THREE STATE LEGISLATURES are to vote on calling on Congress to draft articles of impeachment of Bush (and one of them, on Bush and Cheney). Please share this around these particular states and contact your state legislators in support.
AND spread the word that your own state's legislators can introduce Impeachment Proceedings against Bush immediately as a State Legislature Joint Resolution, that then goes on to be a preferred bill, meaning that it automatically takes precedence over all other bills then in Congress! "...reference[s] Section 603 of Jefferson's Manual of the Rules of the United States House of Representatives, which allows federal impeachment proceedings to be initiated by joint resolution of a state legislature." --- THREE STATES--ILLINOIS, CALIFORNIA, AND VERMONT--HAVE ALREADY INTRODUCED BILLS TO VOTE ON JOINT RESOLUTIONS OF BUSH IMPEACHMENT--IN CALIFORNIA ON BUSH AND CHENEY IMPEACHMENT. These states have set up a little known legal rule allowing state legislatures to 'forward' impeachment bills to the federal legislature--that then are treated as if they were introduced in federal legislature and are treated with PRIORITY. A fine example of a formal check and balance against corruption potentials of a larger jurisdiction if ever I saw one.
...reference[s] Section 603 of Jefferson's Manual of the Rules of the United States House of Representatives, which allows federal impeachment proceedings to be initiated by joint resolution of a state legislature.
[1] ILLINOIS: From there, Illinois House Joint Resolution 125 (hereafter to be referred to as HJR0125) was born.
Detailing five specific charges against President Bush including one that is specified to be a felony, the complete text of HJR0125 is copied below at the end of this article. ---- One of the interesting points is that one of the items, the one specified as a felony, that the NSA was directed by the President to spy on American citizens without warrant, is not in dispute. That fact should prove an interesting dilemma for a Republican controlled US House that clearly is not only loathe to initiate impeachment proceedings, but does not even want to thoroughly investigate any of the five items brought up by the Illinois Assembly as high crimes and/or misdemeanors. . [let's add in the useless Democratic party in there as well, quite willing to look over major felonies of the Bush Administration.] ---- Should HJR0125 be passed by the Illinois General Assembly, the US House will be forced by House Rules to take up the issue of impeachment as ****a privileged bill, meaning it will take precedence over other House business.****
...
[2] CALIFORNIA: Joining Illinois, California has become the second state in which a proposal to impeach President Bush has been introduced in the state legislature. And this one includes Cheney as well. California Assemblyman Paul Koretz of Los Angeles (where the LA Times has now called for Cheney's resignation) has submitted amendments to Assembly Joint Resolution No. 39, calling for the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard Cheney. The amendments reference Section 603 of Jefferson's Manual of the Rules of the United States House of Representatives, which allows federal impeachment proceedings to be initiated by joint resolution of a state legislature. The resolution, in the words of Koretz's press release, "bases the call for impeachment upon the Bush Administration intentionally misleading the Congress and the American people regarding the threat from Iraq in order to justify an unnecessary war that has cost billions of dollars and thousands of lives and casualties; exceeding constitutional authority to wage war by invading Iraq; exceeding constitutional authority by Federalizing the National Guard; conspiring to torture prisoners in violation of the 'Federal Torture Act' and indicating intent to continue such actions; spying on American citizens in violation of the 1978 Foreign Agency Surveillance Act; leaking and covering up the leak of the identity of Valerie Plame Wilson, and holding American citizens without charge or trial."
[3] VERMONT: A Progressive lawmaker today will introduce a formal resolution in the state Legislature calling on Congress to draft articles of impeachment against Pres. George W. Bush. Rep. Dave Zuckerman, P-Burlington, claims support from at least a dozen lawmakers, including Democrats, Progressives and one independent, and expects to have more co-signers before handing the resolution into the House clerk later today. The following legislators have signed onto the resolution as of early Tuesday... ---- The resolution lays out a broad case for impeachment, ranging from wiretapping U.S. citizens to lying about reasons for going to war in Iraq. It is modeled, in part, after recent resolutions approved by county Democratic committees...
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1.
