Blogged by Brad from the road…in Texas…
Now UPDATED with a response from Hinchey’s office. See update at end of article.
Democratic members of the U.S. House and Senate have announced they are prepared to issue a very, very stern slap on the wrist to George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and Alberto Gonzales.
Moments ago, in a joint news release (posted in full below) issued by Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), it was announced that Censure resolutions, which have absolutely no force of law or actual consequences if passed, would be brought against the three men in both chambers.
“From misleading this country into invading Iraq to establishing a warrantless domestic spy program, this White House has continuously misled and deceived the American people while disregarding the rule of law that guides our democracy,” says Hinchey in the statement.
Of course, it could be argued that a resolution of Censure, in lieu of a trial on Articles of Impeachment, is one of the only ways the U.S. Senate can bring some form of historic accountability to the three accused men until such Articles of Impeachment are sent to them by the U.S. House. But where the Senate may be limited in that they cannot bring their own Articles of Impeachment, the U.S. House has no such excuse.
The Censure resolution brought by Hinchey seems to fly in the face of his own comments on the Peter B. Collins Show just weeks ago when he said that this administration was “the most impeachable in the history of our country.” From the transcript/audio of the interview:
And yet, Hinchey is now supporting only Censure, apparently.
If Hinchey and his 19 co-sponsors in the House believe the White House needs condemnation for the points they describe in their resolutions of Censure — which read like a swell description of Impeachable High Crimes and Misdemeanors — then they have little excuse not to perform their Constitutional Duty and bring forward Articles of Impeachment in the House for this precise set of serious crimes which, as Hinchey said, “disregard the rule of law that guides our democracy.”
Then again, courage of conviction is not something Democrats are too often accused of.
While we were unable to reach the White House for comment, we are fairly well able to anticipate their expected reaction to the Democrats latest attempt at “accountability”:
The press release from Feingold and Hinchey, announcing Censure Resolutions in both the House and Senate, follows in full below. Following that is an update with a response from Hinchey’s office to the comments above…
Contact:
Zach Lowe (Feingold) ““ (202) 224-8657
Jeff Lieberson (Hinchey) ““ (202) 225-1265
Resolutions Condemn President and Administration Officials for Misconduct Leading Up to and During Military Involvement in Iraq, and for Undermining the Rule of Law
Washington, D.C. ““ U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) and U.S. Representative Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) have introduced two censure resolutions in their respective chambers condemning the president, vice president and the attorney general for misconduct regarding our military involvement in Iraq and for their repeated assaults on the rule of law at home. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) is a cosponsor of both Senate censure resolutions and Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) is a cosponsor of the Senate censure resolution regarding Iraq. The House resolutions have 19 original cosponsors.
“Congress cannot stay silent when the American people are demanding that this administration be held accountable for its blatant misconduct regarding Iraq and its attack on the rule of law,” Feingold said. “These censure resolutions will let future generations know that Congress stood up to the destructive policies of this administration that have weakened our national security, cost more than 3,600 American lives, and undermined the principles on which our country was founded. I applaud Congressman Hinchey for leading this charge for accountability in the House of Representatives.”
“From misleading this country into invading Iraq to establishing a warrantless domestic spy program, this White House has continuously misled and deceived the American people while disregarding the rule of law that guides our democracy,” Hinchey said. “The Bush administration has placed an extraordinary burden on this and future generations to recover from the damage done to our Constitution and national security. While it will take time to get our country back on the right track, we in Congress can act now by passing these censure resolutions to hold the White House accountable and to let the historical record show that an equal branch of government found the actions of this administration undeniably reprehensible. I am honored to be working with Senator Feingold on these censure resolutions and look forward to gathering support in order to pass them in both chambers.”
