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Tag(s): Accountability; Congress; Elections; Florida; Gohmert-Louis; Government; Hearings; Heroes; Impeach; Impeachment; (more...) Justice; Lies; McClellan; Patriotism; Senate; Subpoena; Torture; Wexler-Robert (less...)
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May 29, 2008 at 02:51:43

Headlined on 5/29/08:
Wexler's Stand

by JC Garrett Page 1 of 3 page(s)

www.opednews.com

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Throughout all the lies and crimes of the Bush administration's reign of terror, there have been few heroes in the Congress and Senate who have championed the cause of truth like Florida Congressman Robert Wexler. He has led the fight for impeachment hearings, and has never backed down from a fight, no matter the odds against him.

Robert Wexler: True Patriot

As a resident of the great state of Texas, I have no dog in the fight when it comes to Congressional elections in Florida. I can only lament that my Congressman is Louis Gohmert, who looks and sounds exactly like Gomer Pyle, only half as smart and twice as arrogant.

Gomer and Gohmert

Gohmert's best moment in his short congressional career came after he stole a poster from the front of a Democratic member's office - who just happened to be former NFL quarterback Heath Shuler. Wonkette reported:

The next day, according to Roll Call, “Shuler, a former NFL quarterback, was spotted towering over a seated Gohmert, wagging a finger in his face during the heated session.” The furious Shuler was yelling at Gohmert for being a “gutless chickenshit thief” and was apparently barely able to keep from stomping the little Republican’s skull.

Shuler and Gohmert after Shuler is done with him

Gohmert later said, "I know I did not steal anything; but I am still trying to discern if he might be right about my being chicken excrement."

No, really - that's what he said. That's my Congressman. He does not like it when my letters to the editor are printed in our local newspapers.

And being that my state's Senators are also two of the worst in the entire body (John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison), I am in the position of having to work with the legislators of other states if I want to do anything other than complain. Congressman Wexler is one of the most accessible and hard-working members in the entire Washington circus, and he is one of the few who have refused to resign themselves to the status of "dancing bear."

Following is the e-mail Congressman Wexler sent out yesterday about former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan's new book that reveals much more about the crimes of the Bush cadre:

Last night, significant news broke that directly impacts our push for Impeachment Hearings and a possible Inherent Contempt charge for Bush Administration officials such as Karl Rove:

Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan has revealed in his upcoming book that:

• Karl Rove, Scooter Libby, and Vice President Cheney lied about their role in revealing the identity of Valerie Plame Wilson – actions easily amounting to obstruction of Justice.

McClellan also admitted that:

• There was a coordinated effort within the Bush Administration to use propaganda to pump up the case for the Iraq war and hide the projected costs of the war from the public.

Scott McClellan must be called to testify under oath before the House Judiciary Committee to tell Congress and the American people everything he knows about this massive effort by the White House to deceive this nation into war.

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5 comments

Aka "Peace Brother", I am a health professional and writer interested in promoting global peace and justice.
Kris MalmquistAka "Peace Brother", I am a health professional and writer interested in promoting global peace and justice.

I Wish Wexler Godspeed....

in his efforts to impeach Bush the war criminal. I have tremendous respect for Congressman Wexler for being one of the few brave voices in Congress with kahones enough to stand up and try to hold Bush and his corrupt cronies accountable for the travesty they have perpetrated on not only the American people, but the entire world.

by Kris Malmquist (9 articles, 0 quicklinks, 39 diaries, 101 comments) on Thursday, May 29, 2008 at 8:16:02 AM

I do not feel it necessary for me to give you a bio..this is not High School
Susan NelsenI do not feel it necessary for me to give you a bio..this is not High School

If only we had a dozen Senators or House members

like Robert Wexler..! We would see justice in our life time...there are few incumbents who have won the right to actually be re-elected..Dennis Kucinich and Robert Wexler....the rest write strongly worded letters and beg for justice....to chicken-sh*t to actually do anything..to afraid of their political standing in the party and the loss of perc's and prestige...they forget who and why they were elected

by Susan Nelsen (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 275 comments) on Thursday, May 29, 2008 at 9:53:45 AM

JC Garrett is a freelance writer and Constitutional scholar from the piney-woods of East Texas. He apologizes to the entire world that the great Lone Star State could have produced the neo-Neanderthal currently occupying the Oval Office.

