Saturday, July 19, 2008
“Sham Impeachment Hearings” To Begin Next Friday; Pass Me The Tapioca Pudding, Saltines, Chicken Soup and Ginger Ale; I’m Ill
Posted by ed. dickau at 5:06 AM
“Sham Impeachment Hearings” To Begin Next Friday; Pass Me The Tapioca Pudding, Saltines, Chicken Soup and Ginger Ale; I’m Ill because I feel the symptoms of a case of “Show Time” Coming On. I’m sure It’s Not Impeachment Fever Because Congress Has Full Immunity From That Via Self-Vaccination.
The current joke around the Beltway is "even Bush is wondering why Pelosi and the democratic congress have not impeached him." He expected it long ago for all the crimes and misdeeds he has committed! (It’s not funny.)
What’s going to happen? Well let’s see. A group of ardent protesters appropriately dressed in all manner of orange and slogan covered Tee Shirts with the usual assortment of signs and placards will gather. There will be a bull horn and a few bloggers to record the “Sham Event” and complaint afterwards. And if all goes well TV might grab a three second shot for the evening news, and we will move on. Sorry Mr. Swanson.
Now if 100,000 folks show up; I’ll eat my words!
In response to public demand for impeachment hearings and pressure from Congressman Dennis Kucinich, Congressman Robert Wexler, and others, as well as electoral challenges by pro-impeachment candidates, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi finally caved and proposed to allow Kucinich to present impeachment in a Judiciary Committee hearing.
The hearing was then scheduled for a Friday (July 25) and scheduled to last a full two-hours (10 a.m. to noon). Then the topic was altered. Rather than being about impeachment, the hearing will be about impeachment and other supposed remedies to a lawless presidency, with the bulk of the time devoted to those other remedies. Most of those other remedies will involve, believe it or not, legislative proposals. Thus, the dererrence to future presidents who follow the Bush-Cheney tradition of violating all laws and checks on power will be the knowledge that during the administration following Bush-Cheney some bills were passed criminalizing what had always been criminal activity.
Rumor has it there are two panels being planned for the hearing, one consisting of Kucinich and four other members of Congress (Jane Harman, Walter Jones, Brad Miller, and Maurice Hinchey), and the other consisting of five non-Congress Members (Elizabeth Holtzman, Bruce Fein, Frederick Schwartz, John Dean, and Bob Barr). Each of these speakers will likely have 5 minutes for opening remarks. So, Kucinich's presentation of the impeachable offenses of 7.5 years will be limited to 5 minutes. The hope of those planning this affair will be to bury impeachment.
Here's why they'll fail. Holtzman and Fein -- and Kucinich -- are among the most persuasive advocates for impeachment alive. At least those three speakers, it is safe to assume, will be standing up for our Constitution. Another you can add to that list is committee member Robert Wexler. Others are committee members Sheila Jackson-Lee and Tammy Baldwin. It is safe to assume that these members will direct their questioning to the need for impeachment and the advocates of beginning it. Plus Hinchey favors impeachment too.
Other supporters of impeachment on the committee are Keith Ellison, Steve Cohen, Hank Johnson, and Maxine Waters, as well as Luis Gutierrez and Anthony Weiner. Zoe Lofgren is also likely to speak up for impeachment. And those in the room as audience will be overwhelmingly defenders of our Constitution. But you can help defend it without coming to Washington. Here's how:
Contact the members of the Judiciary Committee and insist that they be there on Friday the 25th and that they speak up for impeachment:
http://afterdowningstreet.org/judiciarycommittee
Conyers Plans Impeachment Substitute
n a press release issued Thursday, Rep. John Conyers, House Judiciary Committee chairman, said his panel will explore a variety of Bush controversies, including manipulation of prewar Iraq intelligence, politicization of the Justice Department, and refusal to cooperate with congressional investigations.
But the Michigan Democrat also left little doubt that the committee’s review was meant to fend off demands from Rep. Kucinich that Conyers initiate impeachment proceedings against Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.
With impeachment ruled out, it’s unclear how much the Judiciary Committee’s inquiry can accomplish, given Bush’s broad assertion of executive privilege when his subordinates are faced with congressional questions about criminal and other wrongdoing.
Conyers’s committee faced just that dilemma earlier Thursday when former Attorney General John Ashcroft refused to answer an array of questions about his role in decisions regarding warrantless wiretaps and harsh interrogations of detainees in the “war on terror.”
