At the turn of the new year, we dubbed 2007 “The Year of Accountability.” So, let it begin.
Two announcements were released today concerning upcoming oversight and investigative hearings in Congress on Bush Administration policy. If you can imagine such a thing.
In the House, Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee — the one which would lead the way concerning any Articles of Impeachment for a sitting U.S. President or Vice-President — announced today that hearings would be held next Wednesday in the committee on “Presidential Signing Statements under the Bush Administration: A Threat to Checks and Balances and the Rule of Law?” (Complete media release, with details, scheduled witnesses, etc. at end of this article.)
In the Senate, Russ Feingold (D-WI) will chair Judiciary Committee hearings on “Congress’s Power to End a War.” In a media advisory just released, (posted in full below) Feingold refers to Congress’s “power of the purse to redeploy our troops safely from Iraq so that we can refocus on the global terrorist networks that threaten our national security.”
“This hearing will help inform my colleagues and the public about Congress’s power to end a war and how that power has been used in the past,” Feingold is quoted in the release. As well, he promises to to introduce new legislation to do exactly that in the Senate. “I will soon be introducing legislation to use the power of the purse to end what is clearly one of the greatest mistakes in the history of our nation’s foreign policy,” the senator said.
Neither of the Constitutionally mandated oversight hearings will be held in a basement broom closet, but rather in proper Congressional Hearing Rooms.
UPDATE 8:22pm PT White House says they “will cooperate.” Of course they will.
The complete media releases from Conyers and Feingold, with dates, times, locations, and expected witnesses, follow below…
Contact: Jonathan Godfrey (202) XXX-XXXX
NOTICE OF OVERSIGHT HEARING
“Presidential Signing Statements under the Bush Administration: A Threat to Checks and Balances and the Rule of Law?”
TIME
10:15am
DATE
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
PLACE
2141 Rayburn
Confirmed Witnesses:
Karen Mathis, ABA President
Mickey Edwards, Former Republican Congressman
Professor Charles Ogletree, Harvard Law School
John Elwood, Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Legal Counsel of DOJ
Nicholas Rozenkranz, Georgetown University
##110-JUD-012507##
Contact: Zach Lowe – (202) XXX-XXXX
Washington, D.C. ““ On Tuesday, January 30th, U.S. Senator Russ Feingold will chair a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled, “Exercising Congress’s Constitutional Power to End a War.” Earlier this month, Feingold, Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, became the first Senator to call on Congress to use its power of the purse to redeploy our troops safely from Iraq so that we can refocus on the global terrorist networks that threaten our national security. Feingold proposed this action after President George Bush announced plans to escalate our military involvement in Iraq despite the objections of members of both parties, military and foreign policy experts, and the American people.
“Congress holds the power of the purse and if the President continues to advance his failed Iraq policy, we have the responsibility to use that power to safely redeploy our troops from Iraq,” Feingold said. “This hearing will help inform my colleagues and the public about Congress’s power to end a war and how that power has been used in the past. I will soon be introducing legislation to use the power of the purse to end what is clearly one of the greatest mistakes in the history of our nation’s foreign policy.”
Witnesses at the hearing will include:
- Louis Fisher, Library of Congress
- Prof. Walter Dellinger, Duke University School of Law, former Solicitor General of the United States
- Prof. David Barron, Harvard Law School
- Prof. Robert Turner, University of Virginia Law School
Who:
U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on the Constitution
What:
Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing — “Exercising Congress’s Constitutional Power to End a War.” Feingold will chair the full committee hearing.
Where: SD – 226
When: Tuesday, January 30th ““ 10:00 am ET
Senator Feingold’s remarks from yesterday’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee meeting regarding the need to end our involvement in Iraq can be viewed and heard here: http://feingold.senate.gov/~feingold/statements/07/01/20070124.htm.
Huzzah! Let the justice begin!
A Boston Globe article last year noted:
This perspective is actually a TWO-WAY violation of separation of powers. Not only does Bush repute the President’s need to execute what the Legislative branch has set as law, he also reputes the JUDICIAL branch by usurping their established right to review the constitutionality of laws. This is one of the more dangerous aspects of the far-right figures that Bush and his predecessors have inserted into the Supreme Court: some are not necessarily in favor of the precedent of the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of laws!
We are witnessing an unprecedented power grab that has been in the works for more than a decade. Thank goodness for Democratic-controlled committees that can start turning back this tide of totalitarianism.
Lord Bush is a FASCIST. A NAZI. A WAR PROFITEERS.
OUR DEMOCRACY IS IN SHAMBLES.
WE ARE NOTHING MORE THEN SLAVES.
Impeach and jail the lying CRIMINAL anti-environmentalist warmongers still in power known as the BUSHIT ADMINISTRATION.
DAMAGE CONTROL:Revert back the over 200 environmental laws reversed under their DESTRUCTIVE rule and try and form a new committee to figure out how World Trade Building #7 came down in 5.6 without any arabs or airplanes in it’s own footprint like the twin towers only 10 hours later on 9/11. Name the U.S. generals who scheduled coincidently 4 different war exercises for that day opening the door for the Bush/Cheney terrorist attack. DO IT! i dare you. Then view the over 100 confiscated Pentagon videos because it sure the hell wasn’t a 757 that hit the Pentagon.
Conyers and Feingold – now there are two statesmen who are there doing the job we intrusted them with – not a bunch of party politicing!
Well, I’m going to try to be hopeful with these “committees” forming, but I can’t help but believe it’s all a smokescreen to pacify those of us who know the truth now. They aren’t really going to do anything productive. I still say they are all in bed together, dems and reps. I sure hope I’m wrong, but the scope of everything else being done says I have a good chance of being right.
