Ranking House Judiciary Democrat Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) has introduced a motion to censure President Bush and Vice President Cheney for providing misleading information to Congress in advance of the Iraq war, failing to respond to written questions and potential violations of international law:
The committee would also be charged with examining manipulation of pre-war intelligence, thwarting Congressional oversight and retaliatory attacks against critics. As part of this resolution, House Judiciary Democrats seek also to explore violations of international law as pertaining to detainee abuse and torture of prisoners of war.
Source
To view the resolution to create investigative body to determine if offenses are impeachable, click here; the resolution to censure President George W. Bush, click here; and the resolution to censure Vice President Dick Cheney, click here.
shuamort said:This could lead to another president getting impeached along with the vice president as well. If anything, I thorough investigation to find out what the president did and didn't know is well worth it. If he lied to the people, he should be forced out of office.
(Also, anyone who says "aiding the terrorists/enemy" in this thread loses their argument.)
Given that Bush buddies already gave classified national security information "that could get people killed" to Iran of the Axis of Evil fame, I'm not ready to make predictions about how long Team Bush will continue to flounder before drowning in their own morass until after Thanksgiving football.aps said:Holy Moses! Bush's troubles get more interesting by the day.
aps said:I'm in heaven right now. I am having a threesome with two moderators who agree with me (the fact that you're moderators has nothing to do with it--it's the whole agreement thing).
:bright:
Simon W. Moon said:I feel violated and dirty.
shuamort said:This could lead to another president getting impeached along with the vice president as well. If anything, I thorough investigation to find out what the president did and didn't know is well worth it. If he lied to the people, he should be forced out of office.QUOTE]
Amen.I just want to know the truth about what they knew and didn't know.
This could lead to another president getting impeached along with the vice president as well.
Republicans are not expected to support a Select Committee, nor are they expected to approve censure motions.
oldreliable67 said:What do you think are the odds of passage of these?
According to your source...
And how many Repubs are likely to cross party lines to vote for these?
These look very much like a continuation of the 'silly season' motions, like the one previous ones about 'get out now'?
shuamort said:It'd be a bummer if Senate republicans would rather hold allegiance to party lines than to truth or the public. Interesting to see where the loyalty lies. (Pun intended).
Gobble gobble?Simon W. Moon said:Whatever will happen will wait until after Thanksgiving.
aps said:I'm in heaven right now. I am having a threesome with two moderators who agree with me (the fact that you're moderators has nothing to do with it--it's the whole agreement thing).
:bright:
cnredd said:This just in...
President Bush jumped into a lake to save an elderly woman from drowning...
The Democrats have immediately pushed forth an impeachment process declaring that the President was fishing without a license...
http://watergate.info/impeachment/impeachment-articles.shtmlArticle 2
Using the powers of the office of President of the United States, Richard M. Nixon, in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in disregard of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, has repeatedly engaged in conduct violating the constitutional rights of citizens, impairing the due and proper administration of justice and the conduct of lawful inquiries, or contravening the laws governing agencies of the executive branch and the purposed of these agencies.
This conduct has included one or more of the following:
/snip
He misused the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Secret Service, and other executive personnel, in violation or disregard of the constitutional rights of citizens, by directing or authorizing such agencies or personnel to conduct or continue electronic surveillance or other investigations for purposes unrelated to national security, the enforcement of laws, or any other lawful function of his office; he did direct, authorize, or permit the use of information obtained thereby for purposes unrelated to national security, the enforcement of laws, or any other lawful function of his office; and he did direct the concealment of certain records made by the Federal Bureau of Investigation of electronic surveillance.
He has, acting personally and through his subordinates and agents, in violation or disregard of the constitutional rights of citizens, authorized and permitted to be maintained a secret investigative unit within the office of the President, financed in part with money derived from campaign contributions, which unlawfully utilized the resources of the Central Intelligence Agency, engaged in covert and unlawful activities, and attempted to prejudice the constitutional right of an accused to a fair trial.
In disregard of the rule of law, he knowingly misused the executive power by interfering with agencies of the executive branch, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Criminal Division, and the Office of Watergate Special Prosecution Force, of the Department of Justice, and the Central Intelligence Agency, in violation of his duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed.
