Rep. Wexler calls for Cheney's impeachment

Algorem

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Tue Dec-25-07 05:28 AM
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Rep. Wexler calls for Cheney's impeachment

Edited on Tue Dec-25-07 05:41 AM by Algorem

Source: Miami Herald

Echoes of Dennis Kucinich? A South Florida congressman called for impeachment hearings on the vice president.

Posted on Tue, Dec. 25, 2007

BY LESLEY CLARK

lclark@MiamiHerald.com

WASHINGTON --

Rep. Robert Wexler is taking on the Bush administration -- in cyberspace.

The Boca Raton Democrat has launched a website -- wexlerwantshearings.com -- and is gathering signatures calling for impeachment hearings against Vice President Dick Cheney.

''Our Constitution mandates that the House of Representatives hold presidents and vice presidents accountable when they commit high crimes,'' Wexler says in a video on the site, which suggests, among other things, that Cheney manipulated intelligence to boost the case for war against Iraq and was involved in the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame.

Within two days of posting, Wexler said he had surpassed his goal of 50,000 signatures and is aiming for 250,000. He's written an op-ed article with two fellow members of the House Judiciary committee, calling for hearings into whether Cheney violated the Constitution...

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation/story/356540.html

Wexler Calls for Impeachment: Ignored by Mainstream Media

http://www.politicalcortex.com/story/2007/12/16/21181/186

By Bill Hare

12/16/2007 09:18:01 PM EST

Finally we see some promising action on the Washington landscape about a crucial issue that all too long has been all too exclusively in the province of Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio. Now thankfully help is on the way and massive support is needed to assist this new impeachment effort.

Congressman Robert Wexler on Friday with the support of colleagues Luis Gutierrez of Illinois and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin called for the House Judiciary Committee, of which they are all members, to begin immediate impeachment hearings against Vice President Dick Cheney.

Their joint statement declared, "These charges are too serious to ignore. There is credible evidence that the Vice President abused the power of his office, and not only brought us into an unnecessary war but violated the civil liberties and privacy of American citizens. It is the constitutional duty of Congress to hold impeachment hearings."

A statement on the prominent Democrats.com reflects the tragedy of the supplicant, fearful mainstream media at the present time:...

Power of the People Moves Corporate Media to Do the Right Thing

Dave Lindorff says to keep up the pressure (calling for impeachment hearings for Cheney) because it is working!

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/12/20/18468185.php

December 21, 2007
Dave Lindorff

A massive outpouring of angry mail and phone calls to the nation's leading newspapers led to editors calling Congress members Robert Wexler (D-FL), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), after having turned down an op-ed by the three calling for immediate hearings on the impeachment of Vice President Dick Cheney.

At least one of those papers, the Miami Herald, which is in Rep. Wexler's congressional district, reversed itself and decided to run an edited version of the editorial it had rejected only days earlier.

Wexler, speaking on Florida Progressive Radio Thursday night, said it was clearly grassroots pressure and reporting on the Internet (including thiscantbehappening.net!) that forced editors at the Miami Herald to change their position on the editorial.

He is calling on Americans who want to see Congress begin impeachment hearings to put even more pressure on Congress to also change its position...

http://www.indybay.org.nyud.net:8080/uploads/2007/12/20/impeach_cheney.png

http://www.wexlerwantshearings.com

A CASE FOR HEARINGS

By Representatives and Members of the Judiciary Committee:
Robert Wexler (D-FL), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

On November 7, the House of Representatives voted to send a resolution of impeachment of Vice President Cheney to the Judiciary Committee. As Members of the House Judiciary Committee, we strongly believe these important hearings should begin.

The issues at hand are too serious to ignore, including credible allegations of abuse of power that if proven may well constitute high crimes and misdemeanors under our constitution. The charges against Vice President Cheney relate to his deceptive actions leading up to the Iraq war, the revelation of the identity of a covert agent for political retaliation, and the illegal wiretapping of American citizens.

Now that former White House press secretary Scott McClellan has indicated that the Vice President and his staff purposefully gave him false information about the outing of Valerie Plame Wilson as a covert agent to report to the American people, it is even more important for Congress to investigate what may have been an intentional obstruction of justice. Congress should call Mr. McClellan to testify about what he described as being asked to “unknowingly along false information.” In addition, recent revelations have shown that the Administration including Vice President Cheney may have again manipulated and exaggerated evidence about weapons of mass destruction -- this time about Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

Some of us were in Congress during the impeachment hearings of President Clinton. We spent a year and a half listening to testimony about President Clinton’s personal relations. This must not be the model for impeachment inquires. A Democratic Congress can show that it takes its constitutional authority seriously and hold a sober investigation, which will stand in stark contrast to the kangaroo court convened by Republicans for President Clinton. In fact, the worst legacy of the Clinton impeachment – where the GOP pursued trumped up and insignificant allegations - would be that it discourages future Congresses from examining credible and significant allegations of a constitutional nature when they arise...

Let Cheney impeachment hearings proceed

http://www.miamiherald.com/456/story/349847.html

Posted on Wed, Dec. 19, 2007

On Nov. 7, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to send a resolution of impeachment of Vice President Cheney to the Judiciary Committee. As members of the House Judiciary Committee, we strongly believe these important hearings should begin. The issues at hand are too serious to ignore, including credible allegations of abuse of power that, if proven, may well constitute high crimes and misdemeanors under the Constitution.

The charges relate to Cheney's deceptive actions leading up to the Iraq war, the revelation of the identity of a covert agent for political retaliation and the illegal wiretapping of Americans.

Now that former White House press secretary Scott McClellan has indicated that Cheney and his staff purposely gave him false information to report to the public about the outing of Valerie Plame Wilson as a covert agent, it is even more important for Congress to investigate what may have been an intentional obstruction of justice. In addition, recent revelations show that the administration may have manipulated and exaggerated evidence about Iran's nuclear capabilities.

The charges against Cheney are not personal. They go to the core of this administration's actions and deserve consideration in a way the Clinton scandal never did. The American people understand this, and a majority support hearings, according to a Nov. 13 poll by the American Research Group. In fact, 70 percent of voters say that Cheney has abused his powers, and 43 percent say that he should be removed from office right now. The American people understand the magnitude of what has been done and what is at stake if we fail to act. It is time for Congress to catch up...