The censure resolutions regarding Iraq, S.Res.302 and H.Res.625, condemn the president and vice president for:
- Misleading the nation about the threat posed by Saddam Hussein’s regime and about Saddam’s links to al Qaeda and 9/11
- Inadequate planning for military action in Iraq
- Overstraining the military and undermining homeland security
- Misleading the nation about the strength of the insurgency
The censure resolutions regarding the rule of law, S.Res.303 and H.Res.626, condemn the president and attorney general for:
- Authorizing the illegal NSA warrantless wiretapping program
- Pursuing extreme policies concerning torture and the treatment of detainees
- Detaining enemy combatants indefinitely without charges, access to a lawyer, or habeas rights
- Unilaterally authorizing flawed military commissions that were subsequently struck down by the Supreme Court
- Misleading Congress and the public about, and obstructing investigations into, the firings of U.S. Attorneys
- Making misleading statements regarding civil liberties abuses under the Patriot Act
- Undermining acts of Congress with signing statements based on extreme theories of executive power
Cosponsors of the House resolutions are Representatives Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Capuano (D-MA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Danny Davis (D-IL), Sam Farr (D-CA), Bob Filner (D-CA), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), John Hall (D-NY), Michael Honda (D-CA), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), James Moran (D-VA), Ed Pastor (D-AZ), Steve Rothman (D-NJ), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Carol Shea Porter (D-NH), and Diane Watson (D-CA).
The Senate censure resolution regarding Iraq is available at http://feingold.senate.gov/censureiraq302.pdf. The Senate censure resolution regarding the rule of law is available at http://feingold.senate.gov/censureruleoflaw303.pdf. The House resolutions are identical.
UPDATE: Hinchey’s office responds to our query about how he squared his previous comments on the Peter B. Collins Show, with his Resolution for Censure as filed today. The following comments were sent via email from his spokesperson, Jeff Lieberson:
We would respond in kind by reminding the Congressman of member’s Constitutional duty to hold the Executive Branch accountable for High Crimes and Misdemeanors if they believe them to have been committed. Period. There is nothing to our knowledge concerning “censure” in the Constitution.
Impeachment proceedings are designed to determine whether or not the House believes that such crimes have been committed, and to give members an opportunity to vote up or down on them after examining such evidence as presented.
Furthermore, after Articles of Impeachment are sent to the Senate — if the House, after being given the opportunity to vote for or against them, votes for them on the record — a trial is held in the Senate during which testimony is taken, publicly and under oath, from those who have been Impeached along with other witnesses, and evidence is presented.
Then, and only then — after the evidence is made public, without the benefit of withholding direct testimony — would we know if there were enough votes to convict in the Senate.
If Hinchey feels that this administration is “the most impeachable in history,” then presumably he feels there is evidence to make that case. And with a criminal trial for anything else, the evidence is presented and then it’s determined whether the jury is willing to convict or not.
As to the time such proceedings would take, David Swanson, dispatches that argument smartly in one of his articles touching on that topic earlier today.
I think I just want to find some democrat congressmen and go PUKE on them. The middle finger right down my throat. Of course I am going to drink as much red liquid with everclear or maybe even some nice vodka so as to stain their pretty clothes. But I want to be really REALLY drunk so I can deal with my country going down the toliet.
Ya hear that you wiretapping bastards, yer driving me to drink….
Hi Brad,
Keep stickin’ it to “the man”.
As for Feingold’s censure resolution. Feingold wrote an article on a progressive blog last week, I can’t remember which. Firedoglake.com, Daily Kos, or Huffington Post. He asked the commenters their opinion of his censure resolution and 99% said that wasn’t good enough. They want impeachment.
I’m sure George Dubya’s cadre are shaking in their loafers about this censure. Think about it. If they get their right hand slapped they’ll have to manipulate the American people with their left hand for a while. That’s no problem for master manipulators like George Bush and his cadre.
The terror war continues and Geore Dubya is at peace with himself.
Troubled
I hear Jeffie G wants it amended to also bitch slap Mark Foley til his cheeks are red and puffy.
Brad wrtoe: “Then again, courage of conviction is not something Democrats are too often accused of.” Unfortunately, you have to have convictions to have courage in them and I don’t see any conviction (other than to their reelection) in the Democratic bureaucrats that currently populate our Congress. I’ve had it with them!
