In the NATION: Conyers is said to be considering the option of Impeachment

[BigBearJohn]

SOURCE: http://www.thenation.com/docprint.mhtml?i=20050613&s=scahill
(Emphasis added)

It only takes one member of Congress to begin an impeachment process, and Conyers is said to be considering the option. The process would certainly be revealing. Congress could subpoena Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Gen. Richard Myers, Gen.Tommy Franks and all of the military commanders and pilots involved with the no-fly zone bombings going back into the late 1990s. What were their orders, both given and received? In those answers might lie a case for impeachment.

Yet another question looms, particularly for Democrats who voted for the war and now say they were misled: Why weren't these unprovoked and unauthorized attacks investigated when they were happening, when it might have had a real impact on the Administration's drive to war? Perhaps that's why the growing grassroots campaign to use the Downing Street memo to impeach Bush can't get a hearing on Capitol Hill. A real probing of this "smoking gun" would not be uncomfortable only for Republicans. The truth is that Bush, like President Bill Clinton before him, oversaw the longest sustained bombing campaign since Vietnam against a sovereign country with no international or US mandate. That gun is probably too hot for either party to touch.

The implications of this information for US lawmakers are profound. It was already well known in Washington and international diplomatic circles that the real aim of the US attacks in the no-fly zones was not to protect Shiites and Kurds. But the new disclosures prove that while Congress debated whether to grant Bush the authority to go to war, while Hans Blix had his UN weapons-inspection teams scrutinizing Iraq and while international diplomats scurried to broker an eleventh-hour peace deal, the Bush Administration was already in full combat mode--not just building the dossier of manipulated intelligence, as the Downing Street memo demonstrated, but acting on it by beginning the war itself. And according to the Sunday Times article, the Administration even hoped the attacks would push Saddam into a response that could be used to justify a war the Administration was struggling to sell.

On the eve of the official invasion, on March 8, 2003, Bush said in his national radio address: "We are doing everything we can to avoid war in Iraq. But if Saddam Hussein does not disarm peacefully, he will be disarmed by force." Bush said this after nearly a year of systematic, aggressive bombings of Iraq, during which Iraq was already being disarmed by force, in preparation for the invasion to come. By the Pentagon's own admission, it carried out seventy-eight individual, offensive airstrikes against Iraq in 2002 alone.

[merh]

1. Keep it coming!

:woohoo: :woohoo:

:patriot:

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Impeachment is starting to roll off many a tongue

I think we may be reaching critical mass for this to be considered

Problem is, this is not yet a political optioon, so write to your congress critters (especially the Righties) and put the pressure on

[Initech]

20. If they can impeach Clinton for...

A blowjob and lying about it, then someone could definately impeach Bush for all the crap he's caused in this country over the last four years.

I say do it! DO IT!

[AuntiBush]

43. Really, really, really! No Chit!

You said it!

And "impeach bush" Google search tonight resulted in over 483,000:
http://www.google.com/search?q=impeach+bush&btnG=Search&hl=en&lr=

Impeach Bush: http://www.impeachbush.tv/
Vote to Impeach Bush: http://www.vetoimpeach.org/
Impeach Bush: http://zzpat.tripod.com/cvb/
Petition to Impeach Bush: http://www.petitiononline.com/ddc12/petition.html
Discussion for Grounds for impeachment - Impeach Bush: http://www.impeachbush.tv/impeach/

To name but a few... what's this tell us?

[Karenina]

55. Wonder what would happen?

A media circus distraction is scheduled for Monday starring the inimitable Michael Jackson. Lot's of vans and cameras and microphones and such. Can you imagine the area around the couthouse SWAMPED with angry citizens carrying signs and shouting "IMPEACH!" THAT would be a TOUGH EDIT!!! :evilgrin: Don't mind me, I'm just fantasizing. :silly:

[lonestarnot]

3. If they bushitler were to nuke San Francisco tomorrow, he

wouldn't be impeached! They own all the machinery, but I still like the idea of the old college try.

