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House Tied In Knots Over Resolution To Impeach Cheney
Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, is trying to impeach Vice President Cheney for what he describes as "high crimes and misdemeanors" before the invasion of Iraq.
Right after the proposal was read on the House floor this afternoon, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer stepped forwarded and tried to convince lawmakers to table the bill.
"Impeachment is not on our agenda. We have some major priorities. We need to focus on those," Hoyer told Fox News.
Update at 3:39 p.m. ET: We thought that the vote to table was over -- the clock said 0:00 -- but lawmakers are still switching things around and Kucinich is within a few votes of getting his bill to come up for a vote.
Update at 3:43 p.m. ET: At least 149 Republicans have voted in favor of considering the impeachment resolution. Hoyer's motion, which would have blocked a vote, looks like its going to fail by at least 31 votes.
Update at 3:53 p.m. ET: The 15-minute vote began at 2:53 p.m. ET. It's been an hour, and they're still voting. The tally stands at 170-242 right now. Hoyer needed 218 votes to push the bill off the agenda. He's 72 votes short.
Update at 4:02 p.m. ET: Hoyer's motion failed 251-162. (Roll Call) The House is now voting on whether to vote on whether the resolution should be sent to the Judiciary Committee.
Update at 4:25 p.m. ET: The vote to decide to vote (yes, you read that correctly) just ended. By a 218-194 margin, the House has to vote on whether to send the resolution to the Judiciary Committee. That's happening right now.
Update at 4:30 p.m. ET: Perhaps we should pause to explain. When most Republicans unexpectedly -- and on orders of GOP leadership, the AP is reporting -- switched sides and voted against tabling the measure, they essentially forced Democrats to keep talking about it on the floor. Tabling the measure would have killed it.
Debate over Cheney's impeachment is in direct opposition to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's wishes. She has repeatedly said an impeachment of Cheney or President Bush is off the table. Thus, failing to table this measure is a essentially a jab in Pelosi's ribs.
"We're going to help them out, to explain themselves," Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, told the AP of the impeachment's supporters. "We're going to give them their day in court."
Update at 4:32 p.m. ET: The House just voted, 218-194, to send the resolution to the Judiciary Committee. That should end today's debate -- but it does keep the resolution at least technically alive.
© 2007 USA Today
186 Comments so far
Show AllWow. Did not see that coming.
What a joke! For this we voted in the Democrats? All we got was another clear demonstration of their ineptitude. Vote Republican, my friends, if you want to get things done. At the least, vote to get these yahoos out of office so we can get on with our empire-building.
Nice try but no cigar . . .
Democrats were seen running en masse to the restrooms, peeing their pants in fright.
The arrogance of the Republicans, and this is another example, may eventually backfire.
Unfortunately, we have the Democrats, to insure that it will continue.
Ramsay
Thank you Dennis! Now more Americans can watch how the corporate purchased representatives will act. Will they act for the interests of WE THE PEOPLE or for the corporations, who purchased them?
Americans, watch to see if your elected representatives cover for the corporation's Vice President or the PEOPLE.
A vote for republicans or democrats, that are both bought by the same corporations, is just a vote for corporations.
Vote for a candidate that will represent the PEOPLE!
Vote for your needs, the needs of your family and friends, and the needs of WE THE PEOPLE!
Don't vote for the beauty kings and queens. Vote for a government Of the people, For the people, so we can have a government By the people!
Dang it! My represnetive (Doyle) was a nayer! Guess the yinzers love Mr. Cheny.
I don't know exactly how to read this, but it does seem risky and brazen on the part of Republicans -- or perhaps they want Cheney out.
With Democratic Congress already at a lower approval rating than the President, why risk keeping this thing alive? Seems like there is not much to be gained other than keeping the impeachment process technically alive.
I guess if there was a republican majority, this might have worked out?
Kucinich said today that this vote will show who is on the side of democracy and the constitution. It certainly showed that the Democrats do not think the constitution is a priority. The Fox article which has since been changed, mentioned that Pelosi said the priorities such as funding for "withdrawing the troops" and children's health care were more important. They're doing a fine job with those priorities, so that should shut us all up.
0.o
How dare these Republican liberals? These moonbats HATE America.
Cheney is just trying to fight them over there so we don't fight them over here. And there they go again, blaming America first.
Thank God we own madam speaker, lock, stock and barrel, she'll show them.
Strange bedfellows -- gotta love it, the Republicans trying to embarrass the embarrassing Capitulosi, forcing Hoyer & company to explain why Cheney shouldn't be impeached.
