Who The Hell Is Ellen O. Tauscher, And Why Is She Such A Fucking Idiot?

[BlooInBloo]

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/7/29/215030/170

"Daily Kos reader EmilyD reports writing to her Congresswoman, Ellen Tauscher, to urge support for the impeachment of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Take a look at how Tauscher answered:

The Attorney General serves at the pleasure of the president in a non-impeachable office. Unless convicted of an illegal act, the Attorney General cannot be removed from office without the president asking for or accepting his resignation. However, please be assured that I will keep your thoughts and concerns in mind as I review the circumstances surrounding recent allegations of impropriety within the Justice Department.

Sincerely,

Ellen O. Tauscher
Member of Congress

This is a goddamn embarrassment.

Article II, Sec. 4 of the Constitution -- THE CONSTITUTION!

The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the united States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."


Oh. My. Fucking. God.

Primary challenge. Please - Get Cindy Sheehan to THIS fuckwipe's district. Please.

[ISUGRADIA]

1. That is ignorance

Any Cabinet Secretary is subject to impeachment.

[WillyT]

2. So... They Not Only Forget To Read The Bills They Pass, They Don't Bother To Read The Constitution

either.

I'm so fucking proud.

:puke:

[Canuckistanian]

3. What the hell is a "non-impeachable office"?

Everyone from the president down to a circuit court judge can be impeached.

What's so magical about the AG position?

[BlooInBloo]

5. Nothing. She's a complete jackass.

[northzax]

40. not quite true

only offices that are either elected or appointed and subject to senate review can be impeached. Karl Rove, for instance, as a Special Assistant to the President, cannot be impeached, he can only be fired by the President.

Attorney General, of course, is a position subject to advise and consent from the Senate, therefore it is impeachable.

[BuyingThyme]

44. That is incorrect.

(Congressional) impeachment is the banning of service to the federal government. Once a person is impeached, he or she cannot receive a paycheck. Arguable exception to the rule: Congress.

[Me.]

4. DLC

Pal of Lieberman.

[BlooInBloo]

6. (smacks forehead) Shoulda guessed.

[Me.]

7. The Pic At The Link

will give you the visual.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/11/images/20021125-6_d112502-515h.html

[BlooInBloo]

11. Yyyyup!

[Ezlivin]

41. She just got off her knees and wiped her mouth

And you don't pray with your mouth full.

[proud patriot]

48. She is one of the reps who won't fund war accept

for the soldiers to come home .

She is no where near Lieberman ..

She's not a liberal as I'd like but calling
her a lieberman lacky is just incoorect IMO.

[billyoc]

8. Tauscher on "free trade":

"exactly the kind of forward-thinking trade policy we need."

http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?contentid=254299&kaid=131&subid=207


She has to go anyway, no sense trying to teach her the Constitution.

[LiberalFighter]

9. EmilyD needs to write her back and educate the woman about the Constitution

In addition, they need to write the California Senators about Tauscher's misinformation so that they can take her aside and correct her mistake.


http://law.onecle.com/constitution/article-2/50-persons-subject-to-impeachment.html


CIVIL OFFICER - The Constitution of the United States, Art. 2, S. 4, provides, that the president, vice-president, and civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. By this term are included all officers of the United States who hold their appointments under the national government, whether their duties are executive or judicial, in the highest or the lowest departments of the government, with the exception of officers of the army and navy. A senator of the United States, it was once decided, was not a civil officer, within the meaning of this clause in the Constitution.

[Lobster Martini]

10. If only Schoolhouse Rock hadn't stopped at the end of the Preamble...(n/t)

[wavesofeuphoria]

12. Actually, you can't impeach unless they have committed

a crime or for their conduct -- “conduct ... grossly incompatible with the office held and subversive of that office and of our constitutional system of government.”

So .. she is correct.

I do believe the course that the investigations are on .. are to show that Gonzo has committed a crime -- or at the very least his conduct is "grossly imcompatible" .. and therefore would open Congress to pursue impeachment of him.

[BlooInBloo]

13. Bull-fucking-shit. Stop perpetuating fucking idiocy...

"The Attorney General serves at the pleasure of the president in a non-impeachable office."

It's just false. Just plain false. Sheesh.

[wavesofeuphoria]

14. Its not idiocy. I'm simply saying .. there needs to be

reason -- crimes or conduct -- to warrant impeachment. And that is what the investigations are for.