In all of this, Richard M. Nixon has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as President and subversive of constitutional government, to the great prejudice of the cause of law and justice and to the manifest injury of the people of the United States.
Wherefore Richard M. Nixon, by such conduct, warrants impeachment and trial, and removal from office.
for purposes unrelated to national security, the enforcement of laws, or any other lawful function of his office; he did direct, authorize, or permit the use of information obtained thereby for purposes unrelated to national security, the enforcement of laws, or any other lawful function of his office; [emphasis added] and he did direct the concealment of certain records made by the Federal Bureau of Investigation of electronic surveillance.
By the authority vested in me as President by Sections 102 and
104 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C.
1802 and 1804), in order to provide as set forth in that Act (this
chapter) for the authorization of electronic surveillance for
foreign intelligence purposes, it is hereby ordered as follows:
1-101. Pursuant to Section 102(a)(1) of the Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1802(a)), the Attorney General
is authorized to approve electronic surveillance to acquire foreign
intelligence information without a court order, but only if the
Attorney General makes the certifications required by that Section.
oldreliable67 said:hipster,
The Nixon articles of impeachment you sourced said the following,
You seem to be alleging that Bush should be impeached using the same theory. Do I have that right?
If so, how does that square with various legal precedents for the NSA surveillance program, such as this executive order issued by Carter on May 23, 1979?
Source.
http://www.drudgereport.com/flash8.htmFLASHBACK: CLINTON, CARTER SEARCH 'N SURVEILLANCE WITHOUT COURT ORDER
Clinton, February 9, 1995: “The Attorney General is authorized to approve physical searches, without a court order”
http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/eo/eo-12949.htmSection 1. Pursuant to section 302(a)(1) [50 U.S.C. 1822(a)] of the [Foreign Intelligence Surveillance] Act, the Attorney General is authorized to approve physical searches, without a court order, to acquire foreign intelligence information for periods of up to one year, if the Attorney General makes the certifications required by that section.
Jimmy Carter Signed Executive Order on May 23, 1979: “Attorney General is authorized to approve electronic surveillance to acquire foreign intelligence information without a court order.”
1-101. Pursuant to Section 102(a)(1) of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1802(a)), the Attorney General is authorized to approve electronic surveillance to acquire foreign intelligence information without a court order, but only if the Attorney General makes the certifications required by that Section.
shuamort said:(Also, anyone who says "aiding the terrorists/enemy" in this thread loses their argument.)
We have a lot of similar threads going on here. But Drudge is only giving a half truth with these arguments.
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060109/motion_for_censureOn December 20, 2005, I issued a 273-page report outlining the Bush Administration's panoply of misconduct associated in the run-up to and since the Iraq War.
In brief, I have found that there is substantial evidence the President, the Vice President and other high-ranking members of the Bush Administration misled Congress and the American people regarding the decision to go to war in Iraq; misstated and manipulated intelligence information regarding the justification for such war; countenanced torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in Iraq; and permitted inappropriate retaliation against critics of their Administration.
As further detailed in the report, there is at least a prima facie case that these actions by the President, Vice President and other members of the Bush Administration violate a number of federal laws, including:
Committing a fraud against the United States, for example, the President saying he has not made up his mind about invading Iraq, when all of the documentary evidence shows otherwise.
Making false statements to Congress, for example, the President saying he has learned Iraq is attempting to buy uranium from Niger, when he had been warned by the CIA not to say that.
The War Powers Resolution and misuse of government funds, for example, redeploying troops and initiating bombing raids before receiving Congressional authorization.
Federal laws and international treaties prohibiting torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment--for example, ordering detainees to be ghosted and removed--and tolerating and laying the legal ground work for torture and mistreatment
Federal laws concerning retaliations against witnesses and other individuals; for example, demoting Bunnatine Greenhouse from the Army Corps of Engineers because she exposed contracting abuse involving Halliburton.
Federal laws and regulations concerning leaking and other misuse of intelligence; for example, the President's failure to enforce the law requiring disciplining those who leak classified information, whether intentional or not.
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