In effect, President Bush keeps broadening his claims of executive privilege – even citing it Wednesday to cover testimony that Cheney gave in 2004 to a federal prosecutor about his role in exposing a covert CIA officer….
Friday Talking Points [39] -- Republican Elitism Edition
Huffington Post - New York,NY,USA
But while refusing to call his hearing anything with the word "impeachment" in it, he just squeaked out of getting a MDDOTW by what he did name the hearing: ...
It’s showtime!! “Imperial Presidency” Hearing next Friday.
By takomaparkibc
(Washington)—Today House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. announced that, on July 25, the House Committee on the Judiciary will hold a hearing on the Imperial Presidency of George W. Bush and possible legal responses. ...Takoma Park Impeach Bush & Cheney - http://takomaparkibc.wordpress.com
Conyers to start hearings into Bush conduct in office
DetNews.com - Detroit,MI,USA
Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, who was a Democratic presidential candidate, has introduced 35 articles of impeachment against Bush, largely around his handling of ... See all stories on this topic
Conyers to start hearings into Bush conduct in office
Deb Price / Detroit News Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON -- Rep. John Conyers announced Thursday that he will hold Judiciary Committee hearings next week on the "imperial" Bush presidency -- a step the Detroit Democrat's allies on the political left quickly trumpeted as "impeachment begins."
Conyers, however, was careful in his news releases not to use the word "impeachment," which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other House leaders have repeatedly said is off the table.
Instead, Conyers said the hearing next Friday will look at "credible allegations of serious misconduct" by Bush administration officials and "what many would describe as a radical view" of power.
White House spokeswoman Jeanie Mamo dismissed the hearing.
"Perhaps this is why Congress' approval rating is at 14 percent," Mamo said. "That won't do anything to address the problems of Americans, like high gas prices."
But Pelosi's spokesman said she supports Conyers.
"The speaker supports this hearing and appreciates Chairman Conyers' strong leadership to ensure proper oversight and accountability," said Drew Hammill.
Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, who was a Democratic presidential candidate, has introduced 35 articles of impeachment against Bush, largely around his handling of the Iraq war. On June 11, the U.S. House voted 251-166 to send Kucinich's bill to Conyers' committee in what was seen as a way to kill it.
But Democrats.com -- one of several left-wing activist groups pushing for Bush's impeachment -- sent out an e-mail before Conyers' announcement Thursday titled, "Impeachment begins July 25."
The Web-based activist group's Washington director, David Swanson, said the hearing doesn't go far enough.
"Chairman Conyers wants to advertise Bush and (Vice President) Cheney's impeachable offenses but not act on them," Swanson said. "But that advertises the Democrats' unwillingness to stand up for our Constitution."
Conyers has held several hearings looking into whether Bush has overstepped his constitutional powers, leading two veteran political analysts to conclude that the hearings will be a sideshow to appease the powerful left wing of the Democratic Party, which through the Internet has become a formidable mobilizing and fund raising force.
Michael Franc, a political analyst at the Heritage Foundation, said the Internet-based left wing of the Democratic Party "can't be dismissed as the crazy uncle in the attic. They are a powerful force in Democratic politics."
But Franc said the Democratic left "tends to criminalize differences of opinion on policy, vision and the use of power." As a result, Franc said, Conyers' hearing -- part of a larger spotlight on the Bush White House -- could backfire if a Democrat is elected president.
David Bositis, a political analyst at the Joint Center for Economic and Political Studies, said impeachment hearings could make voters sympathize with Bush at the very time his record-low poll ratings make him useful to Democrats in the upcoming high-stakes presidential and congressional elections.
"Bush serves a great use, because the Democrats are going to wrap George Bush around every Republican in the country," he said. "Why risk a good thing?"
Impeachment Is Not Enough
By Jim Moss
When I reported on the fact that one of Dennis Kucinich's articles of impeachment had been referred to the House Judiciary Committee, I had no idea that it would generate such a strong response. Judging by the votes and the comments on ...
