Obama Must Learn From Kucinich's Election Theft Impeachment

Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) has introduced 35 articles of impeachment against George W. Bush. Two of the articles deal with the fact that Bush was never elected, and in fact stole the election of 2004 in Ohio. They should serve as a cautionary notice to the Obama campaign that this year's election could also be stolen.

Kucinich's courage in introducing these articles is underscored by the fact that the Congress should have removed Bush from office years ago. From lying to the world to perpetrate the war in Iraq, to violating the Constitution on scores of basic civil rights and liberties issues, to fostering a regime based on unprecedented corruption and robbery, George W. Bush would be known as the worst president in the history of the United States if in fact he had been elected president.

But these articles of impeachment contain charges that come directly from the independent reportage on the stolen 2004 election that appeared first at www.freepress.org and in other non-corporate and internet-based media throughout the United States. Ironically, though these facts have finally penetrated to a proposed Congressional indictment of the nation's chief executive, they have yet to be reported in the "mainstream" corporate-owned media.

Kucinich's Article 28 charges Bush with "tampering with free and fair elections," along with "corruption of the administration of justice." Article 29 charges him and his staff and political cronies and underlings with "conspiracy to violate the Civil Rights Act of 1965" (co-author Bob Fitrakis, attorney-at-law, helped draft these Articles 28 and 29 based in part on information that was first posted at www.freepress.org).

Many of the specific charges leveled in the bill of impeachment can be traced directly to conflict of interest charged raised in Ohio by grassroots election protection activists before, during and after the 2004 voting. Bush deserves impeachment, Kucinich writes, for "willfully allowing his agent, Ohio Secretary of State John Kenneth Blackwell, the Co-Chair of the Bush-Cheney Re-election Campaign, to ensure that uncounted and provisional ballots in Ohio's 2004 presidential election would be disproportionately concentrated in urban African-American districts."

The impeachment document also notes that "in Ohio's Lucas County, which includes Toledo, 3,122 or 41.13% of the provisional ballots went uncounted under the direction of George W. Bush's agent, the Secretary of State of Ohio, John Kenneth Blackwell, Co-Chair of the Committee to Re-Elect Bush/Cheney in Ohio....In Ohio's Cuyahoga County, which includes Cleveland, 8,559 or 32.82% of the provisional ballots went uncounted....In Ohio's Hamilton County, which includes Cincinnati, 3,529 or 24.23% of the provisional ballots went uncounted."

In our numerous conversations with Rep. Kucinich since the Ohio-centered theft of the 2004 election, he has made it clear that he fully understands the depth of planning and coordination that went into the hijacking of the presidency. Based on sophisticated coordination between Blackwell and White House consiglieri Karl Rove, the GOP launched a high-tech blitzkrieg on the electoral process. Their tactics ranged from removing more than 300,000 registered Ohio citizens from the voter rolls, to short-changing inner city precincts of needed voting machines, to rigging electronic vote counts, to calling a phony Homeland Security alert to several score other tactics, many of which continue to surface.

The tragedy of this impeachment is that it did not occur in 2004, when the independent media filled with the first revelations of what really happened in Ohio. Two new election protection documentaries, David Earnhardt's Uncounted and a new release coming from Emmy-award winner Dorothy Fadiman, make the experience even more indelible.

The Bush catastrophe is now winding down, exceeding all expectations for disaster. But if Barack Obama allows history to repeat itself yet again in 2008, this nation will plunge even deeper into the depths. The only way to avoid that is to proceed with this impeachment in all its potential force. At very least, this Congress must thoroughly expose and act on what was done to our sacred democratic process in 2004. As we have since learned, the world cannot afford to have this happen again.

Full text of the resolution can be found at: Articles of Impeachment

Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman are co-authors of How the GOP Stole America's 2004 Election & is Rigging 2008, available via www.freepress.org, where this article first appeared. They also co-wrote, with Steve Rosenfeld, What Happened in Ohio, from The New Press.

Comments

[mkriley]

Once again, the lessons of 2000 have not resonated with the general public. What did we learn from 2000? What did the Supreme Court say in the majority opinion in Bush v. Gore? For those who failed to learn the lesson, here it is once again. Folks, your vote means nothing concerning the POTUS election. That's right. The average citizen has NO RIGHTS whatsoever to elect the POTUS!!! That right is exclusively for the States and specifically for the (illegal) Electoral College. The Supreme Court appointed Bush in 2000 by virtue of its decision. Even though the Electoral College is illegal in the post civil war America, the institution created to insure slavery continues. When Lincoln was shot, the Civil War was lost. The Electoral College violates the Declaration of Independence -- the basis for the Republican Party and the North's anti-slavery (abolitionist).

