Basta: Impeach

With the various scandals being investigated of late, the references and comparisons to Richard Nixon and Watergate abound. However, even I did not think it would go this far.

Welcome to Pottersville is reporting stunning news -- that the House Judiciary Committee has voted on an article of impeachment against President Bush. Surprisingly, the obstruction charge is based on an action taken by the President in July of last year to block a Justice Department investigation into warrantless surveillance, rather than based upon the current US Attorney scandal.

The Committee met late yesterday, with the thirty nine members of the committee voting along party lines on the measure, which passed by a vote of 22-17. Welcome to Pottersville notes that news of the Committee's action came from a press release was issued by Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr. That release provides a few details of the charges and states that a full press conference to be held on Monday. According to blogger Pottersville:

The charge is based on new information of an action taken by the President in July of last year to block a Justice Department investigation into warrantless surveillance, which the committee statement referred to as "an unprecedented move by White House to intervene with an investigation by the Office of Professional Responsibility." The OPR was then forced to abandon its investigation as security clearances were refused by the president.

* * * *

Justice Department Inspector General Glenn Fine found 48 violations of law during 2003-2005 in the bureau's use of National Security Letters (NSL) to acquire telephone, e-mail, and financial records of Americans and foreigners without court approval. Citing abuses to Patriot Act provisions, FISA statutes, and the Fourth Amendment, the document will charge President Bush with obstruction of justice pertaining to a Congressional investigation regarding the authorization of the domestic spying program.

Additional charges are also being considered, possibly against Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The article states further:

A quote attributed to Committee Chairman Conyers in the press statement reads, "For 32 years the OPR had conducted highly sensitive investigations involving Executive Branch programs, and had not once been denied access to information classified at the highest levels of government." Chairman Conyers continued, "Recent testimony from FBI officials have led this committee to believe that illegal acts were in fact taking place for over two years as President Bush abused his power to obstruct an investigation into those very acts."

In late 2005, Congressman Conyers introduced a resolution to investigate charges against the President, see Impeachable You. At that time, he didn't expect passage, but thought that it was important for Congress to have to address these issues, to put their position on the record. As he said then:

“To take away the excuse,” he said, “that we didn't know.” So that two or four or ten years from now, if somebody should ask, “Where were you, Conyers, and where was the United States Congress?” (Emphasis added)

I have to admit that I've been somewhat ambivalent about impeachment, see Chuck Cheney, even though I believe that it's more than justified, because it will be so divisive to the country. However, at some point you have to say (as the Italians do): basta. That time is now.

UPDATE (4/2): For an update on the impeachment story, see this post from The Largest Minority. As Manila Ryce says, we must always dare to dream.

Cheers to my fellow fools:

Blue man in a Red district
deadissue.com
The Largest Minority (the originator)
Welcome to Pottersville
The Barefoot Bum
Indigent A-hole
Revolt Today
The Apostate
LAist

Tags: Bush, Law, News, Politics, Impeachment, April Fools