April 22, 2006
Bush Impeachment - The Illinois State Legislature is Preparing to Drop a Bombshell
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Utilizing a little known rule of the US House to bring Impeachment charges
by Steven Leser
http://www.opednews.com Steven Leser
The Illinois General Assembly is about to rock the nation. Members of state legislatures are normally not considered as having the ability to decide issues with a massive impact to the nation as a whole. Representative Karen A. Yarbrough of Illinois' 7th District is about to shatter that perception forever. Representative Yarbrough stumbled on a little known and never utlitized rule of the US House of Representatives, Section 603 of Jefferson's Manual of the Rules of the United States House of Representatives, which allows federal impeachment proceedings to be initiated by joint resolution of a state legislature.
From there, Illinois House Joint Resolution 125 (hereafter to be referred to as HJR0125) was born.
Detailing five specific charges against President Bush including one that is specified to be a felony, the complete text of HJR0125 is copied below at the end of this article. One of the interesting points is that one of the items, the one specified as a felony, that the NSA was directed by the President to spy on American citizens without warrant, is not in dispute. That fact should prove an interesting dilemma for a Republican controlled US House that clearly is not only loathe to initiate impeachment proceedings, but does not even want to thoroughly investigate any of the five items brought up by the Illinois Assembly as high crimes and/or misdemeanors. Should HJR0125 be passed by the Illinois General Assembly, the US House will be forced by House Rules to take up the issue of impeachment as a privileged bill, meaning it will take precedence over other House business.
The Illinois General Assembly joins a growing chorus of voices calling for censure or impeachment of President Bush including Democratic state committees in Vermont, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Nevada and North Carolina as well as the residents themselves of seven towns in Vermont, seventy Vermont state legislators and Congressman John Conyers. The call for impeachment is starting to grow well beyond what could be considered a fringe movement. An ABC News/Washington Post Poll Conducted April 6-9 showed that 33% of Americans currently support Impeaching President Bush, coincidentally, only a similar amount supported impeaching Nixon at the start of the Watergate investigation. If and when Illinois HJR0125 hits the capitol and the individual charges are publicly investigated, that number is likely to grow rapidly. Combined with the very real likelihood that Rove is about to be indicted in the LeakGate investigation, and Bush is in real trouble beyond his plummeting poll numbers. His cronies in the Republican dominated congress will probably save him from the embarassment of an impeachment conviction, for now, but his Presidency will be all but finished.
Developing News; California Becomes Second State to Introduce Bush Impeachment
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HJ0125 LRB094 20306 RLC 58347 r
1 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, Section 603 of Jefferson's Manual of the Rules of
3 the United States House of Representatives allows federal
4 impeachment proceedings to be initiated by joint resolution of
5 a state legislature; and
6 WHEREAS, President Bush has publicly admitted to ordering
7 the National Security Agency to violate provisions of the 1978
8 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a felony, specifically
9 authorizing the Agency to spy on American citizens without
10 warrant; and
11 WHEREAS, Evidence suggests that President Bush authorized
12 violation of the Torture Convention of the Geneva Conventions,
13 a treaty regarded a supreme law by the United States
14 Constitution; and
15 WHEREAS, The Bush Administration has held American
16 citizens and citizens of other nations as prisoners of war
17 without charge or trial; and
18 WHEREAS, Evidence suggests that the Bush Administration
19 has manipulated intelligence for the purpose of initiating a
20 war against the sovereign nation of Iraq, resulting in the
21 deaths of large numbers of Iraqi civilians and causing the
22 United States to incur loss of life, diminished security and
23 billions of dollars in unnecessary expenses; and
24 WHEREAS, The Bush Administration leaked classified
25 national secrets to further a political agenda, exposing an
26 unknown number of covert U. S. intelligence agents to potential
27 harm and retribution while simultaneously refusing to
28 investigate the matter; and
29 WHEREAS, The Republican-controlled Congress has declined
HJ0125 - 2 - LRB094 20306 RLC 58347 r
1 to fully investigate these charges to date; therefore, be it
2 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
3 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
4 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the General Assembly of the
5 State of Illinois has good cause to submit charges to the U. S.
6 House of Representatives under Section 603 that the President
7 of the United States has willfully violated his Oath of Office
8 to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United
9 States; and be it further
10 RESOLVED, That George W. Bush, if found guilty of the
11 charges contained herein, should be removed from office and
12 disqualified to hold any other office in the United States.
