Today's hearing on the abuse of presidential powers before the House Committee on the Judiciary turned into a devastating political ambush by Chairman John Conyers (D-MI), committee Democrats, and the extraordinary panel of witnesses.. At least 12 Democratic Committee members were present plus the Chairman while only four Republicans bothered to show up.
Belying their casual appearance in the committee chambers, the Democrats presented a well coordinated, hard hitting case against President George W. Bush. This led to a double climax in the form of surgically erudite testimony by conservative legal scholar Bruce Fein, a former Reagan administration official, and former Los Angeles District Attorney Vincent Bugliosi's stunning summary statement. The best the Republicans could offer was inappropriate humor by Rep. Dan Lungren (D-CA) and a request to clear the chambers when the audience cheered Mr. Bugliosi's remarks.
The hearing resulted from the non stop campaign for the impeachment of President George W. Bush by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH). That effort received an overwhelming endorsement last week with the votes of a 238 majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. The 229 Democrats and 9 Republicans voted to refer the single count impeachment bill to the House or Representatives Committee on the Judiciary chaired by Rep. John Conyers (D-MI).
"Deceived Congress with fabricated threats of Iraq Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) to fraudulently obtain support for an authorization for the use of force against Iraq and used that fraudulently obtained authorization, and then acting in his capacity under Article II, Section II of the Constitution as Commander in Chief, to commit US troops to combat in Iraq."
There was speculation prior to the hearing that the Republicans might scuttle the entire process due to House rules that prevent disparaging comments about the president. Apparently they failed to read the entirety of House Practice, Sec. 25 which lists a number of negative comments that House members have used in the past and makes clear that they're available in the present.
"Few Issues More Important"
Chairman Conyers opened the hearing by noting that there are "few issues more important" than the actions of Congress to curtail the abuse of presidential powers. As a member of the House committee that heard the Nixon Impeachment case, he speaks with a certain authority. He listed the various abuses of presidential power by Bush laying out the case that his fellow Democrats would elaborate. The senior member of the committee, Republican Lamar Smith (R-TX) responded that he'd seen a lot from this committee but today's hearing was like "hosting an anger management class."
Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL), a strong advocate for the hearings, responded by pointing out that given the evidence of high crimes, this isn't a Democratic or Republican issue, it's an American issue. The Democrats continued the theme of gravity with Cong. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) referring to Bush as "the worst president our country has ever suffered"
Cong. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) returned to what would lead to the most devastating and startling charges of the hearing - the basis for the invasion of Iraq and the disregard for civil liberties through the torture of foreigners and the domestic assault on privacy. Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) responded that the hearing was nothing but "a do-over that amuses our terrorist friends."
"If lying about casual sex" is an impeachment issue, "then certainly lying to the American people about invading Iraq" is, responded Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA). Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), another strong supporter of impeachment, continued the hard hitting attack
Which can be a time I say good night. There was clear coordination. I think the Republicans were just shocked. Their responses were so weak. And to see Bruce Fein do what he did and Bugliosi...yikes.
Bob Barr was a big disappointment. He should have stayed home.
N.B. Edit, Sat evening. I agree with PrMaine's comment on Barr. His equivocation was not nearly as broadly seen as his mere presence, which turned a lot of heads.
by
Michael Collins (107 articles, 16 quicklinks, 5 diaries, 358 comments)
on Friday, July 25, 2008 at 11:03:09 PM
While Bob Barr did not present the most forceful testimony at the hearings, I was quite glad to have him there. It was good to see that some conservatives actually do have principled positions and do not just display a knee-jerk support for anything an important Republican might do.
Many people will remember Barr as one of the leaders in the impeachment of Bill Clinton and as a far-right talking head on the Sunday talk shows, so his current position can be seen as a sharp change of position, particularly by the 23% who still support Bush. If any of that 23% watched the hearings, they could be quite affected by Barr's testimony, weak as it may seem to others. They cannot just dismiss Barr as a liberal fanatic, which I feel certain will be their reaction to most of the others at the hearing.
by
PrMaine (11 articles, 9 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 395 comments)
on Saturday, July 26, 2008 at 11:41:47 AM
The fact that he was there was excellent. I went to see Gore in Jan 2006 when Barr was to introduce him, great event. Barr's plane was grounded and he missed the event but sent an introduction. I expected more than comments about "generic" criticisms of any president. The person who has impressed me is Walter Jones, R-NC. He realized that he had been lied to and opposed the war form that point, which was a while ago. He's an honest man who knew what would happen that day and showed up nonetheless. He faces major heat from his party. But he was there. Quite a stand, imho.
by
Michael Collins (107 articles, 16 quicklinks, 5 diaries, 358 comments)
on Saturday, July 26, 2008 at 8:06:46 PM
Talk time is over. It's over for them, it's over for us.
Forty-odd years ago it took a lot more than talk to end a war and segregation. It took arrests, beatings, fire-hoses, Monks burning themselves alive and some of us getting murdered before any action was taken - we're way beyond the point we should of been practicing mass peaceful civil disobedience.
