Wexler: Impeach Bush

by AlvarezGalloso | February 14, 2008 at 06:36 am

541 views | 6 Recommendations | 3 comments

While people are talking about the Primaries and the Convention, Congressman Robert Wexler who represents the 19th District for Florida along with Gutierrez, Baldwin and Kucinich have been talking about impeaching Bush and Cheney. While I will confess that I am in favour of Bush being impeached, there is a need to approach this news from an objective viewpoint and explain the impeachment process. It should also be noticed that the Green Party of the United States instituted Impeachment Proceedings and a Petition in 2003 which is ongoing and has been ignored.

Congressman Wexler along with Gutierrez and Kucinich presented their proposals of impeachment along with a petition of more than 210,000 signatures before Congress based on the following articles:

1. The fact that Bush and Company lied to the American People about the Iraq War, and the presence of Weapons of Mass Destruction.

2. The fact that Bush and Company abused their powers domestically and internationally for "personal gains" and in the process allowed the USA to degenerate physically and morally.

3. The Presidency and the Government broke down in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Rita, and Wilma.

While the Democratic Leadership under Nancy Pelosi has ruled out impeachment in the face of such massive support, Former Senator George Mc Govern in an earlier interview with CBS News has declared his support for the impeachment process. I myself have thought that if the Republicans could impeach Clinton in 1998 for abuse of power, why do the Democrats rule out such an alternative? The Democratic Leadership has been hiding under "the need to continue business as usual and not distract the elections". Regardless: Wexler, Mc Govern, Gutierrez, Kucinich, and Baldwin [whether you agree or disagree with them] have valid points about impeaching Bush.

What is then this process called impeachment? Impeachment is a trial by jury of peers of public officials in their realm and can occur at the Federal, State, and Local Levels in the USA. California has a form of impeachment called the Recall Election which can be activated after a petition is filled and approved by the California Secretary of State. Do you remember Gray Davis being recalled in 2003 as Governor of Calfiornia and being replaced by Arnold Schwarzneggar?.

At the Federal Level, The United States Constitution under Article Two Section Four states the following: "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." During the Impeachment Procedures, the House of Representatives can impeach the President, Vice President, or other officers and the Senate can try the cases. The definition of what is a high crime and misdemeanor is left to the House of Representatives. If the impeachment process is approved by the House of Representatives, tried by the Senate, and the Senate rules in favour of the impeachment process; the President, Vice President, or any public civil officers automatically have to resign.

It should be noted that even if the President, Vice President, or Public Functionary leaves office, he or she is not immune to domestic and or international prosecution for crimes committed while in office. Whether Bush, Cheney, and company will face impeachment is unpredictable. Whether they will face justice after leaving office is another issue. I personally think that if there were crimes involved those who commit them should face justice.

After what Bush has wrought on the world, I am in favour of his removal from office [as well as members of his government] via the impeachment process before the 2008 Elections in November 2008. I am also in favour of having Bush and Company [including the Democrats] being tried before a National and or International Court for what they have wrought on the world.

Reference

http://www.wexlerforcongress.com/news.asp?ItemID=2 27
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/06/politics /main3679720.shtml
http://www.law.cornell.edu/anncon/html/art2frag42_ user.html#art2_hd169

I received the following E Mail from Congressman Wexler's Office:

Dear Roberto Carlos,

Two weeks ago, the House took a bold step demanding accountability for the Bush/Cheney Administration by holding former White House Council Harriet Miers and White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten in Contempt of Congress for blatantly ignoring congressional subpoenas for over 8 months.

Though it was not a surprise, Attorney General Michael Mukasey, wrote a letter to the House of Representatives stating that he refuses to call a Grand Jury to enforce those contempt citations.

The Attorney General's letter, effectively claiming that members of the executive branch are immune from congressional subpoenas, calls for quick action.

Click HERE to watch my latest video discussing Mukasey's outrageous response.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Judiciary Chairman Conyers have smartly decided to pursue a civil lawsuit to force Bolton and Miers to appear before Congress. We should pursue a lawsuit – but I think we can do even more.

While a court may order – months from now –that Miers and Bolten must appear before Congress, by then George Bush and Dick Cheney will have largely accomplished their goal of running out the clock on the investigation into this Administration's politicization of the Justice Department. Even a successful outcome in federal court might only mandate that they appear, at which time the witnesses are likely simply to continue their obfuscation by claiming executive privilege of the 5th Amendment in person.

The House of Representatives must re-establish its legitimate rights as a co-equal branch of government. Congress cannot allow its power to be summarily ignored and justice delayed.

The House was correct to hold these renegade White House officials in contempt, and much credit should be given to Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Conyers for pushing for that outcome. Now, we must go further: The House must immediately consider taking the following actions:

- Initiating impeachment hearings that would likely break through the reckless claims of executive privilege made by the Bush Administration.

- Approve a resolution that calls for an inherent contempt citation which would give the House Sergeant at Arms the power to bring Miers and Bolton before Congress.

As you may know, 17 of my colleagues, including four of my fellow members of the Judiciary Committee have joined my call for impeachment hearings.

This is not an issue between Democrats and Republicans. As members of Congress, we have an absolute duty to enforce the checks and balances prescribed by our Constitution.

We have ceded too much for too long, enabling George W. Bush to assume a unitary imperial Presidency. It is long past time to secure accountability for those who have, by all appearances, committed significant breaches of our laws and trust.

Mukasey's claims are simply the latest in a long line of outlandish legal arguments ranging from the idea that we can selectively cherry-pick from torture laws to the concept that the Vice President is no longer part of the Executive Branch (except, of course, when he needs to claim Executive Privilege).

Over the past months, I have received tens of thousands of emails and letters from you expressing your great support for my efforts. Your encouragement and activism on these causes are much appreciated. I continue to work hard on your behalf and hope you feel these updates are valuable.

With kind regards,

Congressman Robert Wexler
www.WexlerForCongress.com

recommend This comment thread is now closed

ryan

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 09:39 on February 14th, 2008

AlvarezGalloso, thanks for your thoughts on this matter. You raise some good points.

Mountaineer

at 11:07 on February 14th, 2008

AlvarezGalloso, I like this story. It's good stuff. VERY GOOD STUFF

AlvarezGalloso

at 11:14 on March 9th, 2008

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