Tipping Point on Impeachment is Approaching

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/29769

Tipping Point on Impeachment is Approaching
Dave Lindorff


snip//

Despite his political predilections, Michaud, in a letter to Rep. Conyers, says:

I write today to request that you include vigorous hearings into the abuses of power by this Administration and include impeachment hearings of Vice President Richard Cheney in the Judiciary Committee schedule for the second session of the 110th Congress.

As you are aware, the House of Representatives voted on November 7th to send a resolution of impeachment of Vice President Cheney to the Judiciary Committee. I urge you to commence these proceedings. There is no doubt that at the very least this Administration has dangerously expanded the scope of executive authority and flaunted the constitutionally defined separation of powers.

Serious allegations have been raised against the Vice President regarding his role in mischaracterizing information that led to the invasion of Iraq, in similarly mischaracterizing information about Iran's nuclear program, the outing of a CIA agent as political retaliation, the abuse of detainees in contravention of the Geneva Conventions, and the illegal wiretapping of American citizens. As a recent poll indicates, 70% of the American public believes that the Vice President has abused his power.

This is not an attack on Vice President Cheney or any other member of this Administration. Impeachment investigations must not be about the man or his personal life; they must focus on whether the office of the Vice President has illegally expanded its power or abused the law. Expansions and potential abuses of power by this Administration become precedents for future ones, which lead to further erosions of our constitutional rights.

When someone as conservative as Rep. Michaud calls for impeachment hearings, and accuses the vice president of abuse of power--an impeachable offense under the Constitution--it is no longer so easy for the media to write the idea off as "extremism" or as a "fringe" idea. It also makes it easier for other members of Congress to step up and take a stand in defense of the Constitution--perhaps even an independent-minded, principled Republican or two.

Michaud is likely taking this plunge into impeachment politics because he realizes impeachment has become a popular issue among voters in Maine, where an independent candidate, peace activist Laurie Dobson, is mounting a campaign for Senate against Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, and Democratic Challenger, Rep. Tom Allen, with impeachment as a key campaign theme. With November 2008 growing closer, other members of the House elsewhere across the nation may also start to see being pro-impeachment as a winning position.

Speaker Pelosi, who faces a re-election herself from independent candidate Cindy Sheehan in her San Francisco district, and whose poll numbers now show her to have a higher negative rating than a positive support rating, is on the wrong side of history and on the wrong side of the Constitution. She may end up being ignored by her caucus.

This impeachment thing could still happen.

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Michaud's full letter to Conyers:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2579822

jockeying for position for the next elections. One can say - see I supported impeachment - look at this letter I wrote.

Anybody running against any Dem incumbent should use the impeachment issue against the incumbent. Those currently in power have shirked their elected duty - that being to protect our "Constitution". Taking impeachment 'off the table' shows they are more interested in party politics than serving the American people.

I'm hoping that a lot of Dem incumbents will be challenged the next time around because we need a purging of this political posturing and we need representatives that will do what we elected them to do.

And what's this "This is not an attack on Vice President Cheney or any other member of this Administration." in Michaud's letter? Why is he afraid to have someone think that this is an attack?

Hopefully more will follow and the m$m might notice.

but I guess we're past that and too old for fairy tales. If she isn't supporting impeachment at this point, she needs to go. It's too important that we clean House this time around and send a clear message that this behavior is unacceptable.

Hopefully more qualified challengers will come out of the woodwork in time to qualify for the G.E. next November.

...and the Vice-Prezi-dunce too!!

Coming from a Blue/Bush Dog! That's a good sign indeed.