be besmirched and shredded, and our national standing to tank.

Ask me for a contribution when you people actually start doing something besides just talking about it.

Sincerely, and most disappointedly and disgustedly,
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx
A Democrat Party voter no more

You may think denying contributions to any Democrat is unreasonable and unfair, but maybe if none of them get any donations, the whole group will be persuaded to go the way of the handful.

....but hey, you do what you want....you will anyway.

Impeachment Is Much Too Good

Thanks to LaBelle for keeping me supplied with horror stories. And this one does double duty as an enraging piece of news. Or it ought to be.

Bush at the G-8.

The American leader, who has been condemned throughout his presidency for failing to tackle climate change, ended a private meeting with the words: "Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter."

He then punched the air while grinning widely, as the rest of those present including Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy looked on in shock.

  UK Telegraph

Is he actually going to be permitted to go to the Olympics? And we’re paying – a lot - for this son-of-a-bitch to travel around the world.

Impeach

[Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)] has released an Independence Day message which invokes the words of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address to urge support for impeachment and the restoration of the rule of law.

"Some Democratic leaders say impeachment's off the table," Kucinich begins. "So let's set a new table for our nation, upon which we place the Constitution, and where we demand that all those who've taken an oath to defend it keep their promise and protect our nation from the threat within. Please go to kucinich.us now and sign the petition which calls for impeachment. This is the one petition that will make a difference because I will be personally delivering it to your member of Congress."

  Raw Story

Go ahead. It’s a quick 2-part process. I’ll be here when you get back. And go ahead and forward the link to those people who are always forwarding you junk jokes and crap you don't want. Maybe it'll prompt them to remove you from their list. And anybody you think will actually sign the petition.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.

Impeachment

Link fixed.


Raw Story has the video of Constitutional Attorney Jonathan Turley explaining to Keith Olbermann the importance of Dennis Kucinich's articles of impeachment.

Click the pic.

And after that, you can play this:

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.

Impeach

Dennis Kucinich read out 35 articles of impeachment against George Bush yesterday in the House. Didn't see it on Fox?

Obama on Impeachment

Barack Obama was asked if he’d investigate war crimes of the current administration if he becomes president.

“I would want to find out directly from my Attorney General -- having pursued, having looked at what's out there right now -- are there possibilities of genuine crimes as opposed to really bad policies. And I think it's important-- one of the things we've got to figure out in our political culture generally is distinguishing betyween really dumb policies and policies that rise to the level of criminal activity. You know, I often get questions about impeachment at town hall meetings and I've said that is not something I think would be fruitful to pursue because I think that impeachment is something that should be reserved for exceptional circumstances. “

  Philly.com

Geez. An administration that has set itself outside the law to spy on its own citizens, to invade another country and to violate the Geneva Conventions (just to name three illegal acts) does not constitute exceptional circumstances? That makes me just a little nervous about what he thinks he’ll be entitled to do.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.

Fasting for Impeachment

On Thursday, Chairman John Conyers’ House Judiciary Committee held a hearing at which Attorney General Michael Mukasey said that he would not investigate torture or warrantless spying, he would not enforce contempt citations, and he would treat Justice Department opinions as providing immunity for crimes.

None of this was new, but perhaps it touched something in Conyers that had not been touched before. Following the hearing, he and two staffers met for an hour and 15 minutes with two members of Code Pink to discuss impeachment.

Conyers expressed fear of what might happen following an impeachment, fear of installing a Bush replacement or losing an election. The “corporate power structure”, he said, would not allow impeachment without unleashing “blowback.” Conyers told Ellen Taylor and Manijeh Saba: “You need to be more than brave and courageous. You need to be smart.”

Their response? They are asking people who care about justice to help them let Conyers know that the smart thing right now would be bravery and courage.

On Rosa Parks’ birthday last week, Leslie Angeline began a fast for impeachment. Taylor and over 20 other activists have joined the fast. Conyers has agreed to meet with Angeline to discuss impeachment on Tuesday.

  Democrats.com

Now why haven’t we heard more about that?

The Democratic leadership has been helping the White House behind the scenes to block any serious investigation of torture to avoid triggering an impeachment investigation and the disclosure of Democratic knowledge of the torture program. Conyers, however, is the wild card. Any impeachment move would be a direct confrontation with Pelosi. He would be lionized by Democratic activists, who have grown unhappy with Pelosi. Indeed, it may be difficult for Pelosi to survive such a public fight and to secure the votes needed next Congress to be renewed as Speaker.

  Jonathan Turley

A number of organizations will be sending their members this alert Monday morning:

Let’s push Conyers over the edge by flooding his office with phone calls, faxes, and Emails on Monday and Tuesday. Let him know that only impeachment hearings

1-will make it on TV,
2-will force compliance with subpoenas by eliminating “executive privilege”,
3-will hold brazen criminals accountable, and
4-will convince voters that Democrats care about the Constitution.
Call 202-225-5126
Fax 202-225-0072
Email john.conyers@mail.house.gov

  Democrats.com

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.

Wexler Speech to Impeach Dick Cheney

Monday, January 14.

If you haven’t signed the Wexler petition already, you can still do it here. Your name will be listed in the Congressional record. I suppose you could see that as either a plus or a minus.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.

George McGovern Comes Late to the Party

Impeach Cheney and Bush.

Wexler Wants Hearings: Impeach Cheney

Speaking at a telephone press conference Friday organized by Democrats.com, Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL) said that following a bi-partisan vote Nov. 7 by the full House to send Rep. Dennis Kucinich’s Cheney impeachment bill (H Res 799, formerly H Res 333) to the Judiciary Committee, it was time for those hearings to "immediately" get underway.

Scoffing at the argument that has been made by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others in the Democratic leadership that impeachment might hurt Democratic chances in the November ’08 elections, or that it could deter Democrats from their Congressional agenda, Wexler says, "I believe that there is a constitutional obligation for the Congress to hold this administration accountable, and it should not depend on what people think the impact might be on an election. The only question should be: Did Vice President Cheney abuse his powers?"

  Daily Kos

Well, thank you Robert Wexler.

Wexler reports that an opinion article penned by himself and two Judiciary Committee colleagues, Reps. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), which was sent to a number of leading newspapers, including the Miami Herald, the Washington Post and the New York Times, was rejected for publication—an astonishing act of censorship for a document authored by three members of congress on an issue of such significance as impeachment of the vice president.

[...]

To push back against this unseemly resistance Rep. Wexler and his two House colleagues have decided to go public with their message. Wexler has set up a website, called WexlerWantsHearings. He is urging Americans from across the country to go to the sign and sign on to his call for an immediate start to hearings. "I want to be able to go to my colleagues in the house and say I have 55,000 people calling for hearings," he says.

People should also be contacting their local and national media outlets—and especially the New York Times, Washington Post and Miami Herald—demanding that they report openly and honestly on the growing impeachment movement, and that they publish the Wexler, Gutierrez Baldwin op-ed.

[...]

Wexler’s, Gutierrez’s and Baldwin’s new push on impeachment comes just as Kucinich, a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, has announced that he is preparing to file a major bill of impeachment against President Bush. Kucinich is reportedly working on a sweeping 50-page impeachment bill containing over 20 counts of high crimes and misdemeanors against the president.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.

The Incomparable Bill Moyers

If you have some time, Bill's got some videos.

Here are two:

The Yes Men - two guys taking on the system.

Tough Talk on Impeachment - for which he got slammed by PBS (Here's his response.)

I recommend you watch them.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.

Feingold to Propose Censure

Wisconsin's Democratic Senator Russ Feingold says he's going to ask the Senate to censure Bush and Cheney for their illegal war and for undermining the US Constitution.

"Censure is not a cure for the devastating toll this administration’s actions have taken on this country. But when future generations look back at the terrible misconduct of this administration, they need to see that a co-equal branch of government stood up and held to account those who violated the principles on which this nation was founded."

[...]