It's time for a good old-fashion sit-in! We need to get hundreds, thousands, and hundreds of thousands of us to not just petition, but to clog-up the halls, malls and streets!
And we better do it now before it's too late. While we still have some semblance of chance, because I can promise you this, if we allow them to play this out in their time frame - we're done. We're one more "false-flag" attack, bombing of Iran or collapse of our economy away from Martial Law, and if we wait that long we will not be able to avoid a worse-case scenario.
All of us need to start now to organize on every level to start doing peaceful civil disobedience and as constantly as we can. We need to call their bluff, and they're not bluffing!
People that are capable of murdering thousands of people in broad daylight and than using those murders as a pretext to murder a million-plus more are capable of anything. And if we allow them to play their game out we won't get a chance to protest in the near future.
They know we know. The elephant in the room is 9/11. If the curtain is pulled back just a little on the crimes of this government 9/11 would come spilling forth it all it's putrid glory. Not only would those powers behind all the evil would be exposed, they might even be nearly totally eradicated, and before that happens a great many of us are going to have to sacrifice a great deal, a lot more loses than we suffered back in the day when we brought these cretins to bay 40-odd years ago. And it's why we're not going to see impeachment. It would expose not just those who committed 9/11 and all the other lesser crimes, it would expose whole segments of our government and more importantly, the mega-corporations behind them for what they are, and a charge that deep won't come about politely. Major sacrifices are going to have to be made and it's not up to just a few brave representatives, scholars and lawyers to make the case for us - it's going to take all of us who care enough to put ourselves in harms way now - not later - there is no later - to get this done.
But it's going to take more than blogging, emailing, phone-calls and petitions, it's time for us to take this to the next level!
by
Mr M (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 21 diaries, 1785 comments)
on Saturday, July 26, 2008 at 2:02:09 PM
What exactly are you referring to though? Many of us here I'm sure have been contacting Congress and asking them to support Kucinich's Articles of Impeachment. Besides contacting media, writing to local papers, etc. what should we do? Yes, another 2 banks folded and financial crisis is upon us all. I want to remain optimistic but prepare realistically as hard times are coming.
by
P Miller (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 10 comments)
on Saturday, July 26, 2008 at 5:40:05 PM
Keep writing, calling and emailing, but we know that isn't working, so we need to take actions that have yet to have taken. We need to get off our asses an place them in harms way.
I would suggest sit-ins. Good old fashion sit-ins. We need to start clogging-up the halls and make it impossible for law-makers to enter or leave their offices. We need to disrupt commerce. We need to be arrested, beaten, and some of us will be killed as protests escalate. It's going to happen.
We have to go with the mindset that we're already dead. If we do not stop these cretins now, before Martial Law is declared - we're dead. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain, an we must not ever lose sight of the fact that so do they. This is not just a fight for our lives, it's a fight for civilization itself. And once you realize this, phone calls seem rather trite.
If you are not already part of a group of activists, form one, if you can't form one or find one do it on your own, people will join you as more truth comes out. If you can't do much - do what you can, but do more than you ever have. We have nothing to lose.
by
Mr M (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 21 diaries, 1785 comments)
on Saturday, July 26, 2008 at 6:24:50 PM
If they suceed this time, you're right, there won't
be a next time. They'll just assume the lockdown on truth and news can continue forever. If Bush is pardoned by the next president, that's a huge giveaway. I suspect there are those lobbying Obama hard to do this. If he says he won't now, he's at risk of getting a real media thrashing. If he says yes, he's in huge trouble. But, once elected, there is ample opportunity to expose the massive criminality. Opposition to that in the name of "hational healing" will be the end of any president's popularity. The case against Nixon, massive as it was, is mild compared to the Bush-Cheney folks.
DECEIVING CONGRESS WITH FABRICATED THREATS OF IRAQ WMDs TO FRAUDULENTLY OBTAIN SUPPORT FOR AN AUTHORIZATION OF THE USE OF MILITARY FORCE AGAINST IRAQ.
On 911, there must be a total revelation or our history from then on lacks any meaning. Kucinich's resolution has these words in it (as linked in the article):
To gain Congressional support for passage of the Joint Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq, the President made the following material representations to the Congress in SJ Res 45:
Snip
5. That "members of Al Qaida, an organization bearing responsibility for attacks on the United States, its citizens and interests, including the attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, are known to be in Iraq.. . ." 6. The "attacks on the United States of September 11, 2001, underscored the gravity of the threat that Iraq will transfer weapons of mass destruction to international terrorist organizations. . ."
I was impressed with Kucinich for telling the bald truth in the proof. That's right on target.
