Conyers: Forget Impeachment “basement hearings-Constitution in Crisis Report Watershed Achievements"

[DemPower]

This is also from Conyer's recent email...

As many of you also know, I have agreed with Speaker-to-be Pelosi that impeachment is off the table. Instead, we agree that oversight, accountability and checks and balances - which have been sorely lacking for the last six years - must occur. I have nothing but respect for those who might disagree, but that is where I come out.

Having devoted a considerable amount of time and attention to detailing the many abuses of the Bush Administration, I firmly believe that we have brought these matters to the attention of the American people and the mainstream media, and that their verdict was reflected in the elections on November 7. I consider the now famous “basement hearings” and the issuance of my “Constitution in Crisis” Report to be among the watershed achievements of my more than forty years in Congress.

[Demeter]

1. We Still Need to Follow Through, John!

Can't cross that bridge halfway, then jump off. That's called suicide. It's not for winners like us.

[mod mom]

2. I am a Conyers Dem! He has had many "watershed achievements" when this

nation needed him the most!

:patriot:

[dogday]

3. Here is something from the Judicial House Committee site

<snip>
In the new Congress, I am in line to Chair the House Judiciary Committee. I look forward to working with the Democratic Caucus and the Members of the Committee – both Democratic and Republican – in developing an agenda and oversight plan that serves the interest of the American people. I am hopeful that our Committee can hit the ground running on these matters once we organize in January.

Personally speaking, as a Member of Congress, one of my highest priorities will be election reform. In every recent election, there have been well-substantiated allegations of attempts to discourage or prevent eligible voters from voting. There is also a widespread consensus that electronic voting machines are woefully insecure and subject to tampering and manipulation. For our democracy to survive, we must ensure that every eligible voter is allowed to vote and their vote is counted correctly.

In this campaign, there was an orchestrated right-wing effort to distort my position on impeachment. The incoming Speaker has said that impeachment is off the table. I am in total agreement with her on this issue: impeachment is off the table. To be sure, I have substantial concerns about the way this Administration has abused its authority, but impeachment would not be good for the American people. The country does not want or need any more paralyzed partisan government – it wants a check and balance and real progress on the issues that matter to their lives.

</snip>


http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/releases/newcongresspr11906.pdf

[magellan]

4. I really disagree with him here:

"I firmly believe that we have brought these matters to the attention of the American people and the mainstream media, and that their verdict was reflected in the elections on November 7."

The American people were reacting to RW corruption and Iraq in this election; they have yet to gain full knowledge of the DSM, the nixing of habeas corpus, what passes for "legal interrogation techniques" in Bush**'s mind, no-bid contracts to Halliburton, etc and so on. The CM has never fully disclosed the many abuses of BushCo, or details of Rep Conyers' basement hearings.

I find this email from Rep Conyers very discouraging and disheartening.

[mod mom]

9. I think Conyers + House Judiciary Dem staff will be using investigations to

educate the American people. I believe that as the investigations proceed and the public becomes aware of just what occurred, we will be able to rid this country of this cancerous growth.

I communicated with this legal aides after the '04 election and found them to be very competent. I believe we are in good hands with Conyers as Chair.

[magellan]

13. I had the utmost confidence in him

...until this email, which seems to imply any further investigation of the matters he's already looked into has been set aside, because he believes the people rendered their verdict on Nov 7th. I hope I'm reading that wrong. One of the things we're talking about here is the DSM and the lies that got us into Iraq.

I'm all right with impeachment being off the table while the Dems educate the American people. There are no better "instructors" than Conyers and Waxman where that's concerned; investigations will be done right and thoroughly. I just want it to be a FULL education.

[Jackpine Radical]

5. We can hash this around & flail away at each other over impeachment

all we want. It's relatively harmless here & maybe good cardiovascular exercise, but Conyers is right. It is terrible strategy to come out of the box screaming for impeachment.

