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davidswanson Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jul-11-07 09:11 AM
Original message
15 Congress Members for Impeachment
By David Swanson

Congressman Sam Farr (D., Calif.) is the latest member of Congress to respond to intense pressure from his constituents and co-sponsor H Res 333, articles of impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney. The official list of co-sponsors at thomas.loc.gov includes 11 names, plus the original sponsor Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D., Ohio). That makes 12. In addition, Congressman Bob Filner (D., Calif.) has said he will sign on, and has said so publicly in media interviews including this one: http://www.atlantaprogressivenews.com/news/0189.html

That makes 13, or 14 with Farr. Then there is Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. (D., Ill.) who has not signed onto H Res 333 or introduced his own articles of impeachment against Cheney or Bush, but who recently released this statement:

"In her first weeks as leader of the Congress, Speaker Nancy Pelosi withdrew the notion of impeachment proceedings against either President Bush or Vice President Cheney . With the president's decision to once again subvert the legal process and the will of the American people by commuting the sentence of convicted felon Lewis 'Scooter' Libby, I call on House Democrats to reconsider impeachment proceedings. Lewis Libby was convicted of lying under oath to cover up the outing of active, undercover CIA agent, Valerie Plame. It is beyond unthinkable that the president would undermine the legal process to protect a man who engaged in treason against the United States government, threatening the security of the American people. In November's election, voters put Democrats in charge of Congress because they believed our pledge of oversight and accountability. Now it's time for us to honor that pledge. The Executive Branch should be held responsible for its illegalities. Our democratic system is grounded in the principle of checks and balances. When the Executive Branch disregards the will of the people, our lawmakers must not be silent. Today's actions, coupled with the president's unwillingness to comply with Senate and House inquiries, leave Democrats with no other option than to consider impeachment so that we can gather the information needed to achieve justice for all Americans."

If Jackson signs onto H Res 333, there will be 15 cosponsors.

Sam Farr represents Santa Cruz, California, the first city in the country to have passed a resolution demanding impeachment. Santa Cruz city council passed that first resolution in 2003, and passed another in 2006. Santa Cruz is also home to COIN (Coalition for Impeachment Now) led by local organizers Sherry Conable and Louis LaFortune. Following Santa Cruz's lead, a total of at least 79 towns and cities have passed resolutions demanding the impeachment of Cheney and / or Bush: http://impeachpac.org/resolutions-list

Of all the polling companies in the United States, only one has ever polled, and only once, on whether Americans want Cheney impeached. 54 percent of Americans and 76 percent of Democrats said Yes. http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/polling

Counting Farr and Jackson, a total of 3 percent of Congress Members and 6 percent of Democratic Congress Members have taken the position shared by over three-quarters of Democrats, 51 percent of Independents, and 17 percent of Republicans around the country.

Meanwhile, Cheney's popularity has reached a record low, with 13 percent of the country in favor of his performance. And that figure actually comes from May, prior to the most recent few scandals and exposed abuses of power: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/07/09/polls-cheney-nears-quayle-as-least-popular-veep

What will it take for Congress to act? The majority of the people want it, and the least popular Vice President in history can't be all that intimidating, can he? Isn't it time we started intimidating him? http://www.impeachcheney.org

People from around the country are headed to Washington on July 23rd to find out whether pressure from the citizens of this republic counts for anything anymore: http://afterdowningstreet.org/node/24450

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Demeter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jul-11-07 09:27 AM
Response to Original message
1. What Will It Take?
If I knew the answer.....I feel like Alice in Wonderland after eating from the (psychedelic?) mushroom:

`Come, my head's free at last!' said Alice in a tone of delight, which changed into alarm in another moment, when she found that her shoulders were nowhere to be found: all she could see, when she looked down, was an immense length of neck, which seemed to rise like a stalk out of a sea of green leaves that lay far below her.
`What can all that green stuff be?' said Alice. `And where have my shoulders got to? And oh, my poor hands, how is it I can't see you?' She was moving them about as she spoke, but no result seemed to follow, except a little shaking among the distant green leaves.

As there seemed to be no chance of getting her hands up to her head, she tried to get her head down to them, and was delighted to find that her neck would bend about easily in any direction, like a serpent. She had just succeeded in curving it down into a graceful zigzag, and was going to dive in among the leaves, which she found to be nothing but the tops of the trees under which she had been wandering, when a sharp hiss made her draw back in a hurry: a large pigeon had flown into her face, and was beating her violently with its wings.

`Serpent!' screamed the Pigeon.

`I'm not a serpent!' said Alice indignantly. `Let me alone!'

`Serpent, I say again!' repeated the Pigeon, but in a more subdued tone, and added with a kind of sob, `I've tried every way, and nothing seems to suit them!'

`I haven't the least idea what you're talking about,' said Alice.

`I've tried the roots of trees, and I've tried banks, and I've tried hedges,' the Pigeon went on, without attending to her; `but those serpents! There's no pleasing them!'