"I'm not ashamed to be an American. I'm ashamed George W. Bush is an American."

Mr. Garrett owns and operates an independent recording studio, plays several instruments, writes, sings, and produces music.

His stories have ...

to see more of bio, click on member name
JC GarrettJC Garrett is a freelance writer and Constitutional scholar from the piney-woods of East Texas. He apologizes to the entire world that the great Lone Star State could have produced the neo-Neanderthal currently occupying the Oval Office.

"I'm not ashamed to be an American. I'm ashamed George W. Bush is an American."

Mr. Garrett owns and operates an independent recording studio, plays several instruments, writes, sings, and produces music.

His stories have ...

to see more of bio, click on member name

The Few

There are very few other legislators who will speak the truth because they worry about position and favor. But we do have Gerald Nadler, Dennis Kucinich, and a few others in the House. Waxman and Conyers are getting better.

In the Senate, we have Sheldon Whitehouse, Pat Leahy, Chuck Shumer, and Dick Durbin - but they all have taken positions on various issues that have been detrimental to the cause at times. Like Shumer's endorsement of Mukasey - which he now very much regrets, but should have seen coming.

by JC Garrett (40 articles, 65 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 604 comments) on Thursday, May 29, 2008 at 12:25:53 PM

Brett Paatsch is an Australian born secular humanist with degrees in management and science and an interest in politics. He is a former pro-American that wishes to be pro-American again and thinks the impeachment and repudiation of President George W Bush for the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 is necessary to reestablish trust in American signatures on international treaties and confidence in the global rule of law.
Brett PaatschBrett Paatsch is an Australian born secular humanist with degrees in management and science and an interest in politics. He is a former pro-American that wishes to be pro-American again and thinks the impeachment and repudiation of President George W Bush for the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 is necessary to reestablish trust in American signatures on international treaties and confidence in the global rule of law.

Nadler!? You are mistaken JC.

This Nadler is on record opining that the founders put impeachment in the constitition but did not anticipate political parties which effectively make impeachment impossible. He has resisted and thwarted efforts to get the issue going. He has had protestors camping in his office. I wonder why you think he is for it? I wonder if you have the same Nadler in mind?

Nadler is not part of the solution, like Pelosi and Conyers he is occupying a critical seat, in Nadlers case as chair of a House Judicial subcommittee and by occupying that seat he is ensuring that no one that might pursue impeachment out of a view that the Constitution should be taken literally - it says "shall be" not "may be" impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors, gets to sit in that seat.

Nadler is one of the a handful of representatives that is impeding impeachment hearings as a matter of practical (as he sees it) politics.

I'm writing hastily but I could back up what I say with sources if you want them.

Once again you have written a good article. And I agree with you - I like Wexler and legally he is right, but politically, Wexler is trying to push on a string.

Pelosi, Conyers, Nadler and a handful of others that have real power because they are House Judiciary Committee members and the matter was referred to the house are acting as impediments to it by doing nothing.

Wexlers initiative backing up Kucinich was a good one but it isn't enough. And it misses the main target. Bush should be the main target for lawful accountability because Bush gave the orders as President to authorise torture (waterboarding) and to invade Iraq on 19 March 2003.

The issue is whether US Presidents are above domestic and international laws against torture and aggressive invasion. Legally they most definately are not. But politically? That is at issue.

by Brett Paatsch (0 articles, 2 quicklinks, 22 diaries, 1041 comments) on Friday, May 30, 2008 at 12:04:37 AM

Yep,

Brett, you're right.

I was aware that Nadler had not been pushing for impeachment, and that he had made statements that he wanted to, but didn't think they could convict in the Senate. But I didn't realize he was actually using his chairmanship on the Constitution subcommittee to block it.

I have seen him in many of the hearings, and he has asked tough questions and excoriated some of the administration's witnesses, and has an excellent voting record on constitutional and civil rights issues. None of that excuses his standing in the way of doing the right thing in this instance.

There is one thing I do agree with him on, though. And only because it is what is most likely to happen, not because it's what should happen. He says that we will more likely be successful bringing criminal charges against Bush and Cheney after they are out of office.

But we could do that after impeachment hearings anyway. The Democrats who believe impeachment proceedings will hurt them in the elections are wrong. And it's even more wrong to put elections before the law.

by JC Garrett (40 articles, 65 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 604 comments) on Friday, May 30, 2008 at 1:31:45 AM