Let's just investigate things for a while. Like where all our money went in Iraq. Like all kinds of nefarious things the Bushies have been doing for the past 6 years. Like putting bomb secrets on the Internet in Arabic. Like checking out who paid off whom in the port administration fiasco. Like any number of things. And let's publicize the results.

Then we sit back and wait for the public reaction. Who knows?--when they find out what's been happening, it may be the people in the street who demand impeachment, not the Democratic politicians. Wouldn't that be sweet? And if it doesn't work out that way, we'll no doubt have some interesting files to give to the prosecutors in anuary 2009, after the Bushies have been stripped of all the legal protections inherent in their high office. And it will be a Dem President being sworn in that January. Guaranteed.

For all of this, I'm willing to forego the Schadenfreude of impeachment.

[shadowknows69]

7. Sorry but no freaking way

the blood of thousands cry out for justice. "Reflected at the polls" isn't justice.

[magellan]

12. I've stopped screaming impeachment

But "off the table"? And Mr. Conyers sounds as if he believes the matters he was investigating found final judgment in the midterms.

Sorry, but if he's saying that voting the Repugs out of power in any way approximates the justice Bush** and his cohorts so richly deserve to face for lying this country into a war, he's lost the plot.

[porphyrian]

6. People, this is simply political posturing.

It isn't his, or Pelosi's, decision. IT IS OURS. They are going to pursue and enact their stated agenda whether or not we call for impeachment, and if we don't, the evidence that will emerge will compel it. Can we stop flogging this dead horse now?

[Jackpine Radical]

18. Thank you.

[porphyrian]

20. Some people are so dense... - n/t

[grizmaster]

8. To protect the Constitution, a thorough investigation

of the bush junta's crimes is necessary.

If that investigation reveals high crimes and misdemeanors then we decide how to proceed, AFTER exposing the crimes to the world.

[Drum]

11. I agree with this.

[Toots]

10. Sorry but I have to disagree

If I were to have broken the law no one would forget about it or put it "off the table" If we truly are a country of "Law and Order" then the Bush* Cabal must be held accountable...If they are given a pass it establishes a precedent that Abuse of Power is quite acceptable in America...That sucks...

[greenman3610]

14. America is too closely divided

mostly because Americans are not
aware of the facts as so many people on this
board are.
we must investigate as part of the
education process.

Simply pushing impeachment in people's faces when
they don't get the "why" yet will simply
smack of tit for tat revenge for Clinton.
They will say that's not what they voted for,
and the opportunity to bring out all the garbage
will be lost in the "impeach or don't impeach"
argument.

[reichstag911]

15. "Impeachment and the table"

from http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/111306Z.shtml:

<snip>

...(I)n stating flatly that "impeachment is off the table," incoming Speaker Pelosi and incoming Chairman Conyers appear to have erred rather substantially. Impeachment, of course, is a matter of Constitutional law, not personal discretion on the part of individual lawmakers. The pre-emptive nature of the decision by Pelosi and Conyers stands in sharp contrast to every principle of law enforcement. Congress - whether controlled by Democrats or Republicans - has a solemn duty to uphold and when necessary enforce the law.

<snip>

[mmonk]

16. How come I hardly know any people besides here

that know of these? Not watershed.

[Octafish]

17. VIP -- Very Important Post

Those "basement hearings," where the GOP wouldn't even let the DEMs use a regular conference room in the Capitol, were really something eye-opening. While those who follow politics know, the nation clearly could see that Bush was closer to Hitler than they thought.

Conyers knows what he's doing. And he, just as much as me or anyone, wants to get Bushler out of the White House. To do so requires the facts be part of the public record.

Once everybody who's part of We the People get the Truth, we'll be aunified country. Then it's: "Adios crazy, monkey!"

[Hosnon]

19. Restoring the Constitutional balance is my highest priority right now.

And no, I don't think that the best way to do that is to impeach Bush, nor is it necessary to that end.

Repeal the MCA, stop the warrantless wiretapping, work to end the use of signing statements, require the Administration to comply with the Geneva Conventions, etc.