Well... Now I'm Pissed All Over Again... 'The Vices of Cheney: Where Impeachment Must Begin' - HuffP

[WillyT]

The Vices of Cheney: Where Impeachment Must Begin

<snip>

For several years, in my discussions with Representatives and Senators, it has not been unusual to hear Vice President Dick Cheney referred to as President George Bush's "insurance policy." That is, against the beginning of impeachment proceedings in the House. The prevailing assumption has been that it would be necessary to impeach and convict Cheney, first, so as not to leave the government in his hands should the president leave office before the end of his term. This assumption was, and is correct -- not just due to the fact that the route to holding the president ultimately accountable for "high crimes" goes through Cheney but also because the vice president's "high crimes" are probably much greater.

If the Democrats had gained control of Congress in 2005, the impeachment of Cheney might have happened. But in the summer of 2007, the Democratic members of the House Judiciary Committee have an "out" in that the prevailing political judgment among the majority is that the timing is too close to 2008 to begin such a prolonged and disruptive proceeding.

Thus, as a senior Democratic member of the Judiciary Committee recently argued to me, "we are holding what otherwise would be impeachment hearings under the heading of oversight" and publicly "embarrassing" the Bush-Cheney White House. He went on to say that his colleagues (Republicans, as well as Democrats) on that committee -- where the impeachment process must start -- often discuss the abundant circumstantial evidence for high crimes having been committed at the highest levels of the Bush administration.

Of course, it would not be so convenient for Speaker Pelosi and the Democratic majority to finesse the constitutional scandal IF special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald--in the trial of Scooter Libby -- had prominently cited, instead of hinting at, the vice president as an unindicted co-conspirator in obstructing justice OR even in committing the original crime of intentionally revealing the identity of a known CIA covert agent. The ball of string might have unwound beyond control, to the point where Chairman John Conyers of the Judiciary Committee could not have shirked from the duty to launch certified impeachment hearings. The "I" word would at least have been on the table.

<snip>

Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/william-e-jackson-jr/the-vices-of-cheney-wher_b_53491.html

WHAT?!?!?

"...a senior Democratic member of the Judiciary Committee recently argued to me, "we are holding what otherwise would be impeachment hearings under the heading of oversight" and publicly "embarrassing" the Bush-Cheney White House.

:wtf::nuke::wtf:

:argh::argh::argh::argh::argh:

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kagemusha]

1. Re: the author's saying, it'd be nice if Fitz had made Cheney unindicted co-conspirator

it is just not ethical to do that unless you have the goods. He didn't have the goods, because Libby obstructed justice through perjury. So he went after Libby on that basis. That may not be convenient for others, but it was the only ethical thing for a prosecutor to do.

[WillyT]

2. Let Me Emphasize That Again... Impeachment... Has Been Replaced With Embarrassment !!!

And if this is true, this is one embarrassed Democrat here. I've never been so embarrassed for my party in my entire life.

[TahitiNut]

4. Sociopaths can feel NO shame nor embarrassment. It's a Fool's Errand.

Utter and total bullshit.

[WillyT]

5. And People Wonder Why So Many Of Us Are Upset With Our Own Party !!!

Mystery solved.

The reason this infuriates me, is that it confirms EXACTLY what I suspected.

:puke:

[KoKo]

12. Yes....it's what Waxman said on Diane Rehm show...they will keep holding hearings but there's

nothing more they can do. When Diane asked him "what if they won't answer your questions"...Waxman just said..."we hope they will."

The Repug/Dems are concentrating on embarassment. I remember that Sheldon Whitehouse said with disappointment he didn't think the Senate would be able to do much more about Gonzo. There are a few that really want to go after the Bush criminals...but exposing them is considered more prudent.

[KoKo]

13. If only we could get ONE State Legislature to Vote for Impeachment of Cheney...

Somehow all the state efforts get bogged down.

[Robson]

3. Pelosi promised reform in Congress too

I have big doubts that those in the elitist ruling club of Congress and the Presidency will ever directly confront each other. They are politicians first and afraid to take a stand second.

Their low approval rating reflects what the public really thinks about Congress under both the Rs or Ds. Pelosi made big promises and gave us big expectations now she has reneged. Instead the reform which the Democrats controlled and promised turned out to be pablum. As an example instead of pushing an amendment to restrict staffers and elected officials from lobbying for two years she squelched it. Yeah the Democrats are better than the Republicans, but they could have been far better.

Americans want to have confidence in Congress, instead they have very little to none.

Impeachment of Cheney might be a first step to making a difference, but I seriously doubt it.

[KoKo]

16. kick....

[MissWaverly]

6. Can we add a signing statement to their policy

#****!!!! the embarrassment and proceed with impeachment proceedings, if you want to save the country the founders created with
the constitution proceed with impeachment. If worst case scenario happens and the GOP gets another term in the White House,
do you think that he will close GITMO, end the Iraq War, stop domestic spying, and end rendition. NO, no and no.

[WillyT]

7. Kick !!!

:kick:

[DearAbby]

8. Anyone want to donate a

pair of cajones? Seems some are needed, shame. What shame.

[Gold Metal Flake]

9. kick

[triguy46]

10. I wonder how the "founding fathers" ....

the group most enlisted to support repug conservatism, would view the new 4th branch of government. Have we begun to see the acrobatics of the repug media apologists giving a revised history on how this was what the founding fathers intended?

[KoKo]

11. This is an Excellent Read! K&R...Why does it only have One Vote?

I have been hoping that Fitz would have something to reconvene the GJ on. Surely the WaPo article and Cheney/Bushies declarations last week would be SOMETHING....:shrug:

[WillyT]

14. I Know... I Don't Get It...

I guess people have given up on posts with the word Impeachment in them.

Let alone, Impeachment itself.

:shrug:

That "embarrassment" thing is so... embarrassing.

What? Now were the party of embarrassment?

:banghead:

[KoKo]

15. Kick again...it's worth going to Huff to read the whole thing....

[Psyop Samurai]

17. If you'll notice...

The reality-creating euphemedia always substitutes a form of the word "embarrass" where only a form of the word "incriminate" makes any sense.

Just recently, I came to the realization that, for the most part, their use of the word "embarrass" is NOT a calculated deception. No, astonishing as it seems, they're actually telling the truth (within the debauched world of the BIG LIE)- for it faithfully describes the reality the Beltway Übermenschen have created and live in.

How, and under what circumstances "law" might apply, is not for us to know. I imagine it would have to conform to the rules of "Gotcha", which, of course, is all in good fun, and keeps the rabble amused.

[Solly Mack]

18. lolololol

Ho hum...