by Katie Fretland and updated
Critics of President George W. Bush got the chance to air grievances against him Friday at a House Judiciary Committee "non-impeachment hearing" before a packed audience of political activists.
Even Cindy Sheehan, the famous anti-war mother, was there until she got kicked out for being loud.
Committee members and witnesses, including Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr, spoke for almost six hours on allegations the Bush administration, among other things, misled the public into the Iraq War, manipulated intelligence and selectively prosecuted Democrats. Northwestern University professor Stephen Presser offered expert analysis.
The session was not an impeachment hearing, because the House of
Representatives had not given authorization for such proceedings. Ranking Republican committee member Lamar Smith of Texas called the hearing an "anger management class" that only serves to impeach Congress' credibility.
The man who started it all is former presidential candidate Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), who has brought repeated impeachment resolutions against Bush. On Friday he got to present one of his articles of impeachment against the president, which the House had sent to the committee as a way to kill the resolution.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has said impeachment is "off the table."
During the hearing, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) called Bush "the worst president that our nation has ever suffered," while Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.) said that "this is the most impeachable administration in the history of America because of the way that it has clearly violated the law."
Presser, the legal expert, and Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) said there was no evidence heard that Bush had committed impeachable crimes.
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Comments
"D.J. KARL ROVE SPEAKS"
AINT NO STOPPIN US NOW, WE'RE ON THE MOVE!
BY REMOVING, ATTORNEY GENERAL, IN CONSULTATION WITH "CONGRESS" AND INSERTING "EXECUTIVE PRIVILEDGE" AIN'T NO STOPPIN US NOW, WE'RE ON THE MOVE!
BY REMOVING, ATTORNEY GENERAL, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE "SUPREME COURT" AND BY INSERTING, "EXECUTIVE PRIVILEDGE" AIN'T NO STOPPIN US NOW, WE'RE ON THE MOVE!
CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS!
WHAT CONGRESS?
BY REMOVING, ATTORNEY GENERAL, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND INSERTING, U.S. ATTORNEY "CANARY" AIN'T NO STOPPIN US NOW, WE'RE ON THE MOVE!
RIGHT OUT OF OFFICE AND BACK TO GOOOD OL "AUSTIN TEXAS" WE HERE SCOTT MCCLELLAN IS THROWING A "BARBECUE"
Posted by: Roger Morris | July 25, 2008 1:24 PM
Will the lollipop guild hear it, too?
Posted by: Jeff | July 25, 2008 1:46 PM
The article said>
Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) said today's hearing is not an impeachment hearing, because the House of Representatives has not given authorization for such proceedings.
Yep, you're going to have to go thru all the proper red tape procedures as the rest of up poor slobs out here ha ha.
Posted by: Teresa | July 25, 2008 2:56 PM
Teresa, speak for yourself!
Posted by: Scot S. Blakeley | July 25, 2008 3:41 PM
Maybe Dennis hasn't heard that the President's term is up in Jan. 2009, and hence impeachment will never progress to any point. Wait, wasn't he a candidate for President? Thus, he should have known that.
Posted by: jack | July 25, 2008 4:47 PM
Scott-Always, and proudly : )
Posted by: Teresa | July 25, 2008 5:32 PM
we need him impeached and it could occur even after january. the corporate media killed kucinich's candidacy. kucinich was my pick. hope obama stops going to the right.
Posted by: kucinich rocks | July 25, 2008 5:58 PM
As a WWII widow, I cried out silently as GW led our troops into war against a sovereign nation. I honor all of our military who, like lemings leaping off a cliff, followed their leader into battle. May God Bless our brave soldiers.
Posted by: Marilyn Ash Samet | July 25, 2008 6:15 PM
Posted by: jack | July 25, 2008 4:47 PM -well , if worst comes to worst, maybe he can take him out to space ha.
Posted by: kucinich rocks | July 25, 2008 5:58 PM-I would like to tell you he will, but I have some bad news for you, he's only just begun.
Posted by: Teresa | July 25, 2008 8:14 PM
GO Dennis Kucinich!
POWER To The PEOPLE of the USA!
THE TRUTH ABOUT 9/11 WILL BE KNOWN!
President Bush be HANGED!
Posted by: Paul | July 27, 2008 2:44 PM
Bush is a war criminal. He needs to be held accountable!
Posted by: Walter | July 28, 2008 6:13 AM
Bush is a war criminal? And he did all this on his own? IN a government with balance of powers? Who approved the funding for this war? Was that Bush too?
I am always amused when a Democrat will mention Bush's approval rating. Isn't Bush's approval rating at least twice that of the Democrat controlled Congress?
They do not mention that, do they!
Posted by: Heather | August 3, 2008 1:37 PM
That mental and physical midget from Cleveland who would be president is laughable. Somebody get him a step-stool so that he can be a man around his house and thereby getting his mind off of such partisan crappero
Posted by: dan | August 9, 2008 9:45 AM