Take action -- click here to contact your local newspaper or congress people:
Support the Impeachment of President Bush
Click here to see the most recent messages sent to congressional reps and local newspapers
Steven Leser is a freelance journalist specializing in Politics, Science & Health, and Entertainment topics. He has held positions within the Democratic Party including District Chair and Public Relations Chair within county organizations. His coverage of the Ohio Presidential Recount in 2004 was distinguished by actual interviews with Carlo Loparo, spokesperson for the Ohio Secretary of State, along with Supervisors of Elections of several Ohio counties. Similar efforts on other topics to get first hand information from sources separate Mr. Leser from many of his contemporaries.
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2.
April 24, 2006
California Becomes Second State to Introduce Bush Impeachment
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by David Swanson
http://www.opednews.com Joining Illinois, California has become the second state in which a proposal to impeach President Bush has been introduced in the state legislature. And this one includes Cheney as well.
California Assemblyman Paul Koretz of Los Angeles (where the LA Times has now called for Cheney's resignation) has submitted amendments to Assembly Joint Resolution No. 39, calling for the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard Cheney. The amendments reference Section 603 of Jefferson's Manual of the Rules of the United States House of Representatives, which allows federal impeachment proceedings to be initiated by joint resolution of a state legislature.
The resolution, in the words of Koretz's press release, "bases the call for impeachment upon the Bush Administration intentionally misleading the Congress and the American people regarding the threat from Iraq in order to justify an unnecessary war that has cost billions of dollars and thousands of lives and casualties; exceeding constitutional authority to wage war by invading Iraq; exceeding constitutional authority by Federalizing the National Guard; conspiring to torture prisoners in violation of the 'Federal Torture Act' and indicating intent to continue such actions; spying on American citizens in violation of the 1978 Foreign Agency Surveillance Act; leaking and covering up the leak of the identity of Valerie Plame Wilson, and holding American citizens without charge or trial."
Koretz submitted amendments gutting AJR No. 39, a resolution unrelated to impeachment, to the Assembly Rules Committee. The Rules Committee may take up the bill this week for referral, allowing him to formally introduce the amended resolution.
AJR 39 is a bill introduced in January by Koretz calling for a moratorium on depleted uranium:
link to www.leginfo.ca.gov
"At both the state and national levels," Koretz said, "we will be paying for the Bush Administration's illegal actions and terrible lack of judgment and competence for decades—not only in the billions of dollars wasted on the war and welfare for the rich, but in the worldwide loss of respect for America and Americans. Bush and Cheney must be impeached and removed from office before they undertake even deadlier misdeeds, such as the use of nuclear weapons. There are no bounds to their willingness to ignore the Constitution and world opinion—we can't afford to wait for the next disaster and hope that we can survive it."
For more inormation and to thank this American hero, contact Paul Michael Neuman in Koretz's District Office: (310) 285-5490
paul.neuman@asm.ca.gov or go here:
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a42/contact.htm Here is a kit to help with promoting this resolution and with passing others in your towns and cities and states. Also on this page is information on activities in other states and localities:
http://www.impeachpac.org/resolutions Get organized in California to pass this bill!
http://pdamerica.org/statecaucus.php?s=ca Illinois Legislators Were First to Introduce Bill for Bush Impeachment
Three members of the Illinois General Assembly have introduced a bill that urges the General Assembly to submit charges to the U. S. House of Representatives to initiate impeachment proceedings against the President of the United States, George W. Bush, for willfully violating his Oath of Office to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States and if found guilty urges his removal from office and disqualification to hold any other office in the United States.
The Jefferson Manual of rules for the U.S. House of Representatives makes clear that impeachment proceedings can be initiated by a state legislature submitting charges. The state of Illinois is on its way toward forcing on the House what not a single one of its members has yet had the courage to propose: Articles of Impeachment.
The text of the Illinois bill and information on its status are available here:
http://tinyurl.com/nhs3r The bill takes up the issues of illegal spying, torture, detentions without charge or trial, manipulation of pre-war intelligence, and the leaking of classified information.