Alice was more and more puzzled, but she thought there was no use in saying anything more till the Pigeon had finished.

`As if it wasn't trouble enough hatching the eggs,' said the Pigeon; `but I must be on the look-out for serpents night and day! Why, I haven't had a wink of sleep these three weeks!'

`I'm very sorry you've been annoyed,' said Alice, who was beginning to see its meaning.

`And just as I'd taken the highest tree in the wood,' continued the Pigeon, raising its voice to a shriek, `and just as I was thinking I should be free of them at last, they must needs come wriggling down from the sky! Ugh, Serpent!'

`But I'm not a serpent, I tell you!' said Alice. `I'm a--I'm a--'

`Well! what are you?' said the Pigeon. `I can see you're trying to invent something!'

`I--I'm a little girl,' said Alice, rather doubtfully, as she remembered the number of changes she had gone through that day.

`A likely story indeed!' said the Pigeon in a tone of the deepest contempt. `I've seen a good many little girls in my time, but never one with such a neck as that! No, no! You're a serpent; and there's no use denying it. I suppose you'll be telling me next that you never tasted an egg!'

`I have tasted eggs, certainly,' said Alice, who was a very truthful child; `but little girls eat eggs quite as much as serpents do, you know.'

`I don't believe it,' said the Pigeon; `but if they do, why then they're a kind of serpent, that's all I can say.'

This was such a new idea to Alice, that she was quite silent for a minute or two, which gave the Pigeon the opportunity of adding, `You're looking for eggs, I know that well enough; and what does it matter to me whether you're a little girl or a serpent?'

`It matters a good deal to me,' said Alice hastily; `but I'm not looking for eggs, as it happens; and if I was, I shouldn't want yours: I don't like them raw.'
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KKKarl is an idiot Donating Member (662 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jul-11-07 09:28 AM
Response to Original message
2. Impeach now!!!
I was against impeachment before the commuting of Libby's sentence. Now I am all for it. I believed it was the one chance we had of hearing the real truth of this administrations evils by Scooter Libby finally giving in to testify against this administration in a plea bargain. But it is obvious he knew he will not go to prison before the trial even started.
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DutchLiberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jul-11-07 11:33 AM
Response to Reply #2
6. Why were you against it before the commutation?
I mean, commuting Libby's sentence is wrong, but it *is* legal for the president to do so. He has that power. But before he commuted Libby, we already knew that he placed himself and his entire administration above the law; a law that he broke time and time again.

I applaud all members of Congress who want to start impeachment.
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Alexander Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-12-07 02:12 AM
Response to Reply #6
15. Can you commute a sentence before any time is served?
"I mean, commuting Libby's sentence is wrong, but it *is* legal for the president to do so."

Are you really sure about that? I think US law requires part of a sentence to be served before a legal commutation.

I may be wrong.
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DutchLiberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-12-07 11:16 AM
Response to Reply #15
18. Well, I only based it on what I've read about it
in the newspapers. I understand the president of the US has extraordinary much power. I read it's legal for him to commute anybody he wants. The controversy this time is not about the legal aspect, but the moral aspect.

But I'm no expert at all. ;)
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JBear Donating Member (318 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jul-11-07 09:38 AM
Response to Original message
3. 15 is a good start...
but doesn't it take 290 to advance articles of impeachment to the Senate for trial?? We are a LONG way from that. Keep pounding the pavement!

Impeachment is Patriotic!
:bounce:
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enough already Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jul-11-07 09:47 AM
Response to Original message
4. Where the HELL are the rest of them? n/t
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Nunyabiz Donating Member (504 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jul-11-07 11:08 AM
Response to Original message
5. This is just 15 "Cosponsors"
of the House Resolution which is actually quite a lot, seems to me most resolutions only have between 2-4 Cosponsors.

I think any Democrat that refuses to sign it should be immediately ostracized for the political hack, spineless, worthless crap they are.
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PassingFair Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jul-11-07 09:12 PM
Response to Reply #5
9. Have I told you what a wonderful addition you are to the Underground?
You are a wonderful addition to the Underground.
Glad you're here.

:hi:
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Nunyabiz Donating Member (504 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jul-11-07 09:33 PM
Response to Reply #9
11. Why thank you
glad to be here
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PassingFair Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jul-11-07 09:55 PM
Response to Reply #11
12. You're welcome.
Keep up the good work.
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bobbolink Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-12-07 03:25 PM
Response to Reply #5
21. HR 676 has in the neighborhood of 80 cosponsors.
Yet, it doesn't seem to be going anywhere.

At least, until/unless we all DEMAND it!

"I think any Democrat that refuses to sign it should be immediately ostracized for the political hack, spineless, worthless crap they are."

I completely agree with you!