[libhill]

16. Sadly

thats a real possibility. A dirty bomb planted somewhere on the West Coast (this time) and blamed on the Iranians. I wouldn't put anything past these mad men.

[lonestarnot]

39. There was a report in AZ local news tonight that an arrest had been

made on an Iranian man for smuggling illegal iranians into AZ...here we go.....

[MN ChimpH8R]

4. Go, John, Go!

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

Conyers: the last honest man in Washington. I think I have my first true political hero in a looooong time.

[spanone]

5. Kick & Nominate!

[Coexist]

6. Wow.

[thecai]

7. Don't Waste Any Time!

IMPEACH NOW!

[bunny planet]

26. Yes, and it's important to get Delay out of his position right away too.

If Delay was gone, a lot of intimidated Republicans would come out of the woodwork. They'd like Bush to go too but Delay's had them by the short hairs. He's the capo or consiglieri. I think he's a linchpin to toppling the whole crime family.

[FreedomAngel82]

29. Why is DeLay still around??

:shrug: Go Conyers! He's the best. And now Kerry is going to talk about it. Yay! Impeach the whole gang of bastards.

:woohoo:

[meisje]

8. Yawn

[indepat]

14. Yawn, double yawn. No two Repug Representatives would ever

join under any circumstances to impeach any Repug president ever, no matter how compelling the case for impeachment were.

[Vincardog]

19. That is why we have to turn the reThugs out in 06. Impeach him now anyway

it takes a while to get started and we can and will have the majority by the time it comes up for the vote.

[indepat]

25. Hard to turn reThugs out of office with squirrelly electronic voting

machines being controlled by big donors.

[loudsue]

41. What boggles my mind, is WHY DON'T PEOPLE GET IT??

What part of "they own the vote counting machines" is so hard to understand?

It goes to the root of EVERY problem we are having right now:

War
Torture
Media
Economy
Environment
Global Warming

....every single issue is happening BECAUSE, since 2000, the republicans have been able to manipulate the elections, their buddies OWN the 4 companies that count 80% of the votes in the entire country, and they have taken control of every aspect of the country.

Until State legislatures and County Elections Offices are inundated with VERY angry citizens demanding paper ballots, hand counted, and auditing of Central Tabulators' totals, we will never again see Democracy in this country.

:kick::kick::kick:

[Vincardog]

53. Or the people speak clearly and make the exit polls say 80% Democratic

we have to win so big they can't steal it.

[Pacifist Patriot]

47. Never say never.

Just watch. If the writing becomes too clear on the wall, someone is going to want to break ranks to become the anti-Republican Republican candidate in 2008. If this does gain momentum it has the potential to take down a lot of people. Ass preservation and wanting to distance oneself from the fallout could be exactly what tips it in favor of impeachment. Only time will tell.

[Flying Dream Blues]

51. You're right

Politicians will go the way the wind blows...none of them wants to give up their gravy train. It's amazing how one's most deeply held beliefs can undergo an epiphany when the last lifeboats are loading.

[Just Me]

9. This man has definitely moved to the top of "My Heroes" list!!!

Conyers --->:yourock:

[Kurovski]

10. Conyers never fails to amaze.

The hardest working man in Washington.

Um, who is not a criminal, that is.

[Kikosexy2]

11. Put the pedal...

to the metal and start the impeachment drive now!!

[babsbunny]

12. Is it possible? Can it be??

Thank you John Conyers, Thank You God!!!

[ClarkUSA]

13. Not every Democrat says they were misled. Some say they'd do it again.

[BigBearJohn]

15. Who? Do they know about the Downing Street Minutes?

DOWNING STREET MINUTES -- OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT MINUTES OF AN OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT MEETING

[tavalon]

32. Talking about Joe Lie berman again, I'm guessing

The big lie about Joe is that he's a Democrat. He's a Democrat like Zell Miller is a Democrat!