If, as the Declaration demands, "one man, one-vote", then the popular vote determines who is POTUS. Yet, incredibly, people (and the media) fail to understand that the popular vote has no legal effect. The only purpose of the Electoral College is to change the outcome of the popular vote. Just because the popular vote and the Electoral vote often have the same net effect serves to only to hide this horrible truth.

Since a handful of Southern States can block the elimination of the EC in the Senate, only a legal challenge to vacate the EC is practical. T

[Lagrangian]

It may be technically true that the 2000 and 2004 elections were stolen. They were both close, and both Democratic candidates ran abominable campaigns. The stealing techniques--finding out where the close elections would be, challenging probable Democratic votes, tampering with the counting in a few precincts--were thus able to succeed. I don't think it will be that close this time. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times? Well, I guess I just get what I deserve. (So Ironic Bush was not able to recite that little pearl of wisdom).

[Kiku]

I loathe Bush. I want to undo everything he has touched.

The only way to do that is to focus on getting Obama elected. If we spend our energy now on impeachment, we may win the battle and loose the war, by loosing our focus, and letting McCain get elected. November is only 4 months away.

[ProudLiberalDan]

I just hope that if the election is stolen, that Obama won't concede like the DLC-Gore of 2000 did. If it is stolen, we don't need the American people to reassured to have "faith" in their system. We need national days of protest.

If Gore had behaved the way he should have in 2000, we would have had national days of protest and Bush would have come to office with no good will, no mandate and no ability to do anything.

Please, please, please stop playing nice when someone is stepping on your throat.

Fortunately, I think we are headed to a landslide Obama and Democratic victory this year.

[Emmaboverry]

I think Karl Rove( behind the scenes) and gang are ready with a vote-stealing scheme for landsllde too.

One meme aired many times on MSM is that regardless of polls, ANYTHING can happen to turn the numbers around up to and including the split-second before a voter
punches or pulls or whatever they do to cast.

This meme creates the set-up for a "breaking news" smear to blamed later for the sudden change. Ys, indeed, pollitics turns on the smallest of things.

And in the end, it's "so?" and "prove it!."

I will bet there's numerous scenarios in the works, from plan A-Z, that be combined,re-combined, tweaked, selected from at a moment's notice and that there are back up plans too.

I wish "landslide" was the ultimate protection a against a third stolen election. I have doubts, it is tho. Any one welcome to reassure me.

[dayala]

maybe Hillary should donate one of her 'balls' to Pelosi and the other to Reid since she won't be
needing them anymore.

Pelosi and Reid are eunuchs.

[naturallight]

Word!


Let us not forget. The Dem's campaigned on ending the War in 06'. (Is there an alternative?)

[chelseamorning]

Oh, yes, Obama. Be sure to learn a lesson from 2000 and 2004. You've successfully stolen the nomination - perhaps you can learn how to steal an election as well!

[fnygy]

I'm not clear how Obama stole the Democratic Primary - by agreeing to the rules and then abiding by them - and winning the support of more delegates than the other candidates - seems like how it's done. If Mrs. Clinton had managed to get the super delegates to swing to her side - would that have been stealing the election? I don't think so. It was within the rules of the process. But, it didn't happen. Get over it.

[wheresthebeef]

Seriously...are you on crack?

[Jacksbloodyface]

The only people who believe this are the ones that thought that Hillary somehow owned the election before the whole voting thing happened. Oh, and caucuses don't count. And rules are made to be broken when it serves your needs. Oh, and screw primary votes, what we need is the candidate who is strongest among white voters in the greater midwest and south who make between 12 and 41 thousand dollars a year with no greater than a high school education and prefer pancakes to french toast.

[ZapDuff]

I applaud Rep. Kuchinich for submission of the well 35 documented articles of impeachment. They are now a matter of public record. It's only my assumption, but I am willing to wager the Congressman never expected this to lead to the required Senate trial to remove GWB from office. It does, however, provide the foundation for filing international war crimes charges on not just Bush, but Cheney, Rumsfeld, and their (civilian) subordinates by the World Court in the Hague - after the new administration takes office... as well as state and federal charges against bush/Cheney and _many_ members of their administration.

It will not rewrite history, but it may set the record straight - and ultimately punish Bush & Company for their crimes against humanity of panet Earth, and the people of the United States. Hopefully it will lead to denying their leader any benefits of a former U.S. Chief of State, such as a lucrative pension, Secret Service protection, free travel, health care, and other perks - and NO Presidential Library, an oxymoron anyway, for someone who never learned to read words or tea leaves.

[ZapDuff]

Inviting the wrath of those who want the Bush family evicted from the White House now, I offer two arguments why it is an ill conceived idea to pursue that effort:

1. It will steal the energy and focus necessary to elect Barack Obama and prevent extending the Bush legacy at the helm of our floundering ship of state.

