Tue
Nov 6 2007
10:18 am

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH-10) is going to bring H.Res.333, "Articles of Impeachment against the Vice President," to a vote in the House of Representatives today as a "privileged resolution." Such measures require Congressional action within two days. The resolution, co-sponsored by 21 other representatives,* calls for Dick Cheney's impeachment on the grounds that the Vice President

  • purposely manipulated the intelligence process to deceive the citizens and Congress of the United States by fabricating a threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction,
  • purposely manipulated the intelligence process to deceive the citizens and Congress of the United States about an alleged relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda, and
  • openly threatened aggression against the Republic of Iran absent any real threat to the United States, in contravention of Article II, Section 4 of the UN Charter, to which the United States is bound by treaty.

In all of these things, Cheney has

acted in a manner contrary to his trust as Vice President, and subversive of constitutional government, to the prejudice of the cause of law and justice and the manifest injury of the people of the United States.

Wherefore Richard B. Cheney, by such conduct, warrants impeachment and trial, and removal from office.

Kucinich's congressional impeachment web page provides links to online documentation for each specific evidence or authority listed in the resolution. As a press release explains:"The privileged resolution has priority status for consideration on the House floor. Once introduced, the resolution has to be brought to the floor within two legislative days, although the House could act on it immediately."

While a planned national phone conference planned for Monday evening failed due to technical difficulties, David Swanson was able to hear Kucinich's more detailed explanation of how things are likely to unfold:

[Kucinich] said that there might be an actual debate on the substance of the charges, for which he said he was prepared, or there might be a motion to table the matter (effectively killing it if successful), or it might be referred to a committee. If it is sent to committee, Kucinich, said, it will be the House Judiciary Committee.

In a statement, Kucinich explained:

I am urging my colleagues to recognize that impeachment will not create a crisis by briefly disrupting their schedules on Capitol Hill. The crisis, as Americans outside the Beltway know, is upon us. Congress, the first branch of our government, to which the first half of the Constitution is devoted, has been reduced to almost a bystander as the policies of the wealthiest nation and the largest military ever known are set in secret by the Vice President's office. Under Bush/Cheney, we have become a nation that illegally threatens and launches aggressive wars for political – not national security -- reasons. For this crisis of confidence, this denial of our Constitutional beliefs and rights, impeachment is the only cure available.

I agree with Congressman Kucinich that Cheney's fraudulent case for the Iraq war was a direct assault on the fabric and Constitution of this country; he has my thanks for standing up for the Constitution and honoring his oath of office.

If you support impeachment, call your Congressperson (1-800-828-0498, 1-800-862-5530, or 1-800-833-6354) and ask him or her to vote against tabling Kucinich's resolution H.Res.333. If you don't support impeachment, just go back to sleep.

[crossposted from newsrack]

=====
* Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Robert Brady (D-PA), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-MO), Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA), Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA), Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Rep. Henry Johnson (D-GA), Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-MI), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), Rep. James Moran (D-VA), Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), Rep. Diane Watson (D-CA), Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) and Rep. Albert Wynn (D-MD).

bizgrrl's picture

Yes! Contact has been made.

Yes! Contact has been made.

Thomas Nephew's picture

Great, thanks!

That's got to be the quickest response to a post of mine ever. Thanks again.

Anonymous's picture

Dennis The Menace

You've gotta admire Kucinich's quixotic qualities.

Throughly ineffectual, bordering on incompetent, as an elected executive;
yet highly effective as the moral compass of a legislative body.

He HAD to know this resolution was dead in the water. But it's a great way to get his colleagues on the record, when somebody does MANAGE to pop the scab that is the Bush Administration, and release all its fetid pus.

Our GRANDCHILDREN will still be paying for the arrogance, hubris and fundamental dishonesty of this Administration.

Dick & Co have put bulls-eyes on every American traveling abroad, left our soldiers and diplomats in untenable situations, and engaged in patterns of deception and historical revisionism to rival Stalin or Mao Zedong.

R. Neal's picture

The House just voted NOT to

The House just voted NOT to table the motion, meaning it advances on the floor.

Now, STENY HOYER, THE DEMOCRATIC HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER is trying to block a vote by referring it to the Judiciary Committee.

R. Neal's picture

This is very weird. I'm just

This is very weird. I'm just catching up on C-SPAN. There was apparently a motion to table the resolution and it was defeated -- by REPUBLICANS.

Now, they're voting to refer it to the Judiciary Committee, and DEMOCRATS are voting to send it into the black hole never to be seen again.