[me b zola]

17. Impeach Now!!!

:kick:

[Eloriel]

18. I'm absolutely LIVID!!!

It only takes one member of Congress to begin an impeachment process and our illustrious, COURAGEOUS Dems in Congress haven't already started it???

It's a darn good thing none of them are sitting before me right now, they'd not be finished getting an earful til morn.

[Jackpine Radical]

22. Where the hell is Kucinich?

He sure as hell wouldn't have anything to lose going for it.

[FreedomAngel82]

31. Yeah really

And McKinney?? Is there someway we can get them on board? And all the other democrats?

[FreedomAngel82]

30. How frustrating

Just ONE of them can do it? How all does this work?

[Swamp Rat]

21. kick and recommended! n/t

:kick:

[converted_democrat]

23. I love John Conyers, he is a true American Patriot..

[mirrera]

24. It is coming...

No doubt in my mind. They will rig the elections to keep the house in 2006 so they do not get impeached. Let us hope they get caught, or do not dare, or made a deal, and we win the house. I sell bumper stickers to raise money to donate to all the GREAT groups out there fighting for our election integrity, peace and justice, etc. I have a wide variety representing different political issues. The only one that sells is the impeach Bush sticker. Out of 65 that I sold this month, 63 were impeach Bush. Out of the 45 I sold last month, 44 were Impeach Bush. This is every state of the union. It is my own very satisfying poll. Spread it around, it is growing, it is coming.

www.nobullshirt.com

[tavalon]

35. I'll take impeachment for a start

and then I want the whole lot of them sent to the Hague! They are war criminals and need to be tried in an international court as such!

[Im with Rosey]

27. My favorite from another thread

IMPEACH

IMPRISON

[Disturbed]

28. Bush, Cheney and Rumsfailed.

Rep Rangle already prepared Impeachment papers for Rumsfailed. All three should be Impeached. After that indictements for Powell, Rice, Card, Wolfowitz and the rest of the War Criminals.

Edited to add: Kick out Delay vote in Palosi. When Pres.& VP are out Pelosi can be Pres.

[FreedomAngel82]

33. I agree

They all need to go (the whole Bush administration).

[Pacifist Patriot]

50. And the icing on the cake would be...

war crimes tribunals lead by the UN they ignored so blithely.

[GetTheRightVote]

34. It sounds like Senator Kerry will be carrying this flag to congress

He is going to bring the memo into congress soon and we must support him in this act. Check out his web site to see when it is goign to happen. There is another DU thread concerning it.

:kick:

[oasis]

36. Conyers and Kerry. The one-two punch.

[Scout1071]

37. Chimpeach!

[Turn CO Blue]

38. Overview of Impeachment Process

<http://www.law.cornell.edu/background/impeach/impeach.htm>

The Impeachment Process in a Nutshell

1. The House Judiciary Committee deliberates over whether to initiate an impeachment inquiry.

2. The Judiciary Committee adopts a resolution seeking authority from the entire House of Representatives to conduct an inquiry. Before voting, the House debates and considers the resolution. Approval requires a majority vote.

3. The Judiciary Committee conducts an impeachment inquiry, possibly through public hearings. At the conclusion of the inquiry, articles of impeachment are prepared. They must be approved by a majority of the Committee.

4. The House of Representatives considers and debates the articles of impeachment. A majority vote of the entire House is required to pass each article. Once an article is approved, the President is, technically speaking, "impeached" -- that is subject to trial in the Senate.

5. The Senate holds trial on the articles of impeachment approved by the House. The Senate sits as a jury while the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over the trial.

6. At the conclusion of the trial, the Senate votes on whether to remove the President from office. A two-thirds vote by the Members present in the Senate is required for removal.

7. If the President is removed, the Vice-President assumes the Presidency under the chain of succession established by Amendment XXV.

[Yupster]

40. Jim Sensenbrenner

of Wisconsin is chairman of the House Judiciary committee. Anyone know what he's like?

