The Vices of Cheney: The Burden is Upon the House Judiciary Committee--by W. E. Jackson, Jr.
Chairman John Conyers and the House Judiciary Committee* are holding hearings today on the commutation of the jail sentence of former chief of staff to the vice president, Scooter Libby.
^^^
In mid-July of 2007, one has to wonder if the House Democratic leadership and the once-bold Conyers are not on another diversionary mission to embarrass the White House and score points -- rather than getting down to what should be the most pressing duty at hand, the convening of an impeachment inquiry into probable "high crimes and misdemeanors" by Dick Cheney that would likely lead to the drafting of formal Articles of Impeachment.
^^^
[C]onstitutional law expert and former Justice Department official in the Reagan years, Bruce Fein, [said] in Slate of June 27: "Impeach Cheney: The Vice President has Run Utterly Amok and Must Be Stopped." "As Alexander Hamilton advised in the Federalist Papers, an impeachable offense is a political crime against the nation. Cheney's multiple crimes against the Constitution clearly qualify." Moreover, Fein posits that President Bush has outsourced a major share of his presidency to Vice President Cheney."
Click here for the complete text.
***
Jackson goes on to enumerate the list, compiled by Fein, of Cheney's crimes.
I highly recommend it. It is truly terrifying to have them all put together in this way.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
addendum:
As threatened, I did send Fein's list to two Congressional reps--the one in Florida [a Republican, so I expect no help there] and my old Democratic buddy in KC [since HE'S the one I voted for, I still view it as my right to bend his ear on occasion.]
Now, I'm asking you: Please read the list included in the article and, if you agree that they constitute impeachable offenses, please write your Rep and tell her or him so.
thanx, tc.
I Didn't Know He Condoned Torture
Mr. President: 'I was just following orders' was outlawed in Nuremberg.
Honest Scrap Award
The Costs of War
YES!
voter's map & post-election news
12 comments:
I will have to send list on as well... I love that use of the word outsourcing: "President Bush has outsourced a major share of his presidency to Vice President Cheney." I'm sure Bush has no idea what that word means. It's almost more like Cheney and boys have outsourced the public side of the presidency to Bush...he's the (*cough* ugly) face.
Got water?
hee!
your second comment fits the post AND our buddy thang-- [I DID go get my water when I read it--see? it's working! :) ]
meanwhile, I'm not sure the Mississippi river could put out the flames engulfing the country right now.
I pity the next prez -- assuming we're allowed to hold elections next year.
TC, I taklk to my Reps about impeachment weekly or more often.
I'm trying to find someone to remove Pelosi and Reid so we can impeach Bush and Cheney.
I sympathize with Pelosi in a way.
the last time impeachment was a serious issue, Nixon had already appointed a new VP after Agnew stepped down so this quandary didn't arise.
it must be tough to be faced with impeaching both when you're next in line for the presidency.
even assuming she would be willing to take on this mess, the Rep's would have a field-day, screeching, 'Power grab!'
still, if she wasn't up for the tough choices, she should've stayed in the back benches.
Two toes
Bush outsources everything including responsibility and accountability.
Speaking of the real Decider Cheney, I understand Congress is going ahead with their attempt to defund his office as he considers himself as being above the law.
Thanks for making me aware of those 3 required signatures you mentioned. I saved that Surgeon Generals story now I will read it and maybe make an issue out of that. That is unbelievable. Ijust can't stand Bush.
What they have been talking about on Randi Rhodesa and Thom Hartman is Inherent Contempt where Congress could lawfully have the Sergant of Arms of the House or Senate actually arrest Harriet Myers and drag her before Congress for an impromtu trial where she can be tried and convicted:
Inherent contempt
Under this process, the procedure for holding a person in contempt involves only the chamber concerned. Following a contempt citation, the person cited for contempt is arrested by the Sergeant-at-Arms for the House or Senate, brought to the floor of the chamber, held to answer charges by the presiding officer, and then subject to punishment that the House may dictate (usually imprisonment for punishment reasons, imprisonment for coercive effect, or release from the contempt citation.)
Concerned with the time-consuming nature of a contempt proceeding and the inability to extend punishment further than the session of the Congress concerned (under Supreme Court rulings), Congress created a statutory process in 1857. While Congress retains its "inherent contempt" authority and may exercise it at any time, this inherent contempt process was last used by the Senate in 1934, against the Postmaster-General. After a one-week trial in the Senate floor (presided by the Vice-President of the United States, acting as Senate President), the Postmaster-General was found guilty and sentenced to 10 days imprisonment.
The Postmaster General had filed a petition of Habeas Corpus in federal courts to overturn his arrest, but after litigation, the US Supreme Court ruled that Congress had acted constitutionally, and denied the petition in the case Jurney v. MacCracken, 294 U.S. 125 (1945). [1]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contempt_of_Congress
hey, A P--
two toes? have you nicknamed my nickname?
ermmm-- I just re-counted and I've got 10, I promise.
:)
not sure what you mean by 3 signatures.
mebbe what the surgeon gen said about having to mention Bush's name 3 x per page?
***
and, Poli--
as I read your comment I just kept saying, 'oh, wow! ohmigod!' [anyone walking into the room would've sworn I was stoned -- :) ]
then, I got to the part about the Veep presiding over the trial and my bubble burst. :(
But if the charging institution were the House, rather than the Senate, would Cheney still preside?
dunno, TC--
maybe I'll read up on that.
Please do. It would make for an interesting article.
Post a Comment