So the Teapukes Are Considering Impeachment?

[MineralMan]

Bring it! That's just what we need to help us in taking control back in the House in 2014.

Bring it! Take as much time as you like. Drag the hearings out as long as you can.

Bring it! Let's see just how stupid you really are on national television.

Morons!

GOTV 2014!

[riverbendviewgal]

1. america, you are a joke

Up here we are laughing at your congress. And taking ourselves out of an American investments.

[NV Whino]

10. Yeah, down here we're crying about our congress.

[seabeyond]

2. shut down govt, default on debt, impeachment.... so many tools for the repugs. nt

[MineralMan]

3. And so many tools who are Republicans.

The GOP is a veritable toolbox.

[geek tragedy]

4. They could beat someone with a cane on the House floor. That hasn't been done in over a century nt

[MineralMan]

5. Bring back the House spittoons. The morons can

wear them as helmets.

[Mnemosyne]

17. I have a cane I am willing to donate! Or come beat their asses with it myself. This from a devout

pacifist.

[eShirl]

6. Khan/Ahab

…to the last I grapple with thee; from hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee.
—Moby-Dick, Chapter 135. "The Chase.—Third Day

[MineralMan]

7. Yah, but the whale's color is wrong.

[eShirl]

9. lol

OBAMAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

[BootinUp]

8. Hell Yes they need to be goaded on to do it. lol.

[PATXgirl]

11. What is the equivalent of impeachment for congress?

I've always heard about impeachment for presidents but what provisions are out there to remove a sitting congressman for treasonous acts against their country?

Like, say...putting the country in risk of default then using the resulting chaos for photo ops, posturing and personal political gain?

[onenote]

12. Expulsion by a vote of 2/3 of the members.

Or defeat at the polls during the next regularly scheduled election.

[PATXgirl]

15. Thanks for the info. Hopefully they will be voted out next election.

[MineralMan]

13. There is no equivalent.

Only the Congress can remove members of Congress. They cannot be recalled in an election, nor impeached. The Congress itself is the only authority that can remove its members.

[PATXgirl]

14. That's convenient. There should be a way to remove them if they are abusing power just as there

Is for the executive branch.

[onenote]

16. There is: expulsion by a vote of 2/3 of the members of the house

It takes 2/3 vote to impeach the President or other executive branch officials.

I should note that while no president has ever been impeached and convicted, there are examples of members of Congress being expelled. Most occurred during the Civil War, but there have been a couple of more recent instances (1980, Mike Meyers for participation in Abscam scandal and 2002, Jim Traficant, for various criminal acts such as bribery, tax evasion, etc).

Some members who might have been expelled (such as Rep. William Jefferson) either resign or are defeated prior to any expulsion effort beginning.

Finally, it should go without saying that no one is going to be expelled for voting for or against a particular piece of legislation (absent the kind of proof that the vote was part of a quid pro quo, and not just the acceptance of campaign contributions that every member engages in.)