EDIT: Strike that last part. It's some kind of procedural vote before the vote to refer it to the Judiciary committee...

EDIT: Now they are voting on the motion by STENY HOYER, THE DEMOCRATIC HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER to refer it to the Judiciary Committee. So far, Republican are voting against the motion (meaning they want it on the floor for a vote) and DEMOCRATS are voting FOR the motion to make it go away.

What a bunch of cowards.

EDIT: Democrats just voted to send it to committee, meaning there will be no vote. Nancy Pelosi does not appear to be there.

Thomas Nephew's picture

I had hoped my own

I had hoped my own Congressman -- Chris Van Hollen (D-MD-8) -- would at least not vote to table the resolution. But he's the DCCC chair, and I hoped in vain -- Van Hollen voted to table Kucinich's resolution. When the motion to table failed unexpectedly -- due to a GOP stunt -- he also voted to put referring H.Res. back to the Judiciary up to a vote, and then voted to actually refer H.Res.333 back to the Judiciary Committee. Via AfterDowningStreet.com.

The last 2 votes were nearly party line votes -- with Democrats seeking to avoid immediate debate of H.Res.333 on the floor, and GOP seeking to force it. I guess the leaderships of both parties figured Democrats couldn't win a floor debate or a media debate ...about impeaching Dick bleeping Cheney, Mr. "I'm less popular than mad cow disease." Headline it "House unanimous: Dems can't punch their way out of wet paper bag."

BONUS UPDATE: Not completely party line. Since I'm feeling bitter, I note that blogosphere/internet darling Ron Paul (R-TX-who cares) voted with Steny Hoyer and the Democratic leadership each time as well.

Rachel's picture

The Rs wanted this to go to

The Rs wanted this to go to the floor because they had some kind of idea that debating the evils of Dick Cheney would be bad for Ds. Not sure why....

And it was always clear the leadership would kill this thing.

"The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones." - John Maynard Keynes

R. Neal's picture

I'm still trying to figure

I'm still trying to figure this one out. I have some theories.

1. What Rachel said.

2. The Rs wanted some Ds on record as agreeing that nut Kucinich (their characterization -- Free Socialized Health Care for Everybody That Will Bankrupt America! Kucinich Says True American Patriot Cheney is a War Criminal! I Saw a UFO!) as ad fodder for the 2008 Congressional elections.

3. The Rs wanted to humiliate the D leadership if the D leadership wasn't able to control their caucus and block what they (the D leadership) appear to be characterizing as a sideshow from the fringe that they (the D leadership) don't want to be associated with.

4. The Rs wanted to show how reasonable and bi-partisan they are and distance themselves from the Cheney/Bush failures on a resolution they knew would go nowhere.

5. Something to do with Hillary Clinton, haven't quite ciphered that out yet.

There must have been some incredible backroom dealing and strategerizing going on today.

Anyway, good for Kucinich (and for Cohen, who was sitting right behind him in all the C-SPAN camera angles) for at least getting an attempt at an impeachment resolution on the permanent record.

Steny Hoyer and Nancy Pelosi were a disgrace to their party today and should be ashamed. They should have at least been standing up with Kucinich demanding at least a legitimate debate of legitimate concerns re. their sworn duty of Congressional oversight.

The press releases and soundbites and triangulating and backpedaling should be interesting tomorrow.

Pam Strickland's picture

All of these look good to

All of these look good to me, especially No. 5.

Pam Strickland

"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." ~Kurt Vonnegut

Johnny Ringo's picture

On balance, which politcal

On balance, which politcal party do you think won and which lost more from the last impeachment?

R. Neal's picture

Republicans won. They

Republicans won. They galvanized hatred for all things Clinton and all things Democratic and created enough sideshows and talking points to elect Bush in 2000, take control of Congress in 2002, and elect Bush again in 2004, and would still be riding the wave if their boy Bush hadn't screwed the pooch so bad.

Anonymous's picture

Impeachment of Cheney First Step To Restore America's Good Name

Impeachment of Cheney First Step To Restore America's Good Name

Cheney must be impeached for his part in the greatest mistake the United States has ever made.
Cheney must be impeached to show future administrations that the constitution will be respected and upheld.
Cheney must be impeached to remove him from any possibility of becoming president.
Cheney must be impeached to show the world that we are sincere in wanting the world to respect the rule of law.
Cheney must be impeached and then bared from ever holding any office in the government again.

Forrest Erickson

Carole Borges's picture

I do agree with all these points

It makes me shudder to think anything could happen that would slip him into the Number One spot.

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