CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS
June 10, 2008 – 3:53 p.m.
House GOP Forces Complete Reading of Impeachment Resolution
By Molly K. Hooper, CQ Staff
In an effort to highlight the time they say Democrats are wasting, House Republicans will make the clerk read every word of Dennis J. Kucinich ’s resolution seeking to impeach President Bush.
But not until the very end of the day.
Rather than let Tuesday’s floor action be interrupted, Democratic and Republican leaders quietly agreed to let the chamber get all of its other work done before anything happens with Kucinich’s impeachment effort. Then, at the end of the day, the Ohio Democrat will call up his articles of impeachment and Democrats will refrain from making a routine request to waive the reading of the document.
At one point in the discussion, Republicans were threatening to refuse to agree to have just the title and not the full document read out loud. That would have interrupted the entire floor schedule if it happened during the usual time of day for such motions.
“He’s wasting his time, he’s wasting our time, he’s preventing things from getting done that need to be done, so we require them to read it on the floor today to say to them, by God, if you want to waste our time, go ahead and do it,” said Rep. Phil Gingrey , R-Ga.
Gingrey said he was unhappy because he had arranged to give a speech paying tribute to a fallen soldier but instead that soldier’s parents would be listening to the recitation of the impeachment document.
Encore Reading
On Monday night, Kucinich spent about 4 hours and 30 minutes reading the full impeachment text into the Congressional Record. He argues that Bush abused his power “to manufacture a false case for war against Iraq.”
Kucinich offered the articles as a privileged resolution — a high-priority status that will require the House to act in some way within two days.
After the clerk reads it again, Kucinich said he intends to move to refer his measure to the Judiciary Committee — the committee that has not acted on his previous articles of impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney (
Democratic leaders said they will schedule a Wednesday vote on Kucinich’s motion to refer the measure to committee.
Comments
Republicans think this is a waste of time?? Tell that to the thousands of dead soldiers and innocent people. I guess these Republicans agree with Bush, that the constitution is 'just a god damn piece of paper' It's time to clean out Congress -time to get rid of all of those who have abandoned their oath of office by refusing to uphold the US constitution!!
Why don't the Republicans just stomp their feet on the way to their rooms and then slam the door. That's what my children do when they want to make a point.
Tell Phil Gingrey that it would have "wasted" less time if Congress had taken this up in 2003. There were only six Articles of Impeachment back then. (See Draft Impeachment Resolution Against President George W. Bush, January 17, 2003 http://www.counterpunch.org/boyle01172003.html)
Impeach Now!!!!!!!!!!
Gingrey said he was unhappy because he had arranged to give a speech paying tribute to a fallen soldier but instead that soldier's parents would be listening to the recitation of the impeachment document. How sad. We wouldn't want the soldier's family to get the idea that the war was a lie, and that their son or daughter died for a less than noble cause, ordered by less than noble people. Gingrey should be first in line to vote yes on impeachment - that would be true justice for the fallen soldier.
Our Government is finally taking care of the American people ! This is what our Politicians are suppose to do. Thanks for stepping out of the political box and sticking your head out for 'us' - Senator Kucinich. Just make it stick, and don't let Busch wiggle his way out, again.
I agree that Bush and Cheney should be impeached; however, I think that these articles are just for show. The Democrats have had ample time to force the issue of impeachment but really haven't done much. Even if they began impeachment proceedings today the process would not be completed before Bush and Cheney leave office. Introducing articles of impeachment seems pretty moot right now. They definitely should have pressed the issue in 2003 or 2004 when they had enough time to complete the process.
Ken, I agree that it is too late, but they could not have done it in 2003 or 2004 due to the Rethuglicans holding power. What really needs to be done is criminal proceedings after they are out of office.
the congres and the sen nee to be impeached they dems promised chage they have done nothing
Impeachment would show that Nancy Pelosi should also be impeached as she had quite as much of the same knowledge as the administration leading up to the war being on the Intelligence committee. Further, much more important than impeachment is our will to be honest with ourselves and the world by prosecuting this administration for War Crimes in the Hague and at home. A message needs to be sent, tyranny meets with futility. That message is currently a mere whisper.
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