Impeachment is on the Loose Breaking the Dam in Olympia

[seemslikeadream]

http://www.counterpunch.org/lindorff02242007.html

By DAVE LINDORFF

If the state of Washington ends up passing a joint legislative resolution next month calling on the US House of Representatives to initiate impeachment proceedings against President Bush and Vice President Cheney, it will because 900 people who crammed into this capital city's Center for the Performing Arts last Tuesday evening, and countless others across the state, pushed them into it.

The crowd at the arts center had come to attend an event organized by the Citizens Movement to Impeach Bush/Cheney, a local ad hoc citizens' organization in this little burg that had convinced the local city council to make the 1000-seat auditorium available for a hearing on impeachment.

When I and my two co-speakers, CIA veteran Ray McGovern and former federal prosecutor Elizabeth de la Vega, came out on the stage, we all felt not like political speakers or authors, but like rock stars. The applause was deafening, not just at the start of the program, but after each speaker's points were made.

It was clear that even if the Speaker of the House, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) says impeachment is "off the table," a sizeable hunk of the American public is hungering for a taste of it.

Washington is one of a group of states where a serious effort is underway to pass joint legislative resolutions that, thanks to Rules of the House penned by Thomas Jefferson and in effect for nearly length of the Republic, would put impeachment back on the table at the House right under Speaker Pelosi's nose. The significance of the gathering in Olympia is that a freshman senator from Olympia, Eric Oemig, has introduced a bill in the state senate calling for such a resolution. His bill, S6018, is slated to go to a hearing on March 1, to determine whether it can be considered by the full senate, and impeachment activists are planning to have hundreds-perhaps thousands-of backers on hand to make sure it gains committee approval.

[Fresh_Start]

1. what are the "mechanics" of a state driven impeachment

process? Does it cause impeachment to be put on the legislative calendar or is it another symbolic thing?

If its symbolic, I'm wondering whether a drive to secession might be a better action at the state level.

[Peace Patriot]

5. It is privileged resolution. All business in the House must stop, while the

House considers it. Beyond that, I don't know--because it is unprecedented. I suppose the House leaders set the rules for consideration. Time-frame. Debate. Possibly the House could vote to send it to committee, if its needs work, or if investigations are needed. I don't know if a straight up or down vote is required under Jefferson's Rules. But I'll tell you this, it's going to be VERY DIFFICULT to bury--if a state or states submits such a bill to the US House. The. Whole. Country. Will. Be. Watching. Not to mention the world.

Another juicy tidbit: A Grand Jury can also submit a privileged bill of impeachment to the US House. (Think: Fitzgerald!)

Also: ONLY ONE STATE is needed. Both houses of the state legislature, if it's bicameral--I presume. I don't think the governor has to sign. Not sure. But of course it would be best if many states do it. New Mexico is working on one. And prior to the last elections, Illinois (where a black woman legislator named something-Yaeger--can't recall--discovered the Rule), California, Vermont and one other state (Minn.?) had them submitted, or were working on them. Vermont had sent a letter recommending impeachment to the House, and people were working on that, to change it to a bill of impeachment, to be submitted. One other thing--I think that a member of the state's Congressional delegation needs to accept the bill and bring it to the floor (not 100% sure of this).

My heart jumps for joy at the prospect of the people of this country demanding impeachment of Bush and Cheney through their state legislatures! Thomas Jefferson is smiling in his grave! How right! How appropriate! What a beautiful sign that our democracy is alive and well, thank you very much--and we are going to have the rule of law and decent government in this country once again, by popular demand!

Wow! I got chills just reading this OP! The thundering applause, before they even spoke! This is happening.

[seemslikeadream]

6. I liked too Peace Patriot

[nealmhughes]

9. Nebraska is the only unicameral state legislature. All members are styled "Senator."

Unfortunately, I saw first hand how some fast talkers wrote a bill that created a "NE state savings and loan insurance fund" and a lot of people lost money in that little venture. So much for "steamlined" state govt.!

A group of nuns lost all their retirement...guess the lack of FDIC or FSLIC on the windows didn't clue them in!

That is what a unicameral legislature gets ya!

[Fresh_Start]

10. Thats wonderful information. Also means we all have work

to do since we should all be petitioning our state legislators as well as our federal representatives.

[Robson]

7. Impeach... Impeach... Impeach... Impeach... Impeach... Impeach...

Impeach Bush/Cheney for the sake of America and our worldwide reputation.

[Subdivisions]

2. This is what it looks like when the people have to do what their

elected officials in Washington are too lilly-livered to do. Constitution in action!

[oldtimecanuk]

3. Way to go Olympia, from Lake Samish Washington... keep up the ...

great work from your end.... God, there are so many, many things to deal with... From open borders, to voting problems, wars, and on, and on, and on.... It almost tires one out thinking about what these screw ups have managed to Fuck up in six years... Lets hope we can stop them from the attack on Iran though, or that one might be the straw that broke the camels back...

ww

[Kurovski]

4. They did it because the people pushed their Representatives to do it.

Keep stoking the fire.

[ClayZ]

8. WHOOO HOOO Washinton... from Mukilteo WA K &R

I love this State!

[Jcrowley]

11. K&R