The Repugs share the belief of the Dead Dog Democrats, that impeaching the Smirk's sidekick will somehow increase their popularity, because Clinton's popularity was high throughout impeachment. This is the idea of the whorish political consultants, who must put it in subliminally into the DLC i-pods.
The Democrats are now wearing hand-me-down pants from UPS. The dark brown garments will not show the shit stains the Dems are befouling themselves with as they trip over each other to obtain the Nobel Prize for Cowardice. It is reported in the MSM that Pelosi has at least three dozen pair.
Kucinich is like the Chinese kid standing up against the tank in Tiananmen Square --- but this tank of repression is driven by both the phony two-party Republicans and Democrats committed to maintaining the global corporate Empire behind this facade of 'Vichy America'.
The question now will be whether the media powers in that 'Vichy America' also continue to oppress and repress the growing outrage of average American people to see their government restored to the real democracy against Empire that our founding fathers envisioned and died for --- or whether the media will also rebel against this stacked-deck of Empire and report the real truth to the American people.
I pray that Dennis keep his courage, I'm sure he is expecting heavy blows for this caper. Good for him! and good for the GOP, whatever their strategy... I look forward to hearing Dem leaders sputter about just why Cheney shouldn't be impeached. Let's just hope this is just the begining.
It is amazing to me (still a Pollyanna!) that the representatives that were voted into office to represent us continue to go against what the majority of us want, impeachment! Thank you Dennis!!
Impeachment is too good for Dick... Jail the bastard!
As a riverboat philosopher once said, it's enough to make a cat laugh.
Perhaps now Dennis will be included in future debates with the Democratic Party "frontrunners".
Hopefully DNC, AARP and their brethren are paying attention.
A strange turn of events, but it is key to keep momentum going for this, from the people. I saw Kucinich read the resolution live on CSPAN, and it was a breath of fresh air to see the right thing being done for the right reasons, for once, no matter what the cowards scattering around the room were up to. Thank God ALL of this--brazen acts of bravery and cowardice--is now at least on the historical record.
this vote shows that republicans and a lot of democrats are just alike.
WisANidiot,
Impeachment is too good for Dick… Jail the bastard!
That comes next.
GlobalFriend,
Check it again. A nay vote was a vote to NOT table the the resolution. So Doyle voted correctly.
"House Tied In Knots Over Resolution To Impeach Cheney"
Well, that (the knot tying) can only be seen as an improvement. Quick, somebody bring in the waterboarding specialists.
Vote for Me!
Cindy@CindyforCongress.org
I am writing an article about this latest debacle, but I think we should all support Dennis financially like Ron Paul's supporters did yesterday. Dennis put himself out there to be pummeled by both sides...but, let me tell ya, it hurts when "your side" is the one doing most of the pummeling!
Send Dennis some love in the form of $---I am going to right now!
Cindy
If you read the book "The Money and the Power-Las Vegas's Hold on America" you see that both parties are told what to do by organized crime. The mobsters pretty much control everything and have fake mob trails every once and a while. Pelosi's Husband is suspected of mob ties as is Harry Ried. The book says Reagan/Bush was a ticket chosen by the mobsters. They're one big happy family.
Cannot wait to see how this event will fly! Mayhap the US o A has reached its tipping point and is ready to participate in politics again after being opiumed by the Bush-Cheney Cabal with lies, betrayal and out-right treason. Wish our lawyers would take to the streets like they are in Pakistan. We are so very close to so much virulent evil. I want to march in the streets with candles and chants and evict the non-patriots from too much power in their seats ... as it were...IMPEACH. Such a pleasant ring to it, no?
What Cindy said!
I sent $$ to Dennis as soon as he started speaking this afternoon and I will continue to send as much as I can afford as often as I can. THANK YOU Dennis for having the intestinal fortitude to stand for what's right.
how many of the "above" have called their senators and congressman? critisizing kucinich for having to put his nads on the line doesn't get it done. your represenitives most hear your call !
Anybody who votes against impeachment of Cheney has his or hers thumb in the Plum-CorporateEnergy Pie, Dennis needs a medal of honor for Honesty and Guts. It appears that everyone else running for office wants to leave the executive branch running amouk with unlimited powers. If the Democrats are afraid of Dennis as President then they should have the good sense to make him Majority Leader.
COOOOL! Now our Democratic Representatives will have to vote yea or nay, on the Impeachment, and in the glare of publicity they will proudly and shamelessly vote NO. Agreeing with the Bush administration. Just like they do on the War in Iraq, the plans for war on Iran, and anything else of real significance. Watch and see.