Please thank these sponsors of the bill:
Rep. Karen A. Yarbrough, phone (217) 782-8120 or (708) 615-1747; fax (708) 615-1745
Rep Sara Feigenholtz , phone (217) 782-8062 or (773) 296-4141; fax (217) 557-7203 or (773) 296-0993
Rep. Eddie Washington phone (217) 558-1012 or (847) 623-0060, fax (847) 623-6078
Here is a kit to help with promoting this resolution and with passing others in your towns and cities. Also on this page is information on activities in other states and localities:
http://www.impeachpac.org/resolutions Get organized in Illinois to pass this bill!
http://pdamerica.org/statecaucus.php?s=il This article
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/9249 Future updates:
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org Take action -- click here to contact your local newspaper or congress people:
Demand Impeachment
Click here to see the most recent messages sent to congressional reps and local newspapers
http://www.davidswanson.org DAVID SWANSON is a co-founder of After Downing Street, a writer and activist, and the Washington Director of Democrats.com. He is a board member of Progressive Democrats of America, and serves on the Executive Council of the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild, TNG-CWA. He has worked as a newspaper reporter and as a communications director, with jobs including Press Secretary for Dennis Kucinich's 2004 presidential campaign, Media Coordinator for the International Labor Communications Association, and three years as Communications Coordinator for ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. Swanson obtained a Master's degree in philosophy from the University of Virginia in 1997.
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3.
Vermont lawmakers to call for Bush impeachment
By Shay Totten | Vermont Guardian
Posted April 25, 2006
BURLINGTON — A Progressive lawmaker today will introduce a formal resolution in the state Legislature calling on Congress to draft articles of impeachment against Pres. George W. Bush.
Rep. Dave Zuckerman, P-Burlington, claims support from at least a dozen lawmakers, including Democrats, Progressives and one independent, and expects to have more co-signers before handing the resolution into the House clerk later today.
The following legislators have signed onto the resolution as of early Tuesday: Rep. George Cross, D-Winooski; Rep. Winston Dowland, P-Holland; Rep. Michael Fisher, D-Lincoln; Rep. Steve Green, D-Berlin; Rep. Sandy Haas, P-Rochester; Rep. Jason Lorber, D-Burlington; Rep. Jim McCullough, D-Williston; Rep. Chris Pearson, P-Burlington; Rep. Kathy Pellett, D-Chester; Rep. Daryl Pillsbury, I-Brattleboro; Rep. Dexter Randall, P-North Troy; Rep. Ann Seibert, D-Norwich.
The resolution lays out a broad case for impeachment, ranging from wiretapping U.S. citizens to lying about reasons for going to war in Iraq. It is modeled, in part, after recent resolutions approved by county Democratic committees
"We should not get into perpetual impeachment proceedings with every president, and if you disagree with their policies you should work through the democratic process," said Zuckerman. "However, no president is above the law, and while Republicans used impeachment to carry out a policy disagreement with a president, this is about a president who thinks he's king. We threw that notion overboard more than 200 years ago."
Zuckerman, who has been mulling this resolution since February, put it on hold as the session gathered steam and he considered making his own bid for the U.S. House. Then county Democratic committees took up the call, as did several towns.
"I thought it was appropriate to give those grassroots efforts time," he said.
Zuckerman is relying on the Jefferson Manual of rules for the U.S. House of Representatives that allows state legislatures to initiate impeachment proceedings by submitting charges to Congress.
State Democrats earlier this month sidestepped the Legislature in response to a grassroots effort among various county committees to get lawmakers to initiate such proceedings. Top lawmakers voiced tepid support for legislative action, saying it was coming at a time when too many policy discussions were being made on the budget, health care and transportation.
Speaker Gaye Symington, D-Jericho, said she had not seen Zuckerman's resolution, but expected it would have to be sent to either the House Government Operations Committee or the House Judiciary Committee before being brought to a full vote.
"If this is based on the county committee language, then the language that I've seen in the county committee level would require testimony along the lines of providing due process," said Symington. "I don't think it would be appropriate for the Legislature to make sweeping accusations without testimony. We have to uphold the right of due process, even with someone I disagree with as vehemently as I do with Pres. Bush."
Given the likelihood of the session coming to a close within the next week or so, the resolution may not yield a floor vote.
Jim Barnett, chairman of the Vermont Republican Party, decried the impeachment resolution, calling it a purely partisan maneuver with little, if any, benefit for Vermonters.
"Instead of focusing on the real priorities and needs of the people of Vermont — like affordable health care, property tax relief, college scholarships and good paying jobs — Democrats in the Legislature continue to consume themselves with partisan fantasies of impeaching the president, raising the gas tax, and banning the cropping of dogs' ears."
Zuckerman's effort comes on the heels of a letter written by Rep. Richard Marek, D-Newfane, which was signed by 56 members of the House, including Symington, and 13 members of the Senate. No Republicans signed the letter.
