Kucinich raises Bush impeachment at hearing

MichaelMoore.com : Kucinich raises Bush impeachment at hearing

July 25th, 2008 4:01 pm
Kucinich raises Bush impeachment at hearing

By Jared Allen / The Hill

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) asked members of the House Judiciary Committee to consider his calls to impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney as a colorful hearing on executive power opened on Friday.

The primary purpose of the hearing on the “constitutional limitations” of the executive branch was not to consider the Kucinich impeachment resolutions, but it gave the Ohio Democrat and former presidential candidate another chance to advance his agenda. Kucinich was prohibited from “utilizing familiar terms,” but asked for his three separate impeachment resolutions to be entered into the Judiciary Committee record.

“I request that each member read the three bills I have authored, bills which are now awaiting consideration by the Judiciary Committee,” Kucinich said. “I am confident the reader will reach the same conclusions that I have about culpability.”

The hearing was seen by many as a concession from a Democratic Party reluctant to ride out any calls for the impeachment of Bush or Cheney.

It also gave Kucinich a stage and a national spotlight beyond the House floor, where he had spent hours — often late hours after the House had concluded its business for the day — over the past few weeks reading his impeachment resolutions into the record.

More than an hour before the hearing began, more than 100 spectators had gathered to try and see the hearing live. Many of them were wearing “Impeach Bush” T-shirts and identified themselves through their attire as Iraq veterans against the war.

Only a handful gained seats in the main hearing room — Congressional staff had taken most of them — and those assembled outside began chanting “Shame! Shame!” upon hearing the announcement from Capitol Police that the hearing room was full.

Meanwhile, inside, Kucinich — who was greeted by loud cheers upon his entrance — immediately launched into his argument.

“The primary justifications for going to war, outlined in the legislation which the White House sent to Congress in October of 2002, have been determined conclusively to be untrue,” Kucinich said.

“What, then, should we do about it?” he continued. “The decision before us is whether to honor our oath as members of Congress to support and defend the Constitution that has been trampled time and again over the last seven years.”

But beyond Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla.), a member of the Judiciary Committee, Kucinich has received little congressional support for his resolutions.

Judiciary Committee ranking member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) referred to the hearing as “an anger management class.”

“Nothing is going to come out of this hearing with regard to impeachment of the president. I know it, the media know it, even the Speaker knows it.”

Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) was intent on steering the hearing back to its stated purpose.

“It’s no secret that I have grave concerns about the excesses in the exercise of executive branch authority by the present administration,” Conyers said. “We face few issues more difficult, complex or important than separation of powers in general and excesses of the executive branch.”

He did not mention impeachment or Kucinich’s resolutions during his opening statement.

Conyers also called a number of witnesses, including Reps. Brad Miller (D-N.C.) and Walter Jones (R-N.C.) to testify about the “excesses” and potential abuses of power by the Bush administration.