The headline from this post comes from Rep. Maurice Hinchey’s (D-NY) testimony (he was one of more than a dozen, bi-partisan witnesses) during the extraordinary “not Impeachment” hearings still ongoing in the U.S. House Judiciary Committee.
We were up not long after dawn on this coast to catch the hearings in full and have been able to follow them with the exception of one hour when we had a radio commitment. In any case, it’s still-ongoing, and well worth the watch on C-SPAN 1, for a change. If you can’t get to a TV, you can catch it online here. I suspect we’ll have more on it later today, as time allows. For those of you watching, feel free to “open thread” your thoughts on it here.
UPDATE 1:15pm PT: Phew. The six-hour session just concluded with Conyers stating that these were “the most important hearings we’ve held in the Judiciary in this session of Congress.” We concur, but are thus left wondering what took ’em so long. As mentioned, hopefully more later on today’s sobering and historic hearings (if we can overcome our sore wrist).
All six hours will be re-aired in full tonight (Friday) on C-SPAN beginning at 8pm ET.
If these are the most important hearings ever, then why is it that Conyers stated BEFORE they even took place that impeachment is not going to be an issue?
Hearings aren’t important AT ALL if the decision has already been made to NOT hold anyone accountable.
Oh well. Maybe Conyers will write yet another threatening letter to the administration and then continue to wonder why nothing works.
Dear Democrats, if you refuse to hold this admnistration accountable FOR ANYTHING, then stop acting surprised when the adminsitration continues to break the law and make you look like impotent fools.
…well I’m not a religious person, as a matter of fact I’m probably more of an atheist than anything , but I have been hoping and praying that something good comes out of this. Most of my hope has been shattered but there is something inside me that says don’t give up! I tend to side with Gandhi’s philosophy that says you must become the change you wish to see in the world. Please, please please for the sake of humanity stop this madman from fulfilling his grandfather’s vision of a Fourth Reich. I want my son to look forward to peace and happiness, not war and suffering.
The problem is Nancy Pelosi has threatened to remove Conyers from his chairmanship should he pursue impeachment hearings.
Moreover, we’re asking Nancy Pelosi to approve of impeachment hearings/investigations that would probably incriminate herself.
I don’t know how we get around this. Anyone got any ideas? Can immunity be offered to Pelosi so investigations can move forward? If so, by whom?
– Tom
I watched the hearing today. All I can hope is that it is a start. You have to start somewhere.
Witness statements are in PDF file format and are linked here>.
Vincent Bugliosi is my new hero.
These were important hearings. It was hard listening to the shrill, idiotic denials of some of the Regressionists sheep. They kept bringing up Clinton and suggesting that these hearings were distracting the committee from the terrorists. Old Old Old.
Many brilliant witnesses, who spoke with such authority on our Constitution. Everyone should have had to watch these hearings before they voted.
Nancy Pelosi, you need to get it together. Nothing they have on you can be worse than losing your integrity like this. The power grab by this administration is appalling and if we don’t do anything about it, we will see the end of our great democracy.
Thank you, Rep Kucinich. Thank you to all the witnesses and members of the committee who managed to look past party to do their duty to the American people.
Wilbur ~ Did ya just hear that news that Scott Mcclellan
just blew the lid off fox lies and propagada’s cover as bush’s mouthpiece.
Scott Mcclellan deserves a Profile in Courage, the Medal of Honor,
the Triple crown, and the Stanly cup . . .
OK,we have gotten six hours of important hearings that we can be satisfied with.
But those hearings mean next to nothing unless we and Congress DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!
I read this article about some people trying to get Rove arrested today and wound up getting arrested themselves…
LINK
I wonder if there is a similar law in D.C. that allows for a citizens arrest of Pelosi as an accessory for the crime of murder and or conspiracy/aiding and abetting a felon? If so, what are we waiting for?
I said in 2003, that the fact is now established that Bush lied to Congress as justifcation for war, each and every person killed in Iraq becomes not a casualty of war, but the victim of murder.
