Impeach.TV

A Call for Congress to Take Action on Torture
October 28th, 2009

ADD YOUR NAME TO THOSE OF 83 HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS AND LEADERS AT
http://afterdowningstreet.org/stop

Whereas over seven years have passed since President George W. Bush fraudulently induced the U.S. congress, the American people, and the world into the illegal war in Iraq,

Whereas it is nearly five years since Specialist Darby revealed the photos of Abu Ghraib that showed us torture being committed by our government in our name,

Whereas further evidence of torture remains secret and has been hidden from the public, courts, and Congress to insulate the perpetrators from appropriate criminal liability,

Whereas over the past years we have campaigned about the illegality of this war and the need to prosecute the high-level civilian and military officials who put in place the torture,

By David Swanson

Hurricane Katrina is not as sexy as torture, but has killed more people and ruined more lives, and -- like many non-natural disasters in recent years -- has a chief culprit who has now settled in at 10141 Daria Place, Dallas, Texas, where he clears very little brush and where -- to my knowledge -- not a single politician or journalist or author has sought his wisdom on the affairs of the past seven months. George W. Bush, who should face nonviolent protest every minute of his life while he remains at liberty, knowingly abandoned an American city and nearby towns to a predictable and predicted natural disaster four years ago this week, and for years refused to repair the damage.

It has become almost commonplace, since the release last week of seven "legal" opinions written in 2001 and 2002 by the Justice Department, to remark that unbeknownst to us we came within an inch of dictatorship. And with President Obama announcing an end to torture and a new policy on signing statements, it is extremely common to speak as if we are moving quickly and deliberately in the opposite direction. But this picture is far too simplistic.

For his final official act, Bush plans to pardon himself and everyone in his administration for all of their crimes. Can Paris stop him? Sign our petition and spread the word!

It's impeachment day 1 thanks to Rep. Dennis Kucinich!

David Swanson is liveblogging with impeachment activists on Capitol Hill. Kagro X has a diary on Kos explaining how Kucinich and Robert Wexler pressured Pelosi into having hearings, who will testify, and why no one can call Bush a "liar." Ralph Lopez has a diary at Kos with Corporate Media links - tell them to cover today's impeachment hearing!

#2: 9 a.m. Pacifica starts live coverage. David will be a guest at 9:30.

On C-SPAN's Washington Journal, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) declared George Bush guilty of "impeachable offenses" and "some people" in his Administration with "war crimes."

Nevertheless, Nadler insisted Bush should not be impeached because it would "distort the presidential campaign." Watch it:

When Scott McClellan testified before the Judiciary Committee on Friday, Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL) only got 5 minutes. But he used it brilliantly as you can see.

Wexler wants to know who told Scooter Libby to leak Plame's identity, and narrows the suspects down to Bush and Cheney. If McClellan believes Bush was innocent, then that leaves Cheney.

Could there be a more impeachable offense than willfully exposing the identity of a covert CIA operative - endangering her life, the lives of her sources, and her entire anti-WMD program - as a way to "get" her husband for telling the truth about Bush's pre-war lies?

You go, Wexler!

Cosponsors FL19: Robert Wexler CA06: Lynn Woolsey CA09: Barbara Lee NY22: Maurice Hinchey WI02: Tammy Baldwin CA17: Sam Farr NY10: Ed Towns WA07: Jim McDermott MN05: Keith Ellison TX18: Sheila Jackson-Lee CA51: Bob Filner

Candidates CA08: Cindy Sheehan (indy v. Nancy Pelosi) CA24: Mary Pallant MA01: Bob Feuer (primary John Olver) NY08: Adam Sullivan (primary Jerry Nadler) WA06: Paul Richmond (primary Norm Dicks)

Rep. Dennis Kucinich's Articles of Impeachment, H.Res. 1258, needs Cosponsors so we can pressure Speaker Pelosi and Judiciary Chairman John Conyers into starting impeachment hearings. (We will update the list on the right as we learn of new cosponsors.)

You can play a crucial role in persuading your Representative to be a cosponsor!

1. Email your Representatives to support Kucinich's Articles of Impeachment
2. Call your Rep. at 202-224-3121
3. Call your favorite talk shows and tell everyone who supports impeachment to sign the petition at Democrats.com
4. Login and click local to meet your neighbors and plan local lobbying actions:
   • organize a "Honk To Impeach" event
   • turn out and ask questions at community events your Representative will be attending
   • pass resolutions by Democratic clubs, local governments, unions, civic and veterans' groups, etc.
   • ask community leaders to speak out 

Of course most incumbent Democrats and all Republicans have turned a deaf ear to all of our lobbying. So we're also active in House races, encouraging Democratic challengers to endorse H.Res. 1258, and we are listing them above. (We also listed independent Cindy Sheehan because Speaker Pelosi abused the unique power as Speaker by declaring impeachment "off the table," even though it's not her table, but ours!)