Conyers Says He's on Edge of Starting Impeachment

[ClassWarrior]

Source: AfterDowningStreet.org

On Thursday, Chairman John Conyers' House Judiciary Committee held a hearing at which Attorney General Michael Mukasey said that he would not investigate torture (video http://afterdowningstreet.org/node/30848) or warrantless spying (video http://afterdowningstreet.org/node/30850), he would not enforce contempt citations (video http://afterdowningstreet.org/node/30851), and he would treat Justice Department opinions as providing immunity for crimes (report http://afterdowningstreet.org/node/30855).

None of this was new, but perhaps it touched something in Conyers that had not been touched before. Following the hearing, he and two staffers met for an hour and 15 minutes with two members of Code Pink to discuss impeachment...

Read more: http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/30858

---

NGU.

[Akoto]

1. While I hate to be the cynic ...

Impeachment has become the political "Boy Who Cried Wolf" for me.

It's always something other than actually doing it. Considering it, contemplating it, threatening it, seriously examining it, weighing it, etc. When they DO it, then I'll get excited.

[Skittles]

19. yup

it makes me yawn to hear it now

[Babel_17]

23. Yeah, that edge must be cushioned

because it seems comfortable to sit on. Still, I give credit for at least speaking about it.

[xchrom]

2. hmmmmph -- i'll believe it when i see it.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

29. yadda, yadda, yadda...

what you said.

[xchrom]

36. lol -- long may ''yadda'' rule!

[Jeffersons Ghost]

46. K&R! I like Conyers but I'm in the Yadda, Yadda camp...

I'll believe it when I see it!

[Zhade]

3. Do it. Don't fail in your constitutionally-mandated duty.

bush belongs in prison.

[Fresh_Start]

4. impeachment does not result in jail

it only results in removal from office

[notadmblnd]

5. it doesn't result in removal of office either

Clinton was impeached but finished his term.

[Fresh_Start]

7. true enough

but in the context of what I was responding to...the punishment phase is removal from office

[RC]

8. Clinton was not found guilty either.

He was acquitted by the Senate.

[RaleighNCDUer]

11. Impeached but not convicted.

I think the expectation is that * would be convicted. This isn't over a blow job.

[sofa king]

60. Think Joe Lieberman would vote for it?

How about sixteen other Republicans in the Senate?

Then what does impeachment really do, if it's certain to fail and likely to distract in the middle of a crucial election year?

What I would rather see at this point is the quiet assembly of a series of criminal cases against the entire former Bush regime, to be prosecuted vigorously and without compromise in the four years after Bush leaves the White House.

The President can't pardon anyone for crimes in which he is personally implicated, so impeachment will be a necessity--after November. But that's the only real purpose it would serve.

[RaleighNCDUer]

10. But it's a good first step.

And it guarantees that he'll never hold office of any kind again.

And (he,he) he loses his retirement benefits. Not that he'd notice.

[Fresh_Start]

12. I really don't expect to see Bush or Cheney impeached

I'd love to see it. I just believe it will happen.

Even less now since you can countdown the days until Bush leaves office.

[Zhade]

51. Oh, I know. I didn't say that it did.

I'm just noting that, if justice were followed - beginning with impeachment - that b*s* should be in jail.

[onenote]

32. where does the constitution "mandate" the commencement of an impeachment proceeding?

Let alone conviction?

Clue: it doesn't.

Not saying that they shouldn't be impeached. They should. Just pointing out that there is nothing in the constitution that "mandates" that they do so.

[Zhade]

52. High crimes and misdemeanors. You don't know that basic aspect of the Constitution?

NT!

[Amonester]

6. The "corporate power structure"

The "corporate power structure", he said, would not allow impeachment without unleashing "blowback."

There.

The New World Order tyrant$ (the real terrorists) who benefit from this whole sham have threatened elected people.

[Psephos]

9. Conyers and staff met with Code Pink to discuss impeachment?

Sounds like he's handing out sops, not fast-tracking impeachment.

:eyes:

[Drum]

13. What a tease...

:(

[99th_Monkey]

14. I posted this earlier today, and called Conyers' office

the Staffer was curt about saying that the good Congressman's "words were being misconstrued" ... Dismissing this report as meaningless ... He didn't even bother trying to say what exactly his words actually DO MEAN, except the same old lame "we don't have the votes" routine.

I said that Conyers seems almost to be playing us for fools, by keeping on dangling the possibility and hinting that he may
support it, but then not really ever DOING it.

He took my name and address and said the Congressman would mail me a response to my concern. Ya, right... form letter #2883 coming right up.

[rosetta627]

26. Thanks for the report Impeachment_Monkey

To say that I'm disappointed in Conyers would be the understatement of the decade.

[EFerrari]

15. Go my sisters. We need to keep asking Mr. Conyers

why he believes we can impeach at the polls.

He knows better.

:kick:

[crimsonblue]

16. Impeach the lot...

And make it a complete cleaning of the cupboard. We need to impeach all of these people: George Bush, Dick Cheney, Condi Rice, Mukasey and all his DOJ cronies, and Scalia and Alito. Only then can we return to democracy before a new president arrives, if a new president can be elected... btw- There is some precedence to show that Justices can be impeached and removed.. Abe Fortas..

[Faux pas]

17. That's nice that he's 'on the edge', what will it take to push him

over? Talking about, laughing about it and forgetting about it makes all who don't do anything accomplices.

[12string]

18. Impeachment

And I'm on te edge of my seat in anticipation....NOT.I'll
believe it when I see it.

[truthisfreedom]

20. The day Conyers is willing to trade what bushco has on him for the job he was elected to do

Is the day we'll all be free again.