Since it has gone to the Judiciary Committee, does anyone know what follows? The commentator on C-Span was not too clear in his interpretations.
Dear Madam Speaker,
Mr Kucinich has successfully and in spite of Mr. Hoyer's attempt to scuttle it,sent the resolution to impeach Vice President Cheney to the Judiciary Committee. Apparently Rep. Pete sessions wants to help what should be a Very important Cause for the Democrats, he says We're going to help them out, to explain themselves,".... "We're going to give them their day in court."
So there you have it, your "day in court", I suggest you take it and impeach Mr. Cheney.
Cindy:
Actually, the first thing that came to my mind, was send $$ to Cindy. Will someone please pay for t.v. Ads, supporting Cindy's campaign, in her challenge of Nancy.
Only when the Dems in power feel threatened will this charade end.
There was a large number of Ron Paul supporters in the S.F anti-war march, break bread, united we stand...
Ramsay
Check mate.. Dennis is forcing their hand to act. I was wondering if Kucinich was ever going to bring it to the floor, and I'm ecstatic that he did. We all need to call the House and our respective Reps and let them have it if they think they can get away with not voting FOR impeachment.
PLEASE take a moment to call the Capitol switchboard right now at (202)224-3121 or go to http://www.house.gov and enter your ZIP Code to find your local member of Congress, and then tell them the following:
"I urge the Representative to VOTE TO START IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS as outlined in HR 333."
I know I will!
With opinion polls in the sewer, possible violations of the Constitution, and a slight majority of Americans overall who favor impeachment -- and Hoyer refuses to even openly debate this, to go on record, so America can see where the Democratic Party stands in relation to its "opposition"?
Well, folks, Hoyer -- like Pelosi -- is another crypto-neocon.
Oh and here's Pelosi's number.. she needs a new orifice torn into her. Plus it's her dime.. enjoy!
1-800-828-0498
Dennis already placed H Res 333 into the House Judiciary committee and Conyers' has not done anything with it.
Conyers can, and probably will, judging from his defense of Pelosi about this and his past performance, will sit on this resolution, too.
He doesn't have to do anything with it, and from what I have heard, Pelosi dictates what comes out of committee anyway.
Conyers could investigate, hold hearings, etc and then refer it to the entire house to vote.
You can send me money, too...
Love
Cindy
Ms. Sheehan...Having achieved "celebrity status" for your courage, drive, and persistence against the insanity in D.C., I'm hoping your words in the upcoming piece that you are writing will bring D.K.'s name further into the light along with yours. Thank you for your words in this post and thank you for your article-to-be.
In a perfect world, it would be Kucinich/Sheehan in charge of the recovery of the country, the world and the planet.
So get yourself some Senatorial experience QUICK!
Be Well...
The fracas now moves into the House Judiciary Committee. Here's a link to its website, http://judiciary.house.gov/default.aspx and list of members:
Democrat
Hon. Conyers (Chair)
(D) Michigan, 14th
Hon. Berman
(D) California, 28th
Hon. Boucher
(D) Virginia, 9th
Hon. Nadler
(D) New York, 8th
Hon. Scott
(D) Virginia, 3rd
Hon. Watt
(D) North Carolina, 12th
Hon. Lofgren
(D) California, 16th
Hon. Jackson Lee
(D) Texas, 18th
Hon. Waters
(D) California, 35th
Hon. Delahunt
(D) Massachusetts, 10th
Hon. Wexler
(D) Florida, 19th
Hon. Sánchez
(D) California, 39th
Hon. Cohen
(D) Tennessee, 9th
Hon. Johnson
(D) Georgia, 4th
Hon. Sutton
(D) Ohio, 13th
Hon. Gutierrez
(D) Illinois, 4th
Hon. Sherman
(D) California, 27
Hon. Baldwin
(D) Wisconsin, 2nd
Hon. Weiner
(D) New York, 9th
Hon. Schiff
(D) California, 29th
Hon. Davis
(D) Alabama , 7th
Hon. Wasserman Schultz
(D) Florida, 20th
Hon. Ellison
(D) Minnesota, 5th
Republican
Ranking member:
Hon. Smith
(R) Texas, 21st
Hon. Sensenbrenner Jr.