The media control here is just part of the game. The development and use of SWAT teams to pound demonstrators is a form of real intimidation. But we do have the example, the May Day protests by Latinos, which were not even touched by the forces of repression. They didn't dare. We need a real national day of protest with millions in the streets
by
Michael Collins (107 articles, 16 quicklinks, 5 diaries, 358 comments)
on Saturday, July 26, 2008 at 8:23:26 PM
I'm very glad that I went. I was literally the last person admitted for the start of the hearing. I wouldn't have missed it for much else. It was a real turning point. To think that they'd have a panel that called Bush a tyrant and murderer, wow. Conyers deserves a lot of cretit for the way he handled this.
by
Michael Collins (107 articles, 16 quicklinks, 5 diaries, 358 comments)
on Saturday, July 26, 2008 at 12:24:23 AM
Sorry, but I have lost all respect for this impostor. There is no reason to excuse this man's craw-fishing on his tough-talk before he got into position to back it up, and watch him cave to whatever pressures he has caved to. None - Nada - zip! As far as I'm concerned even if he now lead the charge for impeachment I wouldn't forgive him all those that have died as he played politics!
To Hell with Conyers and all those that have wasted one second not trying to do all they could to cut this evil from the soul of this country. He can stand trial with the rest of them! In my book he's already guilty.
by
Mr M (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 21 diaries, 1785 comments)
on Saturday, July 26, 2008 at 2:15:30 PM
No permanent friends or enemies, just permanent interests
I was inspired by Conyers in Ohio right after the election and then disappointed that he didn't continue on that path. At the same time, I look at this event as pivotal, as late and poorly covered as it is. There was a continuous line of reasoning building up to "tyrant!" - "murderer!" That's something I've never heard said officially about any sitting president. Conyers orchestrated this, which was obvious. So on July 25th, he came through. But it's not about this or that person, it's what works. People are already seeing the perils of personal affinity with Obama just being himself from time to time. Anybody who wants to step up and point to the truth is welcome. They're not important as individuals, I could care less, they're important as steps along the way. My ire is focused on 2000. Roberts, the mystery Chief Justice authored that strategy. I'm appalled that he's even allowed in the court. If he wants to spill the beans, I'm happy to set that aside because the revelation is so very important.
by
Michael Collins (107 articles, 16 quicklinks, 5 diaries, 358 comments)
on Saturday, July 26, 2008 at 8:36:35 PM
and the FBI is looking into mis-conduct of his wife, Monica.....how much you want to bet if Conyers did call for real impeachment hearings...his wife would be sent to jail on trumped up charges...just like Don Seigelman was, after all, turd blossom and Cheney are still free (with their politically picked bunch of crooks and liars (Mukasey) in the DOJ) for their version of executive privileges...
by
Susan Nelsen (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 277 comments)
on Saturday, July 26, 2008 at 2:48:33 AM
I remember when they announced it and I thought, 'here we go.' But you have no idea of what it's like to see the Committee on the Judiciary, so long absent from duty, face a witness who makes an undeniable five minute presentation accusing the president of murder. That's the truth and that was history. Combined with Feins eloquent statement on tyranny, one he's made for some time, it was a great day for the people; we spoke, I believe, through these two witnesses and the others who just laid it out - for once (and yes, its very late and it's not enough, it's just the first step).
Bugliosi's book is #10 on the NYT's non fiction best seller list:
It good to hear that Congress finally held the hearing. Kudos to Kucinich and Conyers. GW along with his sidekick RC perpetuated the story of WMD to get back at Saddam, who more or less spat in the elder Bush's face in the first Gulf War. In turn, GW set the stage for higher oil prices for which the American people are suffering from. The hearings should also include crimes against the American Economy and people. Case in point, I'm paying $7.19 a gallon for gas and $7.37 for heating fuel.
by
Andrew Abraham (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 6 comments)
on Saturday, July 26, 2008 at 12:03:52 PM
He made it happen with the support of a lot of people. He was truly moved and let the others do the heavy lifting. It was a great strategy on his part becaue the goons who normally marginalize him had other targets, people who would bit back very hard. Kucinich is attacked so visciously because he's so on target. The witnesses are not yet victims of the slander machine so it's a little different going after them. Quite a guy, that Dennis!
by
Michael Collins (107 articles, 16 quicklinks, 5 diaries, 358 comments)
on Saturday, July 26, 2008 at 9:05:38 PM
... for some fantastic coverage - and for getting up at 4 am! (Your sacrifice was definitely worthwhile!) I sent out the link far and wide. Can't wait to read part 2! u da man!
by
Meryl Ann Butler (49 articles, 53 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 449 comments)
on Saturday, July 26, 2008 at 1:00:20 PM
It was worth it and I'd do it again. I had the same feeling I had when I heard about the Gore speech planned for Constitution Hall in June 2006 - just get up and go. Of couse, Gore was thoughtful enough to speak in the afternoon. Working on Part 2 now.
by
Michael Collins (107 articles, 16 quicklinks, 5 diaries, 358 comments)
on Saturday, July 26, 2008 at 9:15:26 PM