In Tausher's letter .. she says "unless convicted of an illegal act" ... so she is basically correct.

Congress must take appropriate actions first .. ie investigation and charges.

Bowman spells out .. legally .. how to pursue impeachment of Gonzo. Check out the link ..
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/03/opinion/03bowman.html?ex=1335844800&en=0488aacc75444343&ei=5124&partner=digg&exprod=digg

[BlooInBloo]

15. What she said is just false.

[Jack Rabbit]

17. That is incorrect

Please do not confuse "high crimes and misdemeanors" with felonies and misdemeanors. An impeachable offense needn't be a statutory crime. The second article of impeachment recommended against President Nixon in 1974 involved abuses of power. These were matters like sicking the IRS and FBI on political "enemies". There was no specific law against any of it, but it is still something no one except a neoconservative wants the president doing.

Congress does not need to wait for Gonzales to be convicted of perjury. The standard of proof for impeachment trials is clear and convincing. not beyond a reasonable doubt. It is not a judicial proceeding, and certainly not a criminal proceeding.

Congress has been investigating Gonzales and the Justice Department all year. He's told the truth under oath three or four different ways and has been contradicted by his own deputy AG, the director of the FBI and countless paper documents.

Has Gonzales committed high crimes and misdemeanors? Mission accomplished.

Ms. Tauscher's remark is either alarmingly ignorant coming a member of Congress or just irresponsible.

[ISUGRADIA]

24. No, you are wrong about what she said

the term "non-impeachable office" and that the president was the only one who could remove the AG were in the message. That is wrong. He's not in a "non-impeachable" office. Alcee Hastings, current Congressman and former Federal Judge, was impeached and removed from office after being found non-guilty of perjury. Conviction of an illegal act is not constitutionally necessary for impeachment.

[TahitiNut]

28. Impeachment (in the House) and Conviction (in the Senate), as a rule of thumb, ....

... applies to ANY civil federal office for which Senate confirmation is required. That's the EASIEST way to understand WHO can be impeached and removed. The 'civil' qualifier is required (as stated in the Constitution) since promotion of general officers in the military also require Senate confirmation but are subject to removal (rescind their commission) under far more 'liberal' conditions.

[DeSwiss]

31. So what you're saying is.....

...that she's correct in her interpretation of the Constitution by defining a Cabinet level office -- occupied by a person who had to receive Senate confirmation -- is in an "unimpeachable office?"

What pray-tell is an "unimpeachable office." Please direct me to that Article and Section of the Constitution because I've never seen it.

I don't believe that there is any such animal in the Constitution. At least none that I've read.

[Jack Rabbit]

16. What part of "All civil officers" doe she not understand?

The Constitution, Article 2, Section 4:

The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

18. She's Chairwoman of the New Democratic Coalition

Take that for what you will.

[Sherman A1]

19. She needs to be sent a boatload

of copies of the Constitution with Artlcle 2 highlighted for her.

This is just plain sad.

[BlooInBloo]

23. Yup.

[nealmhughes]

20. FYI: a non-impeachable office does not exist in the Cabinet. Also, an impechable offense is what-

ever the House says it is: picking his toes in Poughkeepsie is impeachable if the House says it is. The drawback is getting the Senate to convict. It seems that he would have to dig up Martha Mitchell and take her out dancing and dining before this Congress will act.

[TreasonousBastard]

21. OK, but howcum there has been only the Belknap....

impeachment in 1876? And he was caught redhanded taking kickbacks. More Presidents have been impeached than cabinet members.

Aside from treason and bribery (and Belknap was impeached for bribery), any "crime" is subject to the interpretations of 535 congresscritters, not all of whom agree with us. There have been some pretty dreadful cabinet officers over the years, as a quick look at just Nixon's and Reagan's cabinets will easily show, but impeachment has never seriously been on the table.

So, ummm... suck it up-- there ain't gonna be no impeachment unless we find Gonzo's fingers in some cookie jar.

Or, enough Republicans get on board to make it happen.

[DeSwiss]

33. I believe that you're incorrect....

...I seem to recall recently reading that the Postmaster General (a Repuke, of course) was impeached and actually jailed in the House of Representatives during the Teapot Dome scandal...

[TreasonousBastard]

36. That was Albert Fall, the Interior Secretary, but while he was...

convicted of bribery, I don't think he was impeached. Many appointees have been convicted and resigned in disgrace but not actually impeached, and I suspect Reagan has as many as all administrations combined before him.