Karen Kwiatowsky should be called as a witness. She worked in the Pentagon and knows what the Office of Special Plans was doing, and don’t forget all of “Deadeye” Dick’s visits to the C.I.A.
I certainly hope Ms. Kwiatowsky doesn’t meet with an unfortuenate early death as the D.C. Madam did.
Hey Bamboo, Scottie can have all the other things you mention if he is finally seeing the light, but HE CAN’T HAVE THE STANLEY CUP!! 🙁
Thanks JFZ # 4 for the link.
also, it’s nice to have you back Brad.
Go rest young man, go rest.
GWN ~ OooooKay…
Then an Olbermann’s “Get out of worst Persons Card”
The full house has to approve an impeachment resolution. And boy do I want such to happen.
The question to put to every representative is why, given Mukasey’s refusal to submit contempt to a grand jury(a felony) and the obvious other law violations that deserve the ‘prosecutorial’ inquiry of an impeachment hearing -including the simple one item discussed by the witnesses- are they willing to vote against such an inquiry(which is what an impeachment hearing is).
Define: A hand waving, conspiracy accusing, fact denying demented RAT, packaged tightly in a yellow used car salesman suit.
Definition: Jeremy A. Rabkin, Professor of Law, George Mason University School of Law.
I couldn’t help but scream “RATKIN” at the screen. Sure got a lot of extra time.
I hope everybody that spoke, on Conyers directions to comment and change testimony for 5 days, go back and “change their testimony to point exactly at WHO did and said what as opposed to leaving it “high level officials in the executive.” What utter nonsense. SAY WHO IT IS! Force it to be on the record.
Cudo’s to Elliott Adams, brief, sweet and to the point.
Yes, it was the most important hearing I’ve ever watched. Also, encouraged my brother to watch it later. I personally believe the Rep. members who failed to hold any oversight hearings for 6 years be restricted to 1 minute questions. Also, any member who doesn’t support impeachment of the executive officers should be exposed and voted out of office. Dem. or Rep. If these are not High Crimes of the Highest Officials of the United States than we can all look forward to the fall of this democracy.
A person of interest who is NEVER mentioned anywhere, possibly because he keeps a VERY low profile, is the main reason that Nancy Pelosi keeps her head hidden where the sun doesn’t shine and threatens to remove Conyers from his job if he pursues his sworn Constitutional duty is a fascist by the name of Felix Rohatyn, who was one of the financiers behind Pinochet’s rise to power in Chile, who is a figure in Lazard Freres, one of the institutions responsible for the accession to power of both Mussolini and Hitler, and who is one of the financiers supplying money to the Democrats, is an alleged “Friend” of Nancy’s, and DEFINITELY controls her every action! NO ONE should be allowed uncheckable access to power such as Rohatyn has, and a thorough investigation of his machinations would be illuminating. Knowing that his philosophical bent is Fascist to the core, his prevention of impeachment hearings – and protection of both Bush and Cheney, one realizes that his essential ownership of the leadership of the “Democratic” Party undermines the very idea of the “Two Party System.” When you have BOTH parties in your pocket, any progress in directions you do not favor becomes impossible. I have no idea what can be done about this criminal mastermind; even an exposé would get no play in the captive media, which largely shares his desires.
COMMENT #3
… TomR said on 7/25/2008 @ 3:57 pm PT…
“The problem is Nancy Pelosi has threatened to remove Conyers from his chairmanship should he pursue impeachment hearings.”
+++
So what?
He’s not likely to end up in a soup-kitchen line — like so many veterans whose lives have been blasted in these immoral, illegal wars Pelosi has voted for over and over.
Conyers has done some wise and brave things. But the Constitution is more important than how you rank in inside-Beltway gossip columns.
The founders, remember, signed their names and “…pledged to each other their Lives, their Fortunes and their sacred Honor.” That was not tavern blather; they would have been hung without question if caught…
Conyers took the oath, to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and DOMESTIC.
He needs to act on it.
So, will they act before the end of July and over the August recess or are we expecting nothing more from them other than another sternly worded letter?
Come on Congress, grow a PAIR and hold these criminals accountable for their actions!