Conyers Newly Open To Cheney Impeachment After Mukasey Hearing

[kpete]

Conyers Newly Open To Cheney Impeachment After Mukasey Hearing, Democrats.com Calls For Action
by: Paul Rosenberg
Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 12:23



House Judiciary Chair John Conyers is apparently newly open to the idea of impeachment hearings following a contempt-filled performance by Attorney General Michael Mukasey last week, during which he said that he would not investigate torture or warrantless spying, would not enforce contempt citations, and he would treat Justice Department opinions as providing immunity for crimes.

Conyers Considers Cheney Impeachment Hearings

On Thursday, Chairman John Conyers' House Judiciary Committee held a hearing at which Attorney General Michael Mukasey said that he would not investigate torture or warrantless spying, he would not enforce contempt citations, and he would treat Justice Department opinions as providing immunity for crimes.

None of this was new, but perhaps it touched something in Conyers that had not been touched before. Following the hearing, he and two staffers met for over an hour with two members of Code Pink and discussed activism and impeachment, including Congressman Robert Wexler's proposal to begin impeachment hearings on Cheney.

Conyers expressed his concerns about what might happen following an impeachment, the danger of installing a Bush replacement or losing an election. But he said he's listening to several advocates for impeachment, including Liz Holtzman and David Swanson of Democrats.com. He hinted he could be swayed by a convincing argument, leaning out of his chair for dramatic effect.

So let's help Chairman John Conyers decide! We know Conyers agrees with all of us on the legal grounds for impeachment because he made this case himself in his 2006 book, "The Constitution in Crisis." Where Conyers needs persuasion is on the politics of impeachment, so we have addressed his concerns here:
http://www.democrats.com/conyers-start-impeachment-hearings

We'd like you to email Conyers (and other Judiciary Committee
http://www.democrats.com/conyers-start-impeachment-hearings
http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=B12200AFEA1E5AC48A3CC64AD1EF529A?diaryId=3856

[elehhhhna]

1. So, impeach Mukasey FIRST. Then go for Cheney.

[lonestarnot]

2. He's a little late on the draw, but better late than never.

[warren pease]

3. Aren't you getting sick of this bait and switch nonsense?

He's acting like some horrible travesty of a prom queen, coyly refusing to reveal where his heart actually lies, flirting and messing with peoples' emotions, remaining noncommittal, playing the field and all that other high school stuff he should have grown out of 60 years ago.

But this isn't about mindless flirtation; this is about getting rid of the malignancy that's strangling this country, spilling blood all around the world and possibly getting ready to impose a full-blown national security state.

We don't need this crap, Congressman. Why do you insist on messing with us? What happened to the man of character, dignity, principle and honor who used to sit in your place in Congress?

Honestly, I'm so goddamned tired of this foolishness. And every time Conyers seems like he's heading in the right direction, there's Pelosi to kill it before it can offend the poor sensitive dears in the white house.

Maybe David's got it right; wake me up in October.


wp

[Kurovski]

4. K&R. (nt)