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Impeachment (2739) Congress (2410) Pelosi-Nancy (342) Judiciary (176) Subpoena (103) Conyers-John (100) Waxman-Henry (38) Ray McGovern (7)
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In a lengthy speech the Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said, I have come to the sad conclusion that this administration has intentionally obstructed Congress' rightful and constitutional duties." Rohrabacher offers "When I hear my friends on the other side of the aisle accusing this administration of stonewalling, of coverups, or thwarting investigations, I sadly must concur with them." He concludes, "We should not be setting precedents that the President of the United States has the lion’s share of the power in this great democracy of ours." Are you listening, Nancy? The Pelosi Factor "I have said it before and I will say it again: Impeachment is off the table." When all efforts to effect checks and balances are thwarted and there is no other recourse to restore order in an administration gone wild, taking impeachment "off the table" really boils down to a matter of obstruction of justice. This begs the question why would the House Speaker obstruct justice? Rarely discussed in the corporate media since initial reports is the fact that two of the most abhorrent impeachable offenses in the eyes of the American people were disclosed to Nancy Pelosi several years before they went public. As the Washington Post reported late last year, in September 2002, along with three other members of Congress, Nancy Pelosi was briefed on "overseas detention sites and the harsh techniques interrogators had devised to try to make their prisoners talk. Among the techniques described, said two officials present, was water boarding." The Washington Post reported that Pelosi did not raise any objections at the time.In a 2006 oped, Nancy Pelosi remarked that the president’s admission that he authorized the electronic surveillance on Americans is a "wake-up call for intensive congressional oversight of intelligence activities." With no expression of constitutional responsibility, she acknowledges that she, herself, had been informed of the president’s authorization. She went on to excuse herself by stating "But when the administration notifies Congress in this manner, it is not seeking approval." Former CIA analyst, Ray McGovern, raises another unsettling question. According to the former head of Qwest Communications, the NSA sought assistance with surveillance in February 2001, challenging the repeated claim that 9/11 "changed everything." The question then, is "What Did Pelosi Know about NSA, and When Did She Know It?"An Impeachment Groundswell Despite the lack of cooperation from the Congress, the movement to impeach continues to gain traction in communities throughout the country. According to AfterDowningStreet.org, impeachment resolutions have passed in Vermont’s state legislature (introduced in 11 other states), 26 statewide and national political committees, 19 state legislative districts, 91 cities, towns and counties, 54 local political groups/parties/jurisdictions, and several unions, seven ACLU chapters, with dozens more pending or in the works. Organizations well versed in constitutional law like the National Lawyers Guild and the Center for Constitutional Rights have also called for impeachment.In addition, indictment resolutions against the president and vice president have been introduced in three jurisdictions including Kennebunkport, Maine, summer home of the Bush family. In Brattleboro, Vermont, the votes were cast and the president and vice President may be wise not to tread on that town any time soon. These actions stand in stark contrast with John Conyers’ assertion in his prepared speech at last year’s Take Back America conference that "Too many Americans, however, feel that Bush’s assault on civil liberties are not really their concern." Congressional Rebuffs Refusal by many members of Congress to support impeachment has little to do with whether or not they believe serious offenses have been committed as evidenced by letters to constituents. Steve Rothman (D-NJ) is "outraged" over the president’s "overreaching intelligence gathering measures" and for "misleading the American people about the basis for going to war in Iraq." He’s just not sure there is enough evidence. Perhaps John Conyers can lend him a copy of the "Constitution in Crisis." Representative Joe Sestak (D-PA) wrote "we have witnessed our government ignore the freedoms established in the Constitution on countless occasions and flaunted national security as justification." While Sestak lays out numerous "egregious" abuses that "strike at the heart of our democracy," he contends that congressional oversight will do the trick. One after another, members of Congress outline assaults on the Constitution by the president and vice president, but choose to ride out the next 10 months with little regard to the consequences. Jerrold Nadler, chair of the Subcommittee on the Constitution has, in essence, altered the Constitution by ruling out impeachment as a viable tool for this and future administrations. By doing so, he opens the door to certain abuse of power. Impeachment, he says, "Doesn’t work. It doesn’t work because essentially the framers of the Constitution did not foresee political parties." It’s a wonder George Mason, himself, hasn’t risen up to demand that Nadler step down from his chairmanship. "No point," said Mason, "is of more importance than that the right of impeachment should be continued."Upholding the Oath Conservative Bruce Fein, a constitutional lawyer who served as associate deputy attorney general under President Ronald Reagan had a message for the Democratic leadership in a radio interview with Rob Kall of OpEdNews.com."It is quite clear," Fein remarked, "that they will not move because they think collectively that it will not be advantageous politically for the Democratic Party. I have retorted, you have taken an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States which includes the impeachment clause."
Writer/Photographer/Activist. An advocate for clean government, media integrity and civil liberties. Chair of the Progressive Democrats of America S. Jersey Chapter Impeachment Team and co-leader of the New Jersey Impeach Groups. Founder of the Strike08.com campaign. Working to end the war in Iraq and prevent one with Iran. Writer and editor for OpEdNews.com. cherylbirenwright.wordpress.com
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