[thunder rising]

21. A chance to lead few people are given...Conyers chokes on Pelosi pie

and did nothing; squat, zilch, zip ... the worst patronizing by anybody other than Nancy and Harry.

They cringe in fear of the 29% ... they are mean people.

[4dsc]

22. One can only hope this would come to pass

but I'm not holding my breath on this one..

[dcindian]

24. all talk

Does that make him a "donkey on the edge"?

[Orsino]

25. I thought he was on the verge of contempt citations.

Which duty is it he's almost ready to perform?

[RainDog]

27. ..just soooo close... I'll believe it when I see it

the house has been doing this song and dance for too long. they are a big reason the entire nation is pissed at the legislative. we didn't vote for them to sit on their hands with their pinkies... hidden.

don't you know the repukes would have already sent these torturing, murdering, election stealing, poor-hating, thieves to gitmo by now... for far lesser offenses, too? Meeting with Code Pink is nothing. Who is Code Pink? Do they have legal authority? No. Do they appeal to a branch of the dems who DON'T want impeachment? No. This is just tossing a bone.

call me when they actually do something that matters. :boring:

[sam sarrha]

31. it is cut and dried.. wont take a week

[0007]

28. 'Old hat stuff' makes me sleepy.

[Name removed]

30. Deleted message

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[0007]

33. Yeah right! We need Linda Tripp to get the ball rolling, 'eh?

And perhaps your that girl, Sam?

[Name removed]

41. Deleted message

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[Karenina]

34. Conyers is SUCH A PROFOUND DISAPPOINTMENT!

[hatrack]

35. Blahblahblahblah . . . blahblah . . . blahblahblah . . . blahblah

When you file the motion, Congressman, I'll be inclined to start paying attention.

For the time being, though, stop lighting your own farts in the expectation that I'll be bowled over by the simply fabulous fireworks display that will result.

[tbyg52]

37. The person who spends all of today talking about what he's going to do tomorrow

probably did the very same thing yesterday.

I don't want to hear the word "impeachment," or even the hint or implication of it, from Conyers - unless it's said as he opens the HEARINGS!!!!!

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

38. RiF Is On The Edge Of Caring.

[BearSquirrel2]

39. Why would he impeach on warrantless wiretaps...

The congress passed a bill that now allows it. Why would you possibly investigate someone for something that is now legal?

[JBoy]

40. "On the edge of starting"?

Don't tease me, bro!

[melody]

42. Just when there's absolutely no chance of it going through in time

John was a major disappointment for me. :(

[TankLV]

43. fucking conyers will do NOTHING - he's already said so weeks ago...

he's just mouthing words that SOUND goog to appease us - the democratic wing of the democratic party...

FUCK CONYERS and his "intentions"

[0007]

44. My feelings exactly!

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

45. Goog for you!

[Fridays Child]

47. k/r

[mojowork_n]

48. K & R, It's overdue...

...so let's keep hope alive.

I have to admit, it wasn't encouraging, watching C-SPAN coverage of the Senate debate on the "economic stimulus package", with the Chimp able to turn an 80 - 4 pro preliminary vote, into a vote that missed by one, but hey, let's call them out on their record.

This is a Commander in Chief polling 30% approval.

The Iraq and Afghanistan wars are both disasters, financially speaking. What are the options?

[Name removed]

49. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

50. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[karlrschneider]

54. You are an amusing little prick. Say hi to your Uncle Dad for us.

:D

[WA98070]

53. IMPEACH CONGRESS for failure to uphold the Constitution

[sakabatou]

55. Yeah, the hearings will start in, oh, 20 years

[flyarm]

56. please wake me when Conyers does anything....thanks ..eom

[uberblonde]

57. How much more would it take to push him over the edge?

Does Bush have to declare martial law?

[pokercat999]

58. Actually Mr Conyers I think you and all the other

members of the house should be impeached for ignoring your duty to impeach this criminal administration. You should hide in shame. I'm discussed with you and my only regret is that I can't vote for your next opponent!

[cottonseed]

59. Just do it! You'll have a hell of a lot more support then you'd expect.

Everyone minus the 28% percenters would support it, the repubs have even stopped listening to the talk radio idiots.

[kwyjibo]

61. too little, too late

what't the point in saying anything except "we are impeaching now."

[anitar1]

62. IMHO, Conyers will do nothing and never intended to do anything.

he likes publicity . I was sucked in at first, but no longer.

[NuttyFluffers]

63. makes me think of Yoda. "'Do' or 'do not'. there is no 'try'."

i wonder where "on the edge of starting" falls in that spectrum? :think:

[calimary]

64. KICK!!!!

KICK!!!

KICK!!!

KICK!!!

[mojowork_n]

65. Same story, more details, in today's Greatest Threads

From davidswanson:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2843318

Call Conyers, today and tomorrow!

[fasttense]

66. Well the spineless congress made The Beast's top 10 Most Loathsome People in America

They are in the top 5.

"5. Nancy Pelosi & Harry Reid

Charges: Graduates of the Neville Chamberlain school of appeasement, the Democratic leadership continues to ignore the constitution-and the American people-by keeping impeachment "off the table" and refusing to defund the war. True pushovers, they're too stupid, cowardly, weak and outmatched politically to accomplish anything substantive, their "strategy" essentially boiling down to whining a lot while handing Bush whatever the hell he wants. There is just no way that appearing this weak and ineffectual could be any better for them politically than impeachment. Everything that the White House gets away with, it gets away with because congress allows it.

Exhibit A: Failure to woo the two thirds majority needed to override a presidential veto is moot: They could defund the war with a 41-senator budgetary filibuster. But that would take guts and conviction.

Sentence: 2 cups anthrax bisque."

http://www.buffalobeast.com/122/50mostloathsome2007.html