Three House Judiciary Members Call for Cheney Impeachment Hearings
Three members of the House Judiciary Committee, Representatives Robert Wexler, Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) and Tammy Baldwin
(D-WI), have issued a joint editorial calling for the Judiciary Committee and Congress to immediately hold impeachment
hearings for Vice President Richard Cheney.
The editorial entitled "A Case for Hearings," attached below, cites significant allegations made against Vice President
Dick Cheney including "deceptive actions leading up to the Iraq war, the revelation of the identity of a covert agent
for political retaliation, and the illegal wiretapping of American citizens."
The three House Judiciary Committee Members argue in the op-ed that "[t]he issues at hand are too serious to ignore . .
. including credible allegations of abuse of power that if proven may well constitute high crimes and misdemeanors under
our constitution."
The three members also cite recent polls suggesting that a majority of Americans believe that Vice President Cheney has
abused his office.
A Case for Hearings
On November 7, the House of Representatives voted to send a resolution of impeachment of Vice President Cheney to the
Judiciary Committee. As Members of the House Judiciary Committee, we strongly believe these important hearings should
begin.
The issues at hand are too serious to ignore, including credible allegations of abuse of power that if proven may well
constitute high crimes and misdemeanors under our constitution. The charges against Vice President Cheney relate to his
deceptive actions leading up to the Iraq war, the revelation of the identity of a covert agent for political
retaliation, and the illegal wiretapping of American citizens.
Now that former White House press secretary Scott McClellan has indicated that the Vice President and his staff
purposefully gave him false information about the outing of Valerie Plame Wilson as a covert agent to report to the
American people, it is even more important for Congress to investigate what may have been an intentional obstruction of
justice. Congress should call Mr. McClellan to testify about what he described as being asked to "unknowingly [pass]
along false information." In addition, recent revelations have shown that the Administration including Vice President
Cheney may have again manipulated and exaggerated evidence about weapons of mass destruction -- this time about Iran's
nuclear capabilities.
Some of us were in Congress during the impeachment hearings of President Clinton. We spent a year and a half listening
to testimony about President Clinton's personal relations. This must not be the model for impeachment inquires. A
Democratic Congress can show that it takes its constitutional authority seriously and hold a sober investigation, which
will stand in stark contrast to the kangaroo court convened by Republicans for President Clinton. In fact, the worst
legacy of the Clinton impeachment - where the GOP pursued trumped up and insignificant allegations - would be that it
discourages future Congresses from examining credible and significant allegations of a constitutional nature when they
arise.
The charges against Vice President Cheney are not personal. They go to the core of the actions of this Administration,
and deserve consideration in a way the Clinton scandal never did. The American people understand this, and a majority
support hearings according to a November 13 poll by the American Research Group. In fact, 70% of voters say that Vice
President Cheney has abused his powers and 43% say that he should be removed from office right now. The American people
understand the magnitude of what has been done and what is at stake if we fail to act. It is time for Congress to catch
up.
Some people argue that the Judiciary Committee can not proceed with impeachment hearings because it would distract
Congress from passing important legislative initiatives. We disagree. First, hearings need not tie up Congress for a
year and shut down the nation. Second, hearings will not prevent Congress from completing its other business. These
hearings involve the possible impeachment of the Vice President - not our commander in chief - and the resulting impact
on the nation's business and attention would be significantly less than the Clinton Presidential impeachment hearings.
Also, despite the fact that President Bush has thwarted moderate Democratic policies that are supported by a vast
majority of Americans -- including children's health care, stem cell research, and bringing our troops home from Iraq --
the Democratic Congress has already managed to deliver a minimum wage hike, an energy bill to address the climate crisis
and bring us closer to energy independence,
Holding hearings would put the evidence on the table, and the evidence - not politics - should determine the outcome.
Even if the hearings do not lead to removal from office, putting these grievous abuses on the record is important for
the sake of history. For an Administration that has consistently skirted the constitution and asserted that it is above
the law, it is imperative for Congress to make clear that we do not accept this dangerous precedent. Our Founding
Fathers provided Congress the power of impeachment for just this reason, and we must now at least consider using it.
Congressman Wexler is Chairman of the Europe Subcommittee and a senior member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs
and the House Judiciary Committee; and he also sits on the Financial Services Committee.
***
CONGRESSMAN ROBERT WEXLER
DEMOCRAT - FLORIDA
Wexler Launches Online Push for Cheney Impeachment Hearings at WexlerWantsHearings.com
December 14, 2007
Following the release of an online op-ed advocating for Cheney impeachment hearings by Representatives Robert Wexler
(D-FL), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), all Members of the House Judiciary Committee, Wexler has
launched an ambitious online effort to mobilize support for immediate impeachment hearings for Vice President Dick
Cheney.
Wexler, a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, has launched www.WexlerWantsHearings.com to mobilize grass
roots and netroots support from across the nation in order to increase pressure on Congress to hold hearings. In a new
video, featured at www.WexlerWantsHearings.com, Wexler issues a strongly worded statement in favor of hearings.
"Our Constitution mandates that the House of Representatives hold Presidents and Vice-Presidents accountable when they
commit High Crimes... Accountability and the rule of law are not partisan; they are American. They supersede politics
and strategy. We must hold all of our leaders accountable. No exceptions," Wexler states on the video.
Acopy of the online op-ed by Wexler, Gutierrez, and Baldwin, entitled "A Case for Hearings", is available at
www.WexlerWantsHearings.com. In the editorial, the three Members of the Judiciary Committee declare that serious charges
have been made against Cheney "relat[ing] to his deceptive actions leading up to the Iraq war, the revelation of the
identity of a covert agent for political retaliation, and the illegal wiretapping of American citizens." The Members of
Congress further state that "the worst legacy of the Clinton impeachment - where the GOP pursued trumped up and
insignificant allegations - would be that it discourages future Congresses from examining credible and significant
allegations of a constitutional nature when they arise."
Wexler is encouraging the online community and netroots to join together to support hearings. Wexler will take part in a
Blogcall Press Conference on December 14, at 10:30 am with leading bloggers to advocate for impeachment hearings.
ENDS