"While I still am not convinced that Congress should pursue impeachment, you made some great points about how important it is to hold this administration accountable for its terrible misconduct," Feingold wrote to the Daily Kos community. "That includes tough oversight by Congress, but we should do more than that. The history books should show that Congress formally condemned this President, and others in the administration who have so brazenly misled the American people and undercut the rule of law."

  Raw Story

That's swell, Russ. But impeachment would take care of both future generations through the history books and this generation, which is the one suffering the effects of leaving these guys in office right now. This administration's actions haven't finished taking a "devastating toll" - it's continuing until we stop them. And it would be my guess that those future generations you want to know how you so boldly disagreed with the president's actions, who will be suffering under the effects of whatever else he comes up with, will be wondering why, when you had the power to do so, you did not stop him.

If you want to join the "conversation" with Feingold at Daily Kos, go here.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.

Can We Impeach Now?

I was a guest today on Bree Walker's radio show. She's the progressive radio host from San Diego who purchased Cindy Sheehan's land from her in Crawford, Texas.

Bree attended an event on Friday in San Diego at which Congressman Conyers spoke about impeachment. Her report was extremely interesting. I had already heard reports that Conyers had said: "What are we waiting for? Let's take these two guys out!" But, of course, what we're waiting for is John Conyers. Is he ready to act? It was hard to tell from that comment. In January, Conyers spoke at a huge rally on the National Mall and declared "We can fire them!" but later explained that what he meant was that we could wait for two years and Bush and Cheney's terms would end. Was this week's remark just more empty rhetoric?

It appears to be more than that. Bree Walker told me, on the air, that Conyers said that all he needs is three more Congress Members backing impeachment, and he'll move on it, even without Pelosi. I asked whether that meant specifically moving from 14 cosponsors of H Res 333 to 17, or adding 3 to the larger number of Congress Members who have spoken favorably of impeachment but not all signed onto bills. Bree said she didn't know and that Conyers had declined to take any questions.

  Democratic Underground

Hot air? Who knows?

Joe Cannon says it's not Nancy Pelosi's place to start impeachment proceedings, due to the fact that she is third in line for the presidency. I see his point. She would certainly be accused of trying to get to the top herself. But Conyers could do it without that particular backlash problem.

You know me. I'm the ultimate pessimist about our situation - hell, about humanity in general - but I thought I'd pass on the information in case you are inclined to contact your congressperson.

Or maybe you want to join Cindy Sheehan.

On July 23rd, we will be in Congressman John Conyers’ office to encourage him to take the lead on impeachment. A sit-in in his office is possible and likely.

  Bree Walker

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

A Plea to Impeach

"Unless Congress immediately impeaches Bush and Cheney, a year from now the US could be a dictatorial police state at war with Iran."

What left-wing liberal commie bastard wrote that?

Paul Craig Roberts, former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Reagan Administration.

Roberts' arguments to back up his statement are here. And after you read it, I will add another "why would...?" to his list: Why would John McCain make the statement that he's sticking in the race although he's flat broke because come October there would be a big change?

I can't reference that statement because I tend not to have a pencil and paper with me when I'm watching the TV news - it's too rare and fleeting an occasion. I saw it last night, and tried to think what he meant. I figured he must be referring to the anticipated Petraeus report. But who knows?

Project for the Old American Century

Update August 2: New terror alert arises to encompass August, September.

Comey's Testimony

I continue to present information on this, because I think there lurks in this story the essence of the criminal Bush administration, and as more information comes out, more evidence is offered. In case you didn't or couldn't view the video of Comey testifying, Michael Collins offers the major points we need to focus on, and what they imply, in an article at Scoop subtitled Bush, Gonzales, Card Clearly Implicated (in a crime).

Impeachable

Lawrence Wilkerson, who was chief of staff to then-Secretary of State Colin Powell, said on the public radio program On Point Thursday that "Bill Clinton's peccadilloes ... pale in significance" when compared to the "high crimes and misdemeanors" of Bush and Cheney.