2. Even if successful, and George W. Bush is removed from office, he will be replaced with Dick Cheney. Need I remind anyone he is far more likely to push the red button, dropping nuclear weapons on not just Iran... but Syria, North Korea, and other countries these war mongers want us to fear?

The best thing Congress can do is to cut funding 100% for Air Force One to prevent the White House idiot from further embarrassing us before the world community. Ground Marine One, park the Presidential Limo fleet at the Smithsonian, shut down the White House Press Office, replacing that with Pulitzer Prize winning journalists to give the world facts and truths denied us since Bush seized the West Wing.

Based on the Articles of Impeachment as justifications, Congress should strip Bush of his power of issuing Executive Orders, granting bid free contracts, and making secret deals with foreign leaders. An IG office should monitor EVERY key stroke on White House computers, interrupting any effort to subvert the U.S. Constitution or interfere with the restoration of the balance of power among the three branches of government.

[kmac23va]

Apparently history says that the party that brings impeachment charges wins the White House next cycle. Not that there's much history to go by, but still. Also, if Congress had acted as Kucinich filed his motions, Cheney would already have been impeached, and if he'd been removed, I think it's the House's job to fill the role, as they did when Agnew resigned. Given a Democratic House, I wouldn't have been surprised (given the timeframe when the Cheney resolution was introduced and the polls then) if Hillary would have been inserted as VP. Then Bush is impeached and if convicted, Hillary is now president and running as the incumbent. And with the timeframe, she'd fall under the "10 years" component of the 22nd amendment...with less than two years to go on completing Bush's term, she'd be able to have two terms of her own.

Given all the suspension bills in the House for things like naming days and post offices, and the quorum calls in the Senate, I think these folks would have a little time to squeeze some constitutional enforcement in.

[naturallight]

What is the point with impeachment?

Clinton was impeached and it didn't even break Bubba's stride.

I applaud the effort for accountability that Dennis is pursuing. Remember it is not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog!

or, maybe We da People have to impeach before the Hague will take it....they don't wanna be on the short end of laser guided precision munition developed by the best and brightest at Northrup Grumen.

[PATina]

You can't just give the Presidency to someone (at least your not supposed to). If the Vice President can't take over... then the next in line would be the Speaker of the House.

[fnygy]

While sympathetic to this argument - I cannot buy it. Congress takes an oath to protect the Constitution - not the political party or process. I think it's long past due to protect that which binds us together - the rights enshrined in the Constitution. Without that, we are nothing.

[ElkoJohn]

I disagree.

It is more important to impeach a criminal president.

If that makes the voters elect Senator McCain as Prez
and fill the Congress with Republicans
so be it.

the principal here is the American Constitution
and the concern that future Bushes
will continue to destroy our Republic

breaking into Dem HQ (Nixon)
having sex with an intern (Bill)
are peanuts compared to the crimes of GWB

some people have sacrificed life & limb
for our Republic

surely the cowardly Democrats
should be willing to sacrifice their jobs
to save our Republic
and send a message to the world
that we will not allow anymore GWBs
to rule our country and the world.

Dennis Kucinich has drawn a line
in the fagile sand of democracy

which side are you on ??

Long Live the American Revolution

[kahalaman]

Well said!

[PATina]

Very well said !!!! And... may I add... that Congress could have impeached Cheney last year... so we wouldn't have had to worry about him becoming President.

[metogamekun]

As much as I would hate to see McCain elected president, there needs to be a shot fired across the executive office's bow to warn ANY future president that they do not have unlimited power.

And, I don't think the American people would abandon Obama just because Bush was going down. I have more hope for the nation than that.

[Chickiej1]

I am so impressed with Kucinich and so disappointed in Pelosi. While it would not surpise me in the least that this process won't be given the attention and vote it deserves (since, after all we certainly don't have a history of accountability/oversight in this country), I applaud Rep. Kucinich for having ball$ and standing up for our democracy. And AMEN to including the election fraud!!!!

When I think of the last time the articles of impeachment were introduced, I cannot believe that this gag-reel administration is still in power.

It's inconceivable.

[ElkoJohn]

`
PLUS
this is the chance
for the Congress
to take WW-III
'' off the table ''
for good

why wait around for King George
to lie us into WW-III ??
.

[katzooks]

Lessons to be learned? Yes. And I have every confidence that the Obama team has been paying close attention to the lessons of the 2000 and 2004 elections. Yet, as we speak, Bush has announced today that he cannot rule out bombing Iran. And, also today, Kucinich's resolution to impeach Bush met the same fate as his 2007 resolution to impeach Cheney: committeed off into oblivion until after January.

What a shame that this country, our politicians in particular, have not had the courage to endorse and support Kucinich's resolutions to impeach. My hat is off to Dennis "David" Kucinich for taking on Goliath. And to U.S. Reps. Robert Wexler and Conyers for being the only legislators, to my knowledge, who've shown the courage to support Kucinich's resolution.