Here is a list of the true blue Senators who voted against letting Wierd Al G of the Department of
JusticeJust Us tap your communications without a warrant when you call a “foreign” country (may include blue states?):(S. 1927 Vote). Note that all are democrats except one independent. Zero republicans vote against wireless wiretaps of your communications outside of “Amurka”.
Typo in post #5: “wireless wiretaps” should be “warrantless wiretaps”
My point is do not forget that republicans are worse because they march in lockstep against the 4th Amendment, while most democrats in the Senate do not.
Only 16 dem junior senators screwed up here, while the longest sitting non-junior republicans marched 100% in lockstep once more.
Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water; don’t punish an innocent Senator alongwith a bad one.
PS: Ron Paul did not vote in the House vote … he did not vote against it.
Censures? Feh – nothing will change. Bush and his wrecking crew could care less. Impeach, remove, repeat.
ron paul no vote??huh.
now my faith in the constitionalist republicans has been shattered. Atleast my friendly neighborhood repubs are gettin me drunk on the GOOD stuff…..
good fer somefin like buyiN liqour, Ann Coulter is 1 hot BITCH,, no wait thats Skeletor, my bad…
PRINCIPLES…
Is the unilateral invasion and occupation of a sovereign nation that posed no imminent threat to the U.S. an American Principle?
Is fraudulently selling that invasion based on KNOWN false evidence, to a Joint Session of Congress (01/28/03) an American Principle?
Is indefinite detention of persons suspected and accused but not charged or tried nor found guilty an American Principle?
Is attempting to withhold Habeas Corpus Rights and Due Process from persons suspected and not charged an American Principle?
Is choosing which Treaties and Conventions to follow based on convenience an American Principle?
Is torture an American Principle?
Is warrentless wiretapping of American citizens an American Principle?
Is the rewriting of National Security Letters so as to cover what was otherwise illegally seized an American Principle?
Is the the politicization of the DoJ an American Principle?
Is signing unconstitutional bills into Law an American Principle?
Is usurping the co-equal Branches of our Government via signing statements an American Principle?
Is being involved in the outing a covert CIA agent an American Principle?
THE – NEW – AMERICAN – PRINCIPLES?
They are when good men do nothing, letting worse men institute new policies that set the groundwork for unAmerican principles to take root. Even worse is when good men accommodate the worse men and vote to enshrine these new principles into laws, theories, and other principles of being. Egregiously far worse, is when good men continue to do nothing thus codifying these new principles, inturn validating these worse men as exceptional men for their wisdom and brilliance at undermining what Real American Principles are.
So Congress,
It is times like this where facades MUST fall. What are your American Principles and how do you comport them into your Duty? You aren’t supporting and defending the Constitution of the USA, when you allow and tolerate the usurpations of the Constitution of the U.S.A. and the Constitutional Laws derived from therein.
Impeach and Convict those who have perpetrated these crimes against the people.
Then – End this war!
If certain acts in violation of treaties are crimes, they are crimes whether the United States does them or whether Germany does them, and we are not prepared to lay down a rule of criminal, conduct against others which we would not be willing to have invoked against us.
– Justice Robert Jackson, Chief Prosecutor for the United States, Nuremberg Tribunals, 1947
I would like to extend a very generous FUCK YOU !!! to my “elected””representatives” in Congress not calling for IMPEACHMENT. That means you Jim Matheson (D-Uta
hrd) Fuck You…may you choke on your fear and drown in your dept, for that is your legacy.U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) if that’s what you call opposition, you are complicit in the crimes as I see it. You are an enabler because you block the real public opinion, and the justice that We the People are obligated to enforce.
I’m casting my vote for a new agenda, it’s called…I’m not going to pay for this shit any more. Take your housing dept and shove it up your ass. Take the dept for the war and SHOVE IT UP YOUR ASS. Take AG’s salary if you need to pay for the war, or Cheney’s, or Bush’s. I’m done with half measures and meaningless crap…this is what a revolution looks like…NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.
If anyone else is as sick and pissed off as I am…STOP PAYING FOR IT.