   Raw Story article

Clinton may well have been doing other things that truly were impeachable offenses, but diddling Monica what's-her-name - or even lying about it - wasn't one of them. If Bush and Cheney, on the other hand, don't qualify, then I don't know who does.

You may remember Mr. Wilkerson from his previous comments on the Bush administration. For instance...

He said the vice president and the secretary of defense created a "Cheney-Rumsfeld cabal" that hijacked U.S. foreign policy. He said of former defense undersecretary Douglas Feith: "Seldom in my life have I met a dumber man." Addressing scholars, journalists and others at the New America Foundation, Wilkerson accused Bush of "cowboyism" and said he had viewed Condoleezza Rice as "extremely weak." Of American diplomacy, he fretted, "I'm not sure the State Department even exists anymore."

[...]

"If you're unilaterally declaring Kyoto dead, if you're declaring the Geneva Conventions not operative, if you're doing a host of things that the world doesn't agree with you on and you're doing it blatantly and in their face, without grace, then you've got to pay the consequences."

   WaPo article October 2005

As an aside, Wilkerson isn't alone in his opinion of Doug Feith (Office of Special Plans, remember?). General Tommy Franks described him as "the dumbest fucking guy on the planet".

Here's a Frontline interview with Wilkerson from December 2005 for you to read should you have an interest.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

P.S. Speaking of Wilkerson and the dumbest things on the planet, he recently claimed that the US policy toward Cuba is just that - "the dumbest policy on the face of the earth" - and, along with Arizona Republican Representative Jeff Flake, called for changes.

Impeach!

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), the former mayor of Cleveland who is seeking the 2008 Democratic nomination for president for the second time, has selected a date to introduce articles of impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney.

  Raw Story article

That date would be April 25.

The senate in the northeastern US state of Vermont passed a resolution Friday calling on Congress to begin impeachment proceedings against President George W. Bush, senate officials said.

The largely symbolic move, which stands little chance of going much further, was approved by 16 votes to nine and followed a public rally this week in the state capital Montpelier calling for Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney to go.

[...]

"The neat thing about the Vermont legislature is that we listen to citizens," [Senate President Peter Shumlin] told the newspaper.

  Raw Story article

They have really good syrup, but it's just too cold in Vermont for me to consider moving.

I like how the article tells us where Vermont is, just in case we're under 40 and educated in the United States.

Besides the impeachment resolution, other business on the state legislature's agenda this week included "an act relating to home-fermented beverage competitions."

Of course, I could get a heavy coat.

Power to the people

It never seems to actually manifest, does it?

However, there's a lot of "people power" blowing through the countries of our Southern neighbors. Why not here?

With support for his war in Iraq plummeting and a massive protest against the war looming, Bush has been forced to do a little "work" this week. The White House has announced that he will take a break from his five-week vacation for a "five-day push" to try to shore up support for the war. But now the tide has turned decisively against his administration's criminal war - and there is no going back. This powerful sentiment has been stated most firmly - not by the loyal opposition of the Democratic Party, but from the people themselves. The Democrats have taken to the airwaves to announce that they support even more troops going to Iraq! It is the people that have mobilized to stop the war and it is the people who are mobilizing to force Congress to introduce articles of Impeachment against George W. Bush, Rumsfeld, Cheney and their partners in war crimes.

[...]

ImpeachBush and VotetoImpeach members are organizing contingents from around the country to be at the White House on September 24 to join in the huge antiwar protest and march. We have learned that the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition, which is organizing the antiwar protest at the White House, has obtained permits to rally on both sides of the White House and has secured the first march permit in years to go on Pennsylvania Avenue directly in front of the White House!

And if I weren't leaving the country Wednesday for a teaching position in Mexico, I would be there.

For more information, check here:

Impeach

A Zogby Poll found that 42% of all respondents -- and 25% of Republicans -- said they "would favor impeachment proceedings if it is found the President misled the nation about his reasons for going to war with Iraq."
  Cursor post

If?!?

God, but people can be slow.

Click graphic

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.