The Impeachment Hearing Room

Updating New Hampshire HR24 Issues…

Impeachment bill is misunderstood

Published: Saturday, May 31, 2008

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080531/OPINION02/182068116/-1/news

State Rep. Betty Hall, vilified in the letters to the editor, lauded in the blogosphere and other media, is an elder statesman who struggles on to be understood. Unfortunately, most folks really don't "get it" as to what Betty Halls' still pending impeachment resolution is actually all about.

Every American knows something about the litany of wrongs alleged against the current Bush administration. Whether the administration did or did not do those things has no part in this debate.

The vote in the New Hampshire legislature on June 4 will be on only one question – shall we, speaking for the people of the sovereign state of New Hampshire, ask the U.S. House to begin investigations to determine if there is sufficient cause or evidence to hold elected leaders in Washington accountable?

That's it! No more; no less.

It's the first step in the constitutional procedure that our forefathers provided for us as a remedy when we find ourselves engulfed in wrongs. Why would anyone fear using the tool we're given just for times like these?

At the very least, the investigation could lay bare some truth for public scrutiny. It may or may not lead to an impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate which, alone, has the authority to determine guilt or innocence, and punishment or no punishment. This initial step does not offer any guarantee that there will be additional steps.

At the Democratic state convention on May 17, the delegates adopted Betty Halls' resolution. This marks the second convention in a row, in spite of every conceivable roadblock thrown in our path, that the wishes of the party leadership were overturned.

Call your state representative and strengthen their courage. You can find your representative and let your voice be heard at http://www.gencourt.state. nh.us/house/members/.

Tell them not to hide and refuse to vote; tell them to stand tall and put their name out there so you'll know if they respect you enough to acknowledge that you, as a mere citizen, are entitled to and want to know the truth.

Without truth we cannot hope to make good choices in November; nor can the candidates effectively articulate their positions.

There were only 95 state representatives courageous enough to vote against tabling this resolution back in mid-April; 73 representatives didn't vote at all. On the last voting session, 124 representatives were no-shows on this question; that's nearly one-third of the House not voting.

Check the roll-call vote on HR24 in this newspaper on Sunday, June 8. See if your representative is among those voting, and remember in November.

Mary Ellen Martin

Nashua

EDITOR'S NOTE: Mary Ellen Martin served 16 years as a state representative from Nashua (1990-2006) in District 26, which includes Wards 5, 8 and 9.

Friday, May 30, 2008

Brookline, New Hampshire - Democratic State Representative Betty Hall called on Chairman Ray Buckley of the NH Democratic Party to begin immediately to publicize the adopted platform and resolutions passed at the NH Democratic Party Convention on May 17, 2008 and by posting them prominently on the NHDP website.

All candidates for the nomination of the party need to receive a copy of the platform and resolutions when they file to run in the September Primary. The filing period opens on June 4 and continues until June 13.

Furthermore, the Impeachment Resolution passed by the Convention requires delivery not only to the members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives but also to the United States House of Representatives and its Judiciary Committee. These actions must be taken in a timely manner if they are to be effective.

On June 4th, Representative Hall will seek to amend House Resolution 24 to conform to the Impeachment Resolution passed by the Democrats at their Convention. Also Hall will introduce a second floor amendment, the Newbury Resolution, brought by the town of Newbury, NH. These floor amendments can be adopted by a simple majority vote when the House votes to remove HR24 from the table. The Republican poison pill amendments can be disposed of at the same time by the Democratic majority.

House Republicans have been informed they will not be invited back to be a member of the Republican caucus, if they should record their vote to remove HR24 from the table. For this reason, House Democrats will need to be unified in supporting the Resolution as amended and as adopted by delegates at the Democratic Convention.

WHY SHOULD HR24 BE REMOVED FROM THE TABLE?

1. HR24 has been rewritten to address legislator's concerns. Confusing sections regarding Section 603 of Jefferson's manual have been removed. The Resolution now rests on the right of the NH House to petition Congress under the Article 4., of the New Hampshire Constitution and Amendment I., to the United States Constitution. Language that stated "warranted" guilt, now reflects sufficient evidence for an investigation. Some of the charges have been removed as not self evident.

2. Recent events have added weight to the argument that Bush may have committed impeachable offenses:

a. At a hearing in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, new evidence was presented by former prisoners of Guantanamo and their lawyers that indicated torture had occurred. An FBI Report issued in May indicates that the decision to allow torture was made from the White House.

b. Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan's book, "What Happened Inside The Bush White House And Washington's Culture Of Deception," claims that President Bush and his advisers used propaganda to sell the war in Iraq to the American public.

c. Recent testimony given by Concord Attorney, Paul Twomey, in Congress about the possible connection of the White House with the NH phone jamming scandal. The Alabama Governor Don Siegelman case is another incident currently under investigation. Karl Rove has defied the subpoenas from both Senate and House Judiciary Committees demanding he testify about the White House involvement in these egregious incidents.

3. All Congressional attempts to get information from the Administration have been ineffectual. Only investigations pursuant to impeachment can give the American people the information they need to restore our constitutional checks and balances.

Contact
Rep. Betty Hall
18 Old Milford Road
Brookline, NH 03033

603-672-8712
hallmfg@charter.net

Additional Note (Ed.): With the development of the past few days it is Imperative that we place more pressure on The Judiciary Committee than ever before to broaden the scope of Hearing Actions to include: Yoo, Rove, Addington, McClellan, Rice, Rumsfeld, Gonzales, Meiers,Bolten, Tenet, Mueller,Wolfowitz, Fielding and Ashcroft among others.

Support Wexler's initiative and keep the emails and phone calls on a daily basis. A one day blitz is nice but what we need now is a daily deluge. We have never been so close as we are at this moment.