Will Hays was Harding's Postmaster General and a senior member of the Ohio Gang central to the corruption, but he seems not to have been impeached or seriously tarred by scandal. In fact, he was THAT Hays who became chief censor of US movies with the Hays Commission and all those standards.

Strange world, innit?

[NuttyFluffers]

22. ooh! she's nearby me, though i got Barbara Lee instead. (whew)

if anyone is willing to run against her around my area, you have my blessing. unfortunately i'm a registered republican, so there's only so much i can do without seeming a little suspicious. but best of luck unseating her, if you wish! though, i think there are even more critical asshats to be removed in CA.

[DeSwiss]

25. Well there you go....

...if there was ever any doubt left in anyone's mind of the dangerous levels of ignorance and stupidity in Congress this should settle it.

How can anyone expect for Congress to enforce the provisions of the Constitution, when members of Congress are too stupid to even understand the Constitution. This letter needs to be sent to the local newspaper for publication....



K&R!!!

[BlooInBloo]

26. What you said - I'm fucking sick of this idiots-leading-idiots status quo.

[DeSwiss]

29. Okay Bloo, you got me stirred up....

I just sent off the following email to http://www.contracostatimes.com/contactus">Kevin Keane, Executive Editor of the Walnut Creek Journal/Contra Costa Times:

Dear Sir:

Just thought you'd like to know that apparently the U.S. Representative to Congress from your district is apparently unaware of the provisions of the Constitution of the United States. At least as it applies to the question of impeachment. It really looks bad for a Dem not to know these things. I'm a Dem. I'm just glad she isn't my representative.

(my name),

Nashville, TN.

"Daily Kos reader EmilyD reports writing to her Congresswoman, Ellen Tauscher, to urge support for the impeachment of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Take a look at how Tauscher answered:

"The Attorney General serves at the pleasure of the president in a non-impeachable office. Unless convicted of an illegal act, the Attorney General cannot be removed from office without the president asking for or accepting his resignation. However, please be assured that I will keep your thoughts and concerns in mind as I review the circumstances surrounding recent allegations of impropriety within the Justice Department.

Sincerely,

Ellen O. Tauscher
Member of Congress

Read more: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/7/29/215030/170

I doubt that I'll get any kind of response, but I live in hope....



on edit: Oh, and I forwarded the email to KO @ Countdown.

[BlooInBloo]

30. You're a treasure! :)

[DeSwiss]

35. I just saw something that tickled my fancy.....

...made by a poster over at KOS:

DLC = Didn't Learn the Constitution

:rofl:

[spanone]

27. they find the consitution 'cute'...

[proud patriot]

32. That's my rep

how embarrassing ...I'll call her office today .

[Forkboy]

34. Get back to us and let us know the details!

:D

[proud patriot]

47. Details ...On call to Tauscher's office today

I was told a staffer must have written the response and was given an apology and re-assurance that Ellen Knows that the AG can be impeached .

pp

[BlooInBloo]

38. Awesome - please quote us her non-apology-apology!

[Terran]

37. She got her talking points mixed up

The Attorney General serves at the pleasure of the president...

Er, US District Attorneys, dear, not the Atty Gen! and "president" is I-CAPITALIZED!

[BuyingThyme]

45. All of them serve at the pleasure of the president.

But that only means he has the prerogative to fire them, not that they're shielded from impeachment.

[DeSwiss]

39. Well, apparently she knows SOMETHING....

....about impeachment. When its one of her own, that is:

House of Shame - List of the Evil 268 who voted to begin impeachment proceedings against Clinton

Rep. Ellen Tauscher Democrat CA

more: http://www.samsloan.com/evil-268.htm

on edit: I keep turning up crap on this person that I just can't believe!!!



Check out: FDL "Whore n. 1. a prostitute: by Pachacutec
http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/11/25/fdl-late-nite-whore-n-1-a-prostitute/


Are we even sure she's a Democrat???

[senseandsensibility]

43. Dennis Kucinich voted to impeach

according to that list.:-(

[DeSwiss]

46. But I don't think Denny....

...is a member of the DLC. And I know he wouldn't let Dubya grope his thigh!

[marmar]

42. I suspect your average 5th grader knows a lot more about the Constitution....

than many people in Congress. :dunce: