The Case for Impeachment Hearings

I was serving in Congress and on the Judiciary Committee for the ridiculous and politically motivated impeachment hearings of President Clinton. During that witch hunt Newt Gingrich, Tom DeLay, and Ken Starr wasted a year and a half on investigations and hearings about President Clinton's personal relations. However, this attempted coup d'etat by Republicans against President Clinton was not and should not be the standard of impeachment that was enshrined by the Founders in our Constitution.

First, impeachment hearings are only proper when significant allegations exist that the President or Vice-President, or others civil officers, committed actions - within their official duties - that constitute 'High Crimes and Misdemeanors.' The allegations against Clinton - involving a personal affair - never reached this threshold. The serious charges against Cheney involve alleged crimes that are central to his duties of Vice-President; namely war and peace, the widespread violations of civil liberties, and the security of the United States and our covert agents.

Unlike the show trial put on by Republicans against President Clinton, a proper impeachment hearing would involve a fair and objective presentation of the facts without hyperbole or political gamesmanship. The hard evidence that is presented at the hearings will be judged fully both by Congress and the American people. The evidence alone will determine the outcome, and if it is determined that Vice President Cheney committed "High Crimes and Misdemeanors" he should be properly impeached and put on trial before the Senate.

After the Democratic Party regained control of Congress, many - myself included - thought that it might be possible to meet President Bush half-way on the large issues facing our nation. Unfortunately, Bush has been nothing more than an ideological obstacle. He has vetoed stem cell research. He has vetoed efforts to bring our troops home from Iraq. He vetoed children's health care. So, the idea that we are somehow inhibiting Congress from passing our agenda by holding impeachment hearings - unfortunately - is a false argument.

Instead, I believe that we can both live up to our Constitutional obligation by holding hearings and pass a Democratic agenda. If President Bush perceives that the Democratic Congress is weak and unwilling to aggressively push our agenda - he will continue to veto legislation, such as children's health care - that is supported by a majority of Americans. The only way to move a progressive Democratic agenda is by acting through strength and following through on our core principles. A Congress willing to stand up to the abuses of the Bush Administration through impeachment hearings will demonstrate a strength of will that will more likely convince Bush to accommodate on issues such as Iraq, health care, and energy and environmental issues.

Today, I was joined by two other members of the House Judiciary Committee, Reps. Luis Gutierrez and Tammy Baldwin, who penned an online editorial with me calling for these impeachment hearings. In support of this effort I am releasing a call to action on video and launched WexlerWantsHearings.com. The full op-ed from the three Judiciary Committee Members can be read at this site. If we can get 50,000 or even more people to sign up in support of this effort I will report back to each and every Democratic colleague of mine the true power that exists behind this movement.

Comments

[cynara]

Glad to hear you're doing this, you got my support!

[JulieSA]

This column makes it sound as if Mr Wexler wants to impeach Bush just because Bush is vetoing bills (which, of course, is a power reserved for the president), and wants to impeach Cheney first because he's even ickier than Bush.

I hope Congress goes through with this. It would probably help get a Republican majority elected in '08.

[leftLibertarian]

The Honorable Rep. Wexler:

Thank you for your noble thoughts.

Without a doubt, Bush and Cheney must be held accountable for their criminal behavior.

The means to do this is of course, impeachment.

A new and notable book which shows the history of impeachment is “The Genius of Impeachment: The Founders' Cure for Royalism” by John Nichols.

And one of the slew of books which outlines the case for Bush’s impeachment: “The Case for Impeachment: The Legal Argument for Removing President George W. Bush from Office´ by Dave Lindorff and Barbara Olshansky.

Justice demands their impeachment.

[Ephemera]

HuffPost, please put this story top and center on your main page.

[HisPetGoat]

P.S. Make that "passed".

[HisPetGoat]

The proper time to impeach past years ago. I think it is still important to do, but now it would be just a wimpy face-saving maneuver. Yet it remains important to dismantle the "unitary presidency" and restore balance.

So, go ahead and impeach. Then let the entire congress resign. Turn out the lights, close the door and latch the gate behind you.

[provgrays]

Please, don't tease us anymore. Congress doesn't have the good sense or the guts to start impeachment hearings. When Pelosi said it was off the table, she obviously meant it.

She couldn't be more wrong and there are too few people of conscience in Congress to make discussing impeachment worthwhile. If you can convince Pelosi to change her mind, then you can bring the subject up without being laughed at.

I agree with your position, but a million signatures won't accomplish anything since Congress has ignored the will of those who put them in power since Nancy took the gavel.

[EyeWantOneNation]

It may interest some of you to know, that the N.Y.Times, Washington Post, and Miami Herald all REFUSED to run an OP-ED piece in impeaching Cheney by Rep. Wexler.

So he came to the web, and Huffpo to gain support for impeachment.

good things / bad things said about Huffpo...b­ut they sure came through on this on!!!

Thank you, Arianna!!!

[flatus]

Obviously, Uncle Snarl must be the first out the door. Let's get with it.

[geobushono]

Thank you for your courage.
Now how about joining a 3rd Party to actually move this country out of this hole?
It worked out very well for Rep. Sanders.

[Ravenlea]

Thank you. I'm off to sign on and will send the site to everybody I can think of. I've already phoned every member of the judiciary committee, though I may call again.

I have to say, though, I'm glad you are speaking now rather than never, what has taken you so long? Dennis Kucinich has been crying into the wilderness for ages as have many of us ordinary citizens. Nice to know that maybe the wilderness is starting to listen.

[2warvet]

So what you are implying is that the President acted as the democrats did when he came to town.

Stem cell research done by the government would be a mess. Private research is what needs to happen. The government (both dem and Republican) is a bloated and wasteful creature at best.

Bringing the troops home now would be a disaster. It would create a power vaccum in the middle east just as Afghanistan was a vaccum after the Soviet pull out (or maybe you forgot about that.) We have made a mess and we can't leave before it gets cleaned up. Not to mention the fact that we are currently moving in a favorable direction with the surge.

Vetoed childrens health care? Don't you mean that he vetoed the bloated health care bill that you dems tried to pass. The one that included "children" that are 25 years old. Please it was a worse bill than the medicare perscription plan that was passed.

Your (the dems) control of congress has been a joke at best. You seem to be more keyed in to wasting time. I really love the pork that has oozed from the bills that have bee passed. $150 million to Murtha, nice!

The long and the short of it is that ALL politicians appear short sited and only concerned about keeping power not doing what is right for the United States in the long run.

[liveandlearn]

long have we american citizens awaited action by congresspeople on impeachment, both cheney and bush. don't let the bums get away with killing our constitution!

[SunshineDaydream]

okay, i am almost to the bottom of this first page and i am in complete shock. where were all of you when kucinich started this back in april?? or when he read the articles of impeachment on the house floor TWICE in october? this is not new, folks. while i appreciate wexler for adding his voice, i think the one man impeachment show has been going on long enough to warrant at least some recognition. dennis kucinich has respect for our constitution, for us, and for the world as a whole.

strength through peace

[DSPinPW]

It's about time!