Marek's letter, which is being sent to the members of Vermont's congressional delegation, states that many Vermonters believe Pres. Bush violated the law and the U.S. Constitution by holding people as "enemy combatants" or beyond their court-ordered release, by ordering secret wiretaps of phone conversations, and by misleading the public on the reasons for invading Iraq.
"These questions raise, both individually and in their totality, issues of the gravest national importance," the letter states. "Fundamental standards of due process require that such allegations not simply be accepted as true; however, they also cannot and should not be ignored."
Obtaining "objective answers to these questions is increasingly critical to sustaining public faith in our constitutional system of government and in its requirement for accountability by every president," it states.
Six Vermont towns passed resolutions on Town Meeting Day calling for Bush's impeachment.
That was followed by, at last count, at least eight Democratic county committees. The state Democratic Party Committee also has endorsed a measure that asks the Republican-controlled U.S. House to pass articles of impeachment against Bush for misleading the nation on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and engaging in illegal wiretapping, among other charges.
On May 1, Vermont's effort moves to the nation's capital when Vermonters plan to hand deliver their petitions to House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-IL.
The members of Vermont's congressional delegation, who are not enthusiastic about impeachment, do support hearings that could lead to possible censure.
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http://www.vermontguardian.com/local/042006/VTSaysImpeach.shtml *****************************************************************************************
COMMENTS:
Updated status link 26.Apr.2006 12:15
Drew
link to www.ilga.gov
Illinois
Bill Status of HJR0125 94th General Assembly
Full Text Votes View All Actions Printer-Friendly Version
Short Description: PRESIDENT BUSH-IMPEACHMENT
House Sponsors
Rep. Karen A. Yarbrough, Sara Feigenholtz, Eddie Washington, Cynthia Soto, William Delgado, William Davis, Kenneth Dunkin, Wyvetter H. Younge, Arthur L. Turner, Esther Golar, Constance A. Howard, David E. Miller, Annazette Collins, Calvin L. Giles, Deborah L. Graham, Robin Kelly and Edward J. Acevedo
Last Action
Date Chamber Action
4/25/2006 House Referred to Rules Committee
Synopsis As Introduced
Urges the General Assembly to submit charges to the U. S. House of Representatives to initiate impeachment proceedings against the President of the United States, George W. Bush, for willfully violating his Oath of Office to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States and if found guilty urges his removal from office and disqualification to hold any other office in the United States.
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=0125&GAID=8&GA=94&DocTypeID=HJR&LegID=25794&SessionID=50 the tally of the state demographics by party 26.Apr.2006 16:16
me link
A joint resolution is a legislative measure which requires the approval of both chambers of Congress. What are the demographics like now? Will the Democrats show themselves to be true blue Republicans like always, or will something motivate them to actually be a different party in this one party state called America?
If the latter, there's a seriously high chance that this Illinois Bush impeachment bill--or in California the Bush/Cheney impeachment bill--goes to the US House...
I neglected to look at Vermont because I'M EXPECTING THEM do to it!
ILLINOIS
IL Representative
Democrats: 65 --------- Republicans: 53 --------- (118 districts)
IL Senate
Democrats: 31 --------- Republicans: 27 --------- Independents: 1 (61 districts)
IL total
Democrats: 96 ---- Republicans: 80 ---- Independents: 1
CALIFORNIA
CA Assembly
Democrats: 48--------- Republicans: 31------79 (79 districts)
CA Senate
Democrats: 25--------- Republicans: 14------39 (40 districts, one empty Now)
CA total
Democrats: 73 ---- Republicans: 45
************************************************************************************
This is for real 26.Apr.2006 18:59
jason
For what it's worth, I heard about the illinois bill on corporate media (wash post) and they said it had a good chance of passing and would require congressional action--of course they will vote againts it, but they'll probably have to hold hearings, and it will make this the major political story of the summer--bush is toast.
**************************************************************************************
That sounds good 27.Apr.2006 12:21
messenger
There are also State reps who are placing referendums (?) in their elections for people to vote on withdrawing their Nat'l. Guard troops from Iraq.
http://chicago.indymedia.org/newswire/display/71532/index.php http://youngphillypolitics.com/node/949 This sounds very refreshing, but chances are that the American public is soooo befuddled by our corrupt government into thinking we are impotent to exact change and justice, that this will be ignored.