(R) Wisconsin, 5th
Hon. Coble
(R) North Carolina, 6th
Hon. Gallegly
(R) California, 24th
Hon. Goodlatte
(R) Virginia, 6th
Hon. Chabot
(R) Ohio, 1st
Hon. Lungren
(R) California, 3rd
Hon. Cannon
(R) Utah, 3rd
Hon. Keller
(R) Florida, 8th
Hon. Issa
(R) California, 49th
Hon. Pence
(R) Indiana, 6th
Hon. Forbes
(R) Virginia, 4th
Hon. King
(R) Iowa, 5th
Hon. Feeney
(R) Florida, 24th
Hon. Franks
(R) Arizona, 2nd
Hon. Gohmert
(R) Texas, 1st
Hon. Jordan
(R) Ohio, 4th
This may very well backfire on the GOP. A lot of people outside of the insulated bubble in Washington -- where Cheney's at about 20 percent approval -- think impeaching Cheney is a damn good idea. Let's get those cards, letters and emails going to the members of the Judiciary Committee demanding this be brought up for a full vote; after all, Conyers promised impeachment before the Dems got a majority in the House. Let's hold him to it.
Agreed! Every one of these Dems that failed to support Kucinich deserves a tounge lashing. I just sent a sharp note to my rep, Blumenhaur, after my jaw hit the keyboard seeing that he failed to represent the people of Oregon today. It's just dumbfounding that in the House, where we hold the MAJORITY, we need the Republicans' help to get something like this passed. It just fails to pass the logic test, seriously, what the hell is wrong with them.
For god's sake, I mean, for America's sake, let's help Dennis raise HIS $4,000,000!Everyone send $25 as thanks for his impeachment resolution. Thank you Dennis, and hell yeah, I've seen unidentified flying objects my self! Impeach the bastards! Let the world know that we do not support the murder and mayhem inflicted on the middle east. Help clear our name~impeach the bastards! Call the congress, donate to the Kucinich campaign,let's get this show on the road. God the Dims are so disappointing...what a display of raw politics and utter failure of leadership we saw this afternoon. Thanks Dennis.I can't say it enough.
Would someone please give me the link to the vote list? I've been to the House of Representatives site and just can't make it work. I wrote a very long letter to my representative yesterday and I would like to see how he voted.
[quote]Twister22 November 6th, 2007 6:32 pm -- Check mate.. Dennis is forcing their hand to act.[/quote]
Well, not to rain on anyone's parade, but let's not allow our expectations to run too far ahead of reality. As Cindy Sheehan points out, the House Judiciary Committee is already sitting on a resolution and, since Pelosi calls the tune, this one isn't likely to fare much better.
Of course DK and his supporters could keep the pot boiling by introducing a 'privileged resolution' (all impeachment resolutions are privileged) every day. But that stategy would have its own risks.
I'd like to know why memebers from both
sides of the isle are such pussies. Is it
just to keep their jobs and corpoate gifts
or have they actually been threatened?
Friday I called my US Reps, gave Dennis
money and called or emailed everyone I know
to do the same.
So it's now going to the Senate which
requires a 2/3 vote. Please start calling
your US Senators now. Remind them you'll be watching
their votes and they will never get your vote
if they don't support Dennis on this. And you'll
email and call all your friends...
LOOKS LIKE HE COULD BE DENNIS THE MENACE! EVERY CITIZEN THAT WANTS CHENEY IMPEACHED, OWES DENNIS, WHETHER HE SUCCEEDS OR NOT. OKAY PEOPLE PUT YOUR $ WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS AND SEND DENNIS WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD.
Hopefully this will be a good discovery process. We all know he is guillty many times over of impeachable offences. Dennis Kucinich the only one with balls enough and brains enough to do the right thing. These guys can lie us into wars that bankrupt us and murder over a million people. How many laws do you[personally] get to break without getting called on it?
Throw the inside job mass murder of our own citizens from 9/11/2001 on top of it. Come on, your not still buying their lame story on that one are you?
The Republicans seem to think that if the Democrats impeach Cheney, a wave of popular sympathy for him will win them back Congress in 2008. I'd say they'd be in for a big surprise if the Democrats had guts.
papiowhipperer..Nope..stays in the House under Pelosi's control.
Too bad there isn't the faintest chance that any elected Democrat will ever read any of these comments or act on them if they did.
I have long suspected that Osama bin Laden shaved his beard and is hiding in the White House doing massive damage to our economy, our military and our principles. I am now starting to also suspect either that a sizable portion of the Democrat "leaders" are either closet Republicans or got caught in the illegal domestic surveillance by the White House and are being blackmailed into doing whatever Republicans want.