http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/05/15/1202/Can We Please Impeach Gonzales and Rice Now?
by Joseph A. Palermo
The deliberative nature of the legislative process has slowed the Democrats’ momentum after winning the elections last November. The “100 hours” are long over, and if the Democrats have any chance of extricating our nation from the icy grip of President George W. Bush and his unindicted co-conspirators they will have to become far more aggressive.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the centrist Democratic leaders in Washington, like Rahm Emanuel and Steny Hoyer, are dissuading their colleagues from putting the nation through another “Watergate-type” trauma out of fear that it might backfire on them politically. If so, the Democrats once again have proven that they never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.
The “Bushies,” (as they like to call themselves), on the other hand, have shown they are geniuses at covering their tracks, destroying incriminating evidence, disavowing close ties with identified perps, and having fits of selective amnesia. Even when there is overwhelming evidence of fraud, false statements, and stealing they have been largely successful in stonewalling Congress.
snip//
The Democrats can regain their momentum only by getting tough on Iraq and aggressively investigating the pervasive corruption of the Bush Administration. If witnesses take Condi Rice’s path and duck subpoenas, the committee chairs must slap contempt of Congress charges on them and begin convening grand juries.
The House Judiciary Committee should immediately draw up articles of impeachment against Alberto Gonzales; we’ve listened to his lies long enough. Gonzales and Rice are the low hanging fruit for the Democrats. Gonzales should be impeached for lying to Congress and implementing Karl Rove’s partisan project at the Justice Department. Condi Rice should be impeached for lying to Congress about the intelligence that led this nation on its catastrophic course in Iraq. Only a full on Constitutional showdown this summer can begin to heal the wounds George Bush has inflicted on our republic.