:bounce:
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Senator Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jul-11-07 01:17 PM
Response to Original message
7. K&R
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paparush Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jul-11-07 09:09 PM
Response to Original message
8. Bush is completely non-intimidating
Congress' reluctance points to the years of domestic wiretapping. God only knows what 'dirt' RoveBushCheney have on key members...
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Fiendish Thingy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jul-11-07 09:25 PM
Response to Original message
10. Sam Farr is my Rep!!! I'd like to think I might have had a little to do with this...
As I've called and emailed him several times, and finally last week, I sent the following letter to both his local Santa Cruz and D.C. offices:
(the first two graphs are from an email form letter, the rest, starting with "You took an oath", is mine)

Congressman Sam Farr July 7, 2007
1221 Longworth House
Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Congressman Farr:

Testimony from the Scooter Libby trial has made it perfectly clear that Libby did not act on his own in "outing" covert CIA agent Valerie Plame. Rather, he acted at the direction of his boss, Vice President Cheney, when he spoke with multiple reporters about Plame. Disclosing a CIA agent's identity -- or directing others to do so -- is a crime of treason against our nation; Vice President Cheney must be impeached and removed from office immediately.

In addition to this crime, Mr. Cheney:

- Repeatedly lied to the nation about the potential threat of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, provoking the invasion and occupation of that country, with catastrophic results for our nation;
- Continues to lie and distort intelligence regarding links between Iraq and al Qaeda; when such links simply did not exist before our invasion; and
- Continues to threaten aggression against Iran, in violation of the United Nations charter and in a manner that destabilizes the region and harms our national security.

You took an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution; Impeachment, not censure, not strong statements, is the only Constitutionally prescribed remedy to the crimes of the Vice President.
Impeachment is the only remedy in the Constitution designed by our founding fathers to protect our democracy from tyranny. Even if there aren't enough votes at this point to force removal from office, the Impeachment process must begin, in order to force a Constitutional challenge to Cheney's crimes. If the Vice President's crimes are allowed to stand without the formal Constitutional challenge of Impeachment, a dangerous precedent will be set, and nothing will remain to protect our democracy from the despotism of extremists.
A poll by the American Research Group, published yesterday, show that a majority of Americans favor beginning impeachment hearings for the Vice President, and nearly a majority favor impeachment hearings for George Bush.

I urge you to find the moral, political and patriotic courage to stand up for Impeachment.

All of these actions certainly meet the constitutional threat of high crimes and misdemeanors. So I ask that you join your colleagues in co-sponsoring H. Res. 333, Articles of Impeachment Against Dick Cheney. To date, there are 14 co-sponsors; to put this in context, you should know that the Articles of Impeachment against Richard Nixon only had 25 co-sponsors when his hearings began. I look forward to your response to my letter on this most serious of topics.
Sincerely,




Sincerely, xxxxxx

When I heard this news this morning, I called his office to thank him!
inch by inch, drop by drop, this is turning into an interesting summer...
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goodgd_yall Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-12-07 02:07 AM
Response to Reply #10
14. I heard Sam Farr in person last fall
And what he said then was that there would definitely be a move to impeach *. He recently had a birthday celebration in Monterey. This time, apparently acknowledging that congress isn't taking the lead, he said that our representatives will move on impeachment if the people pressure them.
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FogerRox Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jul-11-07 10:35 PM
Response to Original message
13. 15 Congress Members for Impeachment, do I hear 16.. 16...
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calteacherguy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-12-07 02:35 AM
Response to Original message
16. Impeaching Cheney makes some sense...
His popularity ratings are much lower than Bush's, and crimes probalby more easily proven. Much easier target...yes, I say go after the bastard.
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calimary Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-12-07 03:03 AM
Response to Original message
17. A salute to all the most able and esteemed folks here with low post counts!
I salute you! Welcome to DU!

We need every ounce of your brain-power and your resolve. The 23rd will be MOST significant, because that's exactly what we need more of - people pushing on their reps, insisting these poor, timid, unfortunate schmucks toward IMPEACHMENT. They need a truckload of calcium supplement - EACH. And I was heartened to hear Ed Shultz talk about going to the Hill tomorrow to interview a bunch of Congresscritters. He said he planned to press them personally on IMPEACHMENT. Congress NEEDS to hear, and get it through its collective thick skulls, that IMPEACHMENT isn't just some nuts on the fringes yammering about. It's a SERIOUS and ACCELLERATING push, maybe even a flat-out yearning - for the removal, or at least GRAVE Constitutional smackdown on the historical record. It's a movement that is gathering momentum from coast-to-coast. It's not just some passing fancy from a few alleged looneys. It's a wildfire. And it's spreading. And they need that pushed in their faces at every moment.
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Mrspeeker Donating Member (671 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-12-07 12:05 PM
Response to Original message
19. its nice to see Sam sign on
Ive written him a ton of letters urging him to support 333 and was rather alarmed at some of his responses, they where very..lets stick with Nancy on this. I kept writing him though and I guess a bunch of other people did the same thing.
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More Than A Feeling Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-12-07 03:10 PM
Response to Original message
20. Kick!
Edited on Thu Jul-12-07 03:10 PM by Heaven and Earth
My congressman, David Loebsack, should definitely be on this list. If its 54% nationwide, it has to be higher in the People's Republic of Johnson County, Iowa.
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