[Turn CO Blue]

42. Here's his bio on Wikipedia

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Sensenbrenner>

(snip)
Formerly Chairman of the House Science Committee, as of 2005 Sensenbrenner is the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and is also a member of the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property. In addition, Sensenbrenner serves on the House Committee on Homeland Security.

Sensenbrenner receives high marks from the National Taxpayers Union, an anti-tax non-profit organization.


Legislative record and stance on issues

Sensenbrenner held an important role in the impeachment of Bill Clinton, acting as one of the House managers.

In 2005, Sensenbrenner made the headlines by being a vocal advocate of the Real ID Act which requires additional scrutiny of citizenship before issuing drivers' licenses. Jim Sensenbrenner attached the controversial act as a rider on military spending bill HR418. Subsequently, it was passed by the Senate without debate. <2>

As chairman of the judiciary committee, Sensenbrenner wields significant power over the future of the USA PATRIOT Act. He has been quoted as saying that does not favor making the provisions of the act permanent, but rather wants them to continue to have periodic review by Congress. <3> (http://www.jsonline.com/news/nat/apr05/316792.asp)

Sensenbrenner believes in criminal prosecution of broadcasters and cable operators who violate decency standards as opposed to the current FCC regulatory methods.<4>

Controversy

In November 2004, Sensenbrenner and California Congressman Duncan Hunter blocked the bill that would have created a National Intelligence Director, a key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission.

On April 26, 2005 it was widely reported that Jim Sensenbrenner has had lobbyists pay for his transportation, a violation of congressional laws. His total travel expenses are higher than any other congressman.

[Pacifist Patriot]

49. He'll jump at the chance to impeach a Democrat, but...

is probably a tad more reluctant when the wrongdoing is on his own side of the aisle. On the other hand....see my "never say never" post above. Could get interesting if he feels enough pressure to save his own Republican ass.

[fujiyama]

57. He's a grade A conservative

ass hole.

He's a Bush toadie to the core.

Until pukes lose control of congress, impeachment is a dream. I still think the hearings on the Downing Street Minutes/Memo would be a great idea. These people (those in the admin) deserve some damn subpeanas served to them (though of course I'd say they desrve much worse, like prison sentences).

[Pachamama]

46. Can the VP be impeached too?

Or rather, I should say, the real person who is the President and pulling the puppet strings?

Then, I guess that leaves us with....Pres. Hastert? :puke:

Impeach him too...whose next?

[Pacifist Patriot]

48. Yes, both offices Pres and VP can be impeached.

If they were both found guilty that would indeed leave us with President Hastert.

[Pachamama]

54. Fine - impeach both * & FUCheney - I can live w/ Prez Hastert

Even though he's another big fat white male shit, anybody would be better than what we have running this country right now....

[paineinthearse]

44. It only takes one member of Congress to begin an impeachment process

This is a very misleading statement. Go to Thomas and search "impeachment" in the 108th and 109th Congresses. There have been at least one resolution filed in each.

They are referred to the House Judiciary Committee where they sit, unless brought to the full committee by the chair (Sensenbrenner).

Do you really think Sensenbrenner would act on yet another resolution?

This will not happen until the Dems control the House.

[Yupster]

59. Henry Gonzalez of San Antonio

used to introduce impeachment resolutions to the Judiciary Committee once in the while.

He formally submitted one for Reagan. Then for VP Bush. Then a few years later for President Bush the first. Don't know if or how many other congresscritters signed on to his resolutions? I just remember him. There's a nice statue of him at SeaWorld in San Antonio.

I also remember him punching out a critic at a Demnny's when he was about 80.

[Stand and Fight]

45. Kick.

Going to bed. Will read tomorrow.

[Roland99]

52. Better exposure!

:woohoo:

[Mnemosyne]

56. .

:kick:

[Karenina]

58. Kick!

:kick: