House Dems Bitch Slap Kucinich and the Majority of Americans
Ohio Democrat, and presdential candidate Dennis Kucinich offered a "Privledged Resolution" on the floor of the US House today designed to cause a vote on initiating impeachment proceedings against Vice President Darth Cheney. What follows is the time line of events as recorded by the Clerks Office (All times EST):
1:36 P.M. -
NOTIFICATION OF INTENT TO OFFER RESOLUTION - Mr. Kucinich notified the House of his intent to offer a privileged resolution.
2:35 P.M. -
Considered as privileged matter.
2:54 P.M. -
Mr. Hoyer moved to table the measure.
On motion to table the measure Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 162 - 251 (Roll no. 1037).
4:02 P.M. -
Mr. Hoyer moved to refer to Judiciary.
4:03 P.M. -
MOTION TO REFER PRIVILEGED RESOLUTION - Mr. Hoyer moved to refer the privileged resolution to the Committee on the Judiciary. Subsequently, Mr. Hoyer moved the previous question on the motion to refer and by voice vote, the Chair announced the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Kucinich demanded recorded vote on ordering the previous question on the motion to refer.
The previous question on the motion to refer was Agreed to Agreed to by recorded vote: 218 - 194 (Roll no. 1038).
On motion to refer Agreed to by recorded vote: 218 - 194 (Roll no. 1039).
In effect what happened to day was that Dennis Kucinich kept his word to bring impeachment to the floor of the US House and Nancy Pelosi and the House Democrats ran away. With recent polls reflecting some 45% of Americans in favor of impeaching George W. Bush and 54% favoring the impeachment of "Dead Eye" Dick, it's good to see that the Democrats continue to keep their finger on the pulse of the country.
Lest there be any confusion, the vote to refer this resolution back to Judiciary is essentially the same as the vote to table. HR 333 has been sitting in Judiciary since May of this year with no action taken.
It will be interesting to hear the Republicans play this as a chance to say, "Today the House Democrats stood solidly in support of Vice President Dick Cheney as they resoundingly defeated a measure (supported by an overwhelming majority of Republicans) to bring impeachment charges against him."
Thanks for trying Dennis.
[UPDATE - 11:00am 11/07/07]
From "The Hill"
Republicans keep Cheney impeachment bill alive
By Jonathan E. Kaplan | Posted: 11/6/07 4:35 p.m. [ET]
November 06, 2007
"House Republicans on Tuesday prevented Democratic leaders from blocking a resolution to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney.
The vote to table the privileged resolution, offered by Ohio Democrat Dennis Kucinch, began as a largely party-line vote to kill the measure, but Republicans developed a strategy to force Democrats to debate the resolution by supporting Kucinich. GOP leaders felt as though it was in their interest to debate the measure because it would make Democrats look bad.
After more than an hour of waiting for the vote to close, the motion to table the resolution failed by a vote of 162-251 after Democratic leaders failed to convince a group of liberal caucus members to side with them.
Republican lawmakers and aides credited Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) for coming up with the idea."
Oh it is just so hard to be a Democrat these days....
[FURTHER UPDATE - 8:20am 11/08/07] - From Brad Blog via my good friend and Candidate for Congress in New Mexico, Jason Call:
The following is from a letter sent to constituents today by Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, where the matter has been sent again. Wexler is calling for the committee "to schedule impeachment hearings immediately and not let this issue languish as it has over the last six months."...
"I share your belief that Vice President Cheney must answer for his deceptive actions in office, particularly with regard to the preparations for the Iraq war and the revelation of the identity of covert agent Valerie Plame Wilson as part of political retribution against her husband. That is why I voted against the motion to table debate on H.Res. 333. Along with only 85 other Democrats, I opposed tabling the measure and supported beginning immediate debate and a vote on the Cheney impeachment resolution. The vote on tabling the Kucinich resolution was rejected, and the House subsequently voted to refer the matter to the Judiciary Committee.
...
The American people are served well with a legitimate and thorough impeachment inquiry. I will urge the Judiciary Committee to schedule impeachment hearings immediately and not let this issue languish as it has over the last six months. Only through hearings can we bring begin to correct the abuses of Dick Cheney and the Bush Administration; and, if it is determined in these hearings that Vice President Cheney has committed High Crimes and Misdemeanors, he should be impeached and removed from office."
Hmmm - I wonder if Rep. Shadegg's clever scheme might come back to haunt him. More importantly, I wonder if Judiciary Chair, John Conyers, will respect the "will of the majority" who wish this resolution to be acted upon. After all, it wasn't too long ago that he told folks that if a few more Democrats signed on to HR 333 he would bring it before the full committee. Well, as noted, all but 5 Democrats just voted to send this resolution to the committee......
Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue
posted by Chad Shue at 2:23 PM
4 Comments:
Chad,
I did not realize that this resolution had actually already been in the Judiciary. I was disappointed, but not surprised, that no national mainstream media made any mention of the resolution anywhere.
I think there is some hope, however, that the Judiciary will move this out of committee. How long it will take remains to be seen.
Jason
until the voting public get more aggressive in requiring the legislators to vote as the majority of the base desires we will continue to get this corporate owned crap!
Larsen is plain and simple worthless!
Send it to the judiciary and let it rot? How nice ands the act of a impeachable congressman.
Failure to protect the constitution.
Rick Larsen does not represent the best interests of the troops or the public. I will say it until it sinks in some of the more thick headed Democrats! Meanwhile waste money and effort on this guy! He's a lobbyist dream and plays a good game. The next time he shows up at a function which I am involved he's going to get the respect that his votes deserve!
Cross posted from "Group News Blog"
Kucinich Moves for Cheney Impeachment
Vice President Richard B. Cheney, by such conduct, is guilty of an impeachable offense warranting removal from office.
I have listened and read many speeches in my life.
From John F. Kennedy to Malcolm X, to Ronald Reagan in his prime (who for all his incompetence could give one hell of a speech.) Bobby Kennedy on a roll, the writings of Jefferson, and Lincoln at Gettysburg*. Finally, my two personal favorites, the stunning vision of FDR's Second Inaugural and the unsurpassed beauty of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King with The American Dream, delivered at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on the 4th of July, 1965.
Hold on to your hats. There's a new speech in town.
Set aside at least ten minutes, maybe even twenty-seven minutes, would you please?
I promise you the ninth to the the tenth minute mark of the above speech, as Congressman Kucinich finishes reading Article I of the Articles of Impeachment, will be some of the most amazing oratory you've ever heard. (I'll tell you why, later.)
After Congressman Kucinich finished reading The Articles of Impeachment onto the floor of the House, they were then sent by the Democrats to the Judiciary Committee, where they will languish till this Congress expires.
Total time on the House Floor after the Congressman finished reading them -- about one hour.
The following Democrats voted to send the articles to Judiciary, rather than to debate impeachment.
Is your Congressman or Congresswoman a sell-out?
Downing Street
135 traitors now confirmed!
NY-5 Ackerman, Gary [D]
PA-4 Altmire, Jason [D]
NJ-1 Andrews, Robert [D]
NY-24 Arcuri, Michael [D]
WA-3 Baird, Brian [D]
GA-12 Barrow, John [D]
IL-8 Bean, Melissa [D]
CA-31 Becerra, Xavier [D]
NV-1 Berkley, Shelley [D]
CA-28 Berman, Howard [D]
AR-1 Berry, Robert [D]
GA-2 Bishop, Sanford [D]
NY-1 Bishop, Timothy [D]
OR-3 Blumenauer, Earl [D]
OK-2 Boren, Dan [D]
IA-3 Boswell, Leonard [D]
VA-9 Boucher, Frederick [D]
FL-2 Boyd, F. [D]
KS-2 Boyda, Nancy [D]
FL-3 Brown, Corrine [D]
CA-18 Cardoza, Dennis [D]
MO-3 Carnahan, Russ [D]
PA-10 Carney, Christopher [D]
FL-11 Castor, Kathy [D]
SC-6 Clyburn, James [D]
TN-5 Cooper, Jim [D]
CA-20 Costa, Jim [D]
IL-12 Costello, Jerry [D]
CT-2 Courtney, Joe [D]
AL-5 Cramer, Robert [D]
TX-28 Cuellar, Henry [D]
AL-7 Davis, Artur [D]
TN-4 Davis, Lincoln [D]
CA-53 Davis, Susan [D]
CO-1 DeGette, Diana [D]
MA-10 Delahunt, William [D]
CT-3 DeLauro, Rosa [D]
MI-15 Dingell, John [D]
IN-2 Donnelly, Joe [D]
TX-17 Edwards, Thomas [D]
IN-8 Ellsworth, Brad [D]
IL-5 Emanuel, Rahm [D]
NY-17 Engel, Eliot [D]
CA-14 Eshoo, Anna [D]
NC-2 Etheridge, Bob [D]
PA-2 Fattah, Chaka [D]
MA-4 Frank, Barney [D]
AZ-8 Giffords, Gabrielle [D]
TX-20 Gonzalez, Charles [D]
TN-6 Gordon, Barton [D]
NY-19 Hall, John [D]
CA-36 Harman, Jane [D]
FL-23 Hastings, Alcee [D]
SD-0 Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [D]
NY-27 Higgins, Brian [D]
IN-9 Hill, Baron [D]
TX-15 Hinojosa, Rubén [D]
PA-17 Holden, Tim [D]
MD-5 Hoyer, Steny [D]
NY-2 Israel, Steve [D]
LA-2 Jefferson, William [D]
TX-30 Johnson, Eddie [D]
WI-8 Kagen, Steve [D]
RI-1 Kennedy, Patrick [D]
MI-5 Kildee, Dale [D]
WI-3 Kind, Ronald [D]
FL-22 Klein, Ron [D]
TX-22 Lampson, Nicholas [D]
RI-2 Langevin, James [D]
CA-12 Lantos, Tom [D]
WA-2 Larsen, Rick [D]
CT-1 Larson, John [D]
MI-12 Levin, Sander [D]
IL-3 Lipinski, Daniel [D]
CA-16 Lofgren, Zoe [D]
NY-18 Lowey, Nita [D]
MA-9 Lynch, Stephen [D]
FL-16 Mahoney, Tim [D]
MA-7 Markey, Edward [D]
GA-8 Marshall, James [D]
UT-2 Matheson, Jim [D]
CA-5 Matsui, Doris [D]
NY-4 McCarthy, Carolyn [D]
NC-7 McIntyre, Mike [D]
CA-11 McNerney, Jerry [D]
FL-17 Meek, Kendrick [D]
LA-3 Melancon, Charles [D]
CA-7 Miller, George [D]
AZ-5 Mitchell, Harry [D]
WV-1 Mollohan, Alan [D]
KS-3 Moore, Dennis [D]
CT-5 Murphy, Christopher [D]
PA-8 Murphy, Patrick [D]
PA-12 Murtha, John [D]
NY-8 Nadler, Jerrold [D]
MA-2 Neal, Richard [D]
WI-7 Obey, David [D]
MA-1 Olver, John [D]
MN-7 Peterson, Collin [D]
ND-0 Pomeroy, Earl [D]
WV-3 Rahall, Nick [D]
TX-16 Reyes, Silvestre [D]
TX-23 Rodriguez, Ciro [D]
AR-4 Ross, Mike [D]
NJ-9 Rothman, Steven [D]
MD-2 Ruppersberger, C.A. [D]
OH-17 Ryan, Timothy [D]
CO-3 Salazar, John [D]
CA-39 Sanchez, Linda [D]
CA-47 Sanchez, Loretta [D]
MD-3 Sarbanes, John [D]
CA-29 Schiff, Adam [D]
PA-13 Schwartz, Allyson [D]
GA-13 Scott, David [D]
PA-7 Sestak, Joe [D]
NC-11 Shuler, Heath [D]
NJ-13 Sires, Albio [D]
MO-4 Skelton, Ike [D]
WA-9 Smith, Adam [D]
AR-2 Snyder, Victor [D]
OH-18 Space, Zackary [D]
SC-5 Spratt, John [D]
TN-8 Tanner, John [D]
CA-10 Tauscher, Ellen [D]
MS-4 Taylor, Gene [D]
MS-2 Thompson, Bennie [D]
MA-5 Tsongas, Niki [D]
CO-2 Udall, Mark [D]
NM-3 Udall, Tom [D]
MD-8 Van Hollen, Christopher [D]
IN-1 Visclosky, Peter [D]
MN-1 Walz, Timothy [D]
FL-20 Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D]
CA-30 Waxman, Henry [D]
OH-6 Wilson, Charles [D]
I agree completely with Downing Street. These people are traitors to those of us who elected them to the Democratic Party.
Instead of investigating the Vice President for what everyone knows are genuinely impeachable crimes, the Democratic Party runs like cockroaches when the lights are turned on, afraid of what the Beltway Media and the White House will say.
Cowards. Cowards more afraid of holding on to their seat than doing what their Oath of Office calls for.
When will they learn Americans hate cowards and respect people who kick bullies in the balls.
PBS' News Hour with Jim Lehrer devoted a full 15 seconds to coverage of a measure to impeach a sitting VP. What does this signify about our "public" broadcasting system?
I believe that John Conyers may now agree to get this resolution moving. We now have many more co-sponsors for H. Res. 3333, including several on the House Judiciary Committee who were not previously co-sponsors.
This measure is gaining momentum and Dems who do not support it will regret their decisions.
It was heartening to see that Dennis Kucinich won the DFA online Pulse Poll. Isn't it revealing, however, that the corporate media still refuse to discuss this development?
The corporate controlled media are guilty of treason. No two ways about it!
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