I am so tired of watching our current administration shit on all of us and then watching the democrats “ACT” as if they are there to support us only to wipe the presidents ass when he is finished and with a smile.
They can all kiss my ass
If you are interested what some europeans think about cheap-oil terror and petro-dollar extremism, please visit:
http://www.USculture.complexxon.org
OIL + GREED = AMERICA
IRAQ + ENRON = EXXON
The Democrats are taking their advise from people who are fighting old battles. They are running in fear of Rove-driven advertising that would say: “Your Democratic Congressman/Senator voted against making America safer and fighting the teorrorists. Vote for the Republican and be safe and happy.”
Of course, they fail to understand that as STUPID and DENSE and UN-INFORMED the mass of the American Public is (and you can’t underestimate how stupid, dense, and uninformed that is), they do have pretty good BULLSHIT-DETECTORS and they are getting better at telling that they are being screwed badly by the Rethuglicans.
The Democrats are going to find a way to lose the enough of the 75% of the electorate that WOULD support them that the Rethuglicans are going to be able to steal 2008. If the lying, cheating, stealing Rethuglicans can get to where they are only behind by 43% to 57% then they can steal the election. That means, the Dems only have to alienate and piss off 17% of the population that isn’t the Bush Base (i.e. the neo-cons, christian dominionists, and the general nutjobs) — they are doing a great job.
The Dems, of course, think it’s going to be a fair election, so all the Reps and Senators with 20% leads in polling are sure they are safe.
It’s gonna get ugly.
Charlie
P.S. Got passports?
Boy, that shows um – a slap on the wrists!!! The whole crew of these monsters should have been impeached already!!! I think I’ll set out the next election
I’m an old enough fooger to remember the chants by protesters at the Democratic Convention in Chicago: “The whole world’s watching!” Bush (apparently) believes that polls don’t count because history will vindicate him. He knows he’s a douche bag now, but he’s counting on history to turn the douche bag into a sweet-smelling rose.
Bush is wrong, I’m sure, but the point matters. No administration in the history of our nation deserves impeachment more than this one. Abu Gonzo is a real possibility, but beyond that? No way. Not now, anyway.
But the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Gonzo can be that step. Beyond that? A censure resolution will at least put our elected wusses on the historical record as recognizing that this is the tipping point when American power, American honor, American democracy, American prestige, American infrastructure, and everything else we care about began to disintegrate.
One can’t help thinking of W.B. Yeats’s poem “The Second Coming”:
DISFCKINGCRACEFUL!
How to create a Fascist dictatorship. ALL other countries take note.
1. Use hackable electronic computer voting machines to tally election results and alter the results by remote giving you the victory 51% to 49% or similar.
2. Wire your largest Federal building with bombs.
3. Use the controlled demolition technic to bring the buildings down and immediately make a statement blaming an enemy or terrorist organization and capture video of the buildings being destroyed to show over and over and over again on TV to scare and anger the civilian population.
4. Everyone in you immediate cabinet must give speeches vowing to get the guilty responsible and immediately start helping bush fight his “war on terrorism.”
5. Start taking rights away from your people. Maybe you didn’t enjoy as many rights and freedoms as Americans prior to the Cheney administration takeover, however i am confident you have some that can be taken away in the name of terrorism.
6. Start reversing laws be it laws favoring torture, no right to a trial when being held in a prison, or something that should not be even be political like reversing over 250 environmental laws to favor polluters and lowering health standards.
7. Take control of the country’s mass media, TV, radio, and newsprint. Print stories that only favor the agenda of your dictatorship and use anti-science (no scientific basis or flawed information) claims to support your views.
8. Continue to blame alquada or some other terrorist group for your state sponsored terror and (THIS IS MOST IMPORTANT) – use this excuse to support policy changes, criminal indiscretion, or manipulation of the previous form of government. In your effort as sworn “protector” of your people, every day you don’t blown up another building you can claim it’s because you are doing SUCH a good job!
9. Maybe you are not a greedy inbred oil baron but you can still change the tax laws to favor the rich and to make you and your friends rich while widening the distance of other social classes pushing “the people” down even farther.