The Seminal :: Independent Media... - http://www.theseminal.com
Bush impeachment hearings essential
By jake highton(jake highton)
Impeachment hearings would hold King Bush accountable. They would provide a record of his great betrayal of American ideals. They would prove to be a valuable teach-in, educating the people about his usurpations. Just Jake - http://blogbyjakeatunr.blogspot.com/
A Brief Chronology of the Bush-Cheney Impeachment Movement
By David Swanson
December 2005 - Conyers proposes the creation of a special committee to investigate impeachment. May 2006 - The Republican National Committee baselessly claims talk of impeachment will benefit Republicans, Nancy Pelosi promises never to ...The Smirking Chimp - News And... - http://www.smirkingchimp.com
why we must impeach
By abomb
And If they bring impeachment that should stop all executive privileges you want proof that Republican give out pardons to save other crooked Republicans go to Wikipedia, address below http://en.wikipedia.org/. ...Daily Kos - http://www.dailykos.com/section/Diary
Comment on Kucinich’s fight to impeach Bush by dandelionsalad
By dandelionsalad
Yes, thank you are all your hard work. You have a real knack of posting what is important for today’s world. PS I added your link at: http://www.livevideo.com/blog/VickiRuth … and am sending it around. I think we all have to keep ...Comments for Dandelion Salad - http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com
Is the House Finally Considering Impeachment of Bush?
By Deb Cupples
Dennis Kucinich’s “latest impeachment effort” (HR 1345) to the House Judiciary Committee (CQ). Merely impeaching President Bush would not remove him from office: removal would require a conviction by two-thirds of the Senate members ...
NO QUARTER - http://noquarterusa.net/blog
I’ll answer that one..NO; it’s a show and a bad one at that!
National Impeachment Network
Update from Washington D.C.
Watch for future alerts related to this news release
July 17, 2008
(Washington)-Today House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. announced that, on July 25, the House Committee on the Judiciary will hold a (Sham Ed.) hearing on the Imperial Presidency of George W. Bush and possible legal responses.
"Over the last seven plus years, there have been numerous credible allegations of serious misconduct by officials in the Bush Administration," said Conyers. "At the same time, the administration has adopted what many would describe as a radical view of its own powers and authorities. As Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, I believe it is imperative that we pursue a comprehensive review commensurate to this constitutionally dangerous combination of circumstances. Next Friday's hearings will be an important part of that ongoing effort."
The Committee is expected to examine a range of legal and legislative responses to allegations of administration misconduct and their expansion of executive branch power.
Since the beginning of the 110th Congress, the Committee has conducted extensive oversight into allegations of misconduct by the administration, including: (1) improper politicization of the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorneys offices, including potential misuse of authority with regard to election and voting controversies;
(Guilty)
(2) misuse of executive branch authority and the adoption and implementation of the so-called unitary executive theory, including in the areas of presidential signing statements and regulatory authority;
(Guilty)
(3) misuse of investigatory and detention authority with regard to U.S. citizens and foreign nationals, including questions regarding the legality of the administration's surveillance, detention, interrogation, and rendition programs;
(Guilty)
(4) manipulation of intelligence and misuse of war powers, including possible misrepresentations to Congress related thereto;
(Guilty)
(5) improper retaliation against administration critics, including disclosing information concerning CIA operative Valerie Plame, and obstruction of justice related thereto; and
(Guilty)
(6) misuse of authority in denying Congress and the American people the ability to oversee and scrutinize conduct within the administration, including through the use of various asserted privileges and immunities.
(Guilty)
The July 25 hearing will be held at 10:00 a.m. in room 2141 of the Rayburn House Office Building. Additional information, including witness participation, will be announced next week.
When can we Start on Murder and War Crimes and ship them to The Hague?
'Justifying' Torture: Two Big Lies
Consortium News - USA
Al-Libi was practically the poster boy for the Cheney/Bush torture regime; that is, until he publicly recanted and explained that he only told his ...See all stories on this topic
Executive Privilege, Why Aren't They Hollering "Cover-up?"
OpEdNews - Newtown,PA,USA
the way any competent politician would do after Bush has just claimed executive privilege in the release of an FBI interview of Dick Cheney in the matter of ...
Impeachment or Jail for George W. Bush?
By Porter Davis(Porter Davis)
Bush, Cheney, Blair and the rest get free passes to murder, maim and destroy, while petty tyrants like Sudan’s president, Omar al-Bashir, gets faces charges from the UN's International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and war ...FreeOklahoma - http://freeoklahoma.blogspot.com/
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