While it's been a mostly thankless job, Kucinich has been a true patriot of this country, working long and hard to almost single-handedly bring to justice the war criminals responsible for the deaths of 4,100 Americans and 500,000 to 1 million Iraqis, and the maiming for millions more, not to mention the many other impeachable crimes with which Cheney and Bush have been charged. Much as I'm saddened at the lack of American support -- among both politicians and the general public -- for impeachment, I am grateful to those politicians who owned the courage to buck the arse-covering status quo among our legislators, and to stick their necks out and do the right thing, for the right reasons.

[GravitonX]

I wholeheartedly agree with Dennis Kucinich, who is probably the only true Democratic warrior in Washington. Unfortunately, he comes with a little too much truth for some who would rather close their eyes and hope things turn out right.

Obama can learn alot from Kucinich.

[naturallight]

Well......Dennis didn't help himself covorting around with Shirley McClaine and the Alien.

[Katherine4985]

Kucinich may be a little "out there" sometimes, but you have got to hand it to the man for standing up for what he believes in and going against the grain in the name of justice. If we had a few more members in Congress who would buck the status quo, we might starting getting some change.

[PatrickforO]

I've been concerned that it has been getting entirely too easy for people to engage in election fraud. All of the Dem. supporters out there need to be very watchful, and immediately report any suspected wrongdoing.

[slg]

Report to whom?

[DueTruthinesss]

I encourage all to let their senators and representatives know we expect justice be served.

My own email to Senator Dick Durbin (the other senator of my state)

***
Senator Durbin, I am sure you are aware that recently, Senator Dennis Kucinich brought up 35 articles of impeachment against the Bush administration. I applaud his bravery in making such a stand and deplore the efforts of Senator Nancy Pelosi to try and quietly hush up this initiative. I urge you to support Senator Kucinich in his attempt to hold the Bush administration accountable for the lies they have repeatedly delivered unto our nation. The democratic party has for too long now been laughed at by Bush and his cronies as a toothless, do nothing party. I urge you to encourage your fellow Democrats in office to put a decisive end to that image and hold Bush and his criminal administartion accountable.

History holds the enablers in worse light then those they enable. Do not become another Neville Chamberlain.

[DragonMama]

Kuchinich is a Representative, not a Senator. He represents my district, and some of us here are none to happy with his running for president again - he's not been doing a whole lot for our district in between presidential runs. I'm cynical enough to see this, on his part, as an attempt to curry favor with his very liberal district (a western portion of Cleveland and a couple of near suburbs, one of which is considered the most gay-friendly city between NYC and SanFran, which is to say "liberal haven"). While I fully support his issuing this, I have suspicions about his true motives.

And I don't want people to make themselves look foolish when contacting their congresscritters - Rep. Kuchinich, *NOT* Sen. Kuchinich.

[chombo]

Wasn't Kuchinich being challenged in the primary for his congressional seat? Sounds like Dennis might want to concentrate on his district a little more. Or perhaps he is just concentrating on getting re-elected by pandering to his liberal base.

One of the accusations mentioned in the article seems a little thin, "short-changing inner city precincts of needed voting machines". Isn't this up to the county clerks? Or did Blackwell have that power in Ohio? Seems odd that would be anyting except a local decision.

Oh and Dennis Kuchinich for VP? I respect Kuchinich and appreciate what he's doing trying to bring the crimes of Bush to light, but VP - No. No Clinton. No Kuchinich. No old school political insiders and no pacifists.

[TellitLikeItIs]

DragonMama: I know it's probably discouraging to some in Kuchinich's district who feel they've gotten the "short end of the stick" because Dennis ran for President again. However, a couple things stand out.

First, I live in a Congressional district in mid-Michigan that, because of gerrymandering that took place under our former Republican governor, we lost our Democratic Congressional seat and have been stuck with a Republican "Representative" for several years. This so called Representative has been nothing but a total rubber stamp for the Bush administration's agenda, as well as a rubber stamp for the wealthy and big business in a part of the district that does not---- in any way----resemble the City/Township that I live in, politically/or socio-economically. In fact, the name of this Rep. is "Rubber Stamp Camp". And would it suprise you to know that Dow Chemical is headquartered in the district that "elected" Camp? So, you see how it is.

Second, Dennis has been one of the very few U.S. Reps. who've truly represented The People! I'm sorry that it feels to you like he's not been there for his District, but I can assure you he's represented you a hell of a lot better than Rubber Stamp Camp has represented me!! At least when I hear about the actions Dennis takes, I feel like I do have a voice in Washington! I would like to thank you and your district for sharing Dennis with the rest of us!