10. Lastly, put as many of your criminal friends and cronies in political offices to further strengthen you control,authority, and vulgar display of power.
11. EXPECT THE DAY WHEN A WORLD COURT IS CREATED TO TRY YOU AND YOUR LYING MURDEROUS ACCOMPLICES FOR WAR CRIMES SINCE YOUR TREASONOUS MANIPULATION OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM HAS MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR APPROPRIATE INDICTMENT/IMPEACHMENT IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY.
WTF does GW have on the democrats? Photos of them with whips and chains? Diaries of hot sex with animals? Does he have their kids locked up in Gitmo?
Why are the elected dems caving in to the madman in the oval office?
Really makes me wonder just what kind of dirt is being hushed up for this kind of co-operation. They not only don’t punish him for past crimes, they give him the okay to commit more.
Democrats: it really makes you look bad when you cave into such a monster — it makes us all wonder what you are hiding.
Ram – JFK, Pat Tillman, MLK, Joe Wilson etc. . .
JoJ:
Sigh. I get your point. But what’s the good of living ‘to fight another day’ if we all die and never fight?
Right ON, Ram!
The Dems are giving Bush a “good frowning” again! That’ll teach him!
Censure? BFD.
IOWA STRAW POLL SITE OF MAJOR MILITARY EXERCISE
NAME OF THE EXCERCISE:
OPERATION IOWA FLAG
http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=2537.msg46145
1. The MISSION. IAWG has been asked to assist the Iowa Air National Guard and the Iowa Army National Guard in operation IOWA FLAG. IOWA FLAG is a multi agency, multi unit, high level test and training exercise involving the following Air and Army National Guard units:
Support Units: 133TS, CFACC;
C2/C3s (JSTARS) 169ASPS, 182 ASOC, 133ACS, 552ACW, 116OSS,
Fighters (F16-C): 132FW, 124FS, 183 FW, 170FS (F-16C);
Bombers: (B2) 509BW
Helos (UH60) 147AvBCo.
Tankers (KC135) 185ARF;
UAV (Cessna 182) IAWG-CAP.
2. Operation: Operation Iowa Flag and Close air Support Exercises are customer driven elements designed to meet realistic training demands of the modern battle field in a low cost setting. Activities are specifically designed to meet training requirements associated with current and foreseeable future real world operations and are based on the recent combat experience of exercise directors and supporting staffs
[3.] Omitted FOUO.
[4.]Our services are limited to emulate the presence of a UAV so as to test the capabilities and calibrate the equipment of the 133TS control center in a simulated situation while at the same time providing a training platform for IAWG-CAP’s Emergency Service and Disaster Relief mission.
5. Safety All IAWG-CAP operations will be conducted in a safe manner to as to protect life and property. If a situation is present which you deem to put person or property in jeopardy you must take those steps necessary to allievate the danger and notify the IAWG-CAP mission commander immediately.
_____________________________
Is an Iowa straw poll really the time and place for a full course press Domestic War Game Terror Attack Drill?
Hmmmm, Protect Votes perhaps the fascists haven’t had time to rig the Diebold vote-stealing machines and have needed to jump to plan B.
FISA SURVEILLANCE LAW PREEMPTS MILITARY SURVEILLANCE OF DOMESTIC TARGETS: IOWA STRAW POLL
Following the unconstitutional FISA law, Iowa will be running one of the largest military operations since the 15 drills on September 11, 2001
This military domestic surveillance exercise involving 135’s which are used to conduct large scale monitoing of the electronic activity of adversaries, AWACS and Blackhawks. These aircraft will be gathering electronic information 24/7 on all activities during the Iowa Straw Poll this Saturday.
It was odd how the law needed to be passed so quickly, especially since someone seems to have broken from the pack after the ABC GOP Debate Sunday.
That candidate even got 89% of the vote against the supposed number one candidate in the country on DailyKos.
I wonder why there needs to be hundreds of aircract in the sky gathering surveillance on American citizens as they pracice their constitutional rights in the election process.