I think the TRILLIONS missing from our treasury (which nobody seems to talk about or care about, which blows my mind) in recent years, along with the BILLIONS missing from Iraq are providing the payroll means for all of Washington. They ALL own more and have bigger bank accounts than people making the same annual salary outside of Washington. Come on…. 2 + 2 = 4.
This seems like a good start. I still have a hard time trusting our new congress. A great scenario would be that this turn into a criminal investigation when all done. Then maybe I could start to trust them.
Let’s hope these guys have the moral strength to bring Chimpy and his Criminal Cabal to justice….
Impeachment is NOT enough!
I anticipate both will receive their prescribed doses of military-grade anthrax right before the hearings are to begin. This is like a 2-minute drill for the administration, with the no-huddle offense, and I think we are going to see shit hitting fan very soon!!
We’ve been excited so many times before, please let this be real! Don’t let pussies in congress or the senate stop them from opening the doors to impeachement for not just bush, but cheney and the others too. Don’t let them say we can’t do this in war time! Don’t let them concide to lessor charges! If Ford hadn’t let Nixon go with a full pardon then this horror may not have occurred that we are living today! It’s our civic duty to honor the constitution so we can proudly one day say our vote and opinion counts!
These are 2 trustworthy (imho) men who I do believe have the best interest of our country at heart. I know we’ve gotten our hopes up and had them crushed enough times that we are understandably skeptical, but nonetheless, I will continue sending light in hopes that eventually the evil darkness will be exposed for all to see.
I second that Jen…and Grizzly.
TO: Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), i know from the old days,
Senate, Russ Feingold (D-WI) read he is a great fighter
bring it on home………………
I’m counting on YOU!
Mother of Logic
I LOVE Russ Feingold and John Conyers, LOVE them. They are the best thing happening in the US gov’t, bar none.
Did you check out the list of confirmed witnesses on the first page? Looks like they are serious to me!
Funny though, I haven’t heard a peep about it on MSM. Uh O where’s Big Dan. Tee Hee Tee Hee. But, he couldn’t be more right! The public won’t get involved if they don’t know what’s going on. Talk openly about what you know to every one possible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ooops, I meant entrusted up there at the top, for all you grammar freaks. I really do try , but biology is more my thing.
If these two men were to announce the formation of a third party with Chuck Hagel, that party would win hands down in 2008
Russ Feingold: Wisconsense.
Jen, Mother, Kathleen, all – I love coming here, you guys lift my spirits and renew me hope, thank you. I followed and posted with John Conyers the last couple years too and was one of the 500,0000+ who signed his petition after the Downing Street Memo came to light. But I kinda gave up on things months ago and haven’t been going there much. I’ll go to his website often again. He’s put a lot of time and effort into asking questions and bringing corruption to light on Capital Hill and on his website. Thank you, Mr. Conyers. (Thank you too, Brad, you are also tireless in your efforts.)
You’re right about how they have been among the VERY few. Thanks again everyone! I have hope again.
(I can’t wait to see the turnout Saturday in Washington – should be verrry i-n-t-e-r-e-s-t-i-n-g!!!)
Geez, Brad, yellow text on dark green? Take it easy on us old geezers, please?
{Artie: Go to the right sidebar and choose the dark on light skin. Instantly, you will be able to see. –99}
The hearings and the Libby trial are really about exposing the crimes and secrets of Dick Cheney, the real architect of the Bush policies. Every day I am enjoying the tightening of Cheney’s noose. We may never put him where he belongs, but history will dump him into the gutter with Nixon.
I agree with A Concerned Citizen, Steve, and Styve.
My best guess is that the hearings will get some CMSM coverage, particularly the first part with all those terrific witnesses.
The the committees will start the subpoena and discovery process, which the White House will fight, so it will take time.
Like about two years worth of time. See, one way to take something off the table, is to put it on another table. Instead of doing something, you form a committee to study the problem.
I hope I’m wrong. My signature was on that petition too, and I still have that shameful photo with Conyers and Maxine Waters standing outside the White House gates trying to hand the petition to a defiant flunky who I doubt would have risked his job to pass it on to Bush. My memory must be failing me. I don’t recall Nancy Pelosi in that picture. Or Al Gore. Or John Kerry. Maybe they were on deep background?
Artie Smertagacci:
Select “Dark on Light” from the “Select Color Scheme” option in the top right sidebar.
Hope it helps, geezer! 😉
This is why we needed a Democratic Congress.
Leahy is actually the chairman of the committee, lest anyone be confused.
Finegold is actually the chairman of one sub-committee, lest anyone be confused.
Two New Mexico lawmakers have introduced a measure calling on Congress to impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney.
”This is not a publicity stunt,” Ortiz y Pino told a cheering crowd at a rally at the Capitol on Tuesday. ”This is action that we can take, and it’s an opening for the citizens to act.”
http://www.azfamily.com/news/lo....16dd6d3a.html
Anybody got anything on Lindsey Grahm? I can’t stand that asshole!
And this article by Elizabeth Holtzman from “The Nation.”
There was also a little incident where Orrin Hatch had to admit he was hacking into John Kerry’s computer.
Oh, so little time!
Do you hear those footsteps?
That’s the sound of Congressman John Conyers, Joseph Wilson, Cindy Sheehan, John Bonifaz and others, (maybe the 450 some-odd constitutional lawyers who objected to the Clinton impeachment), (maybe we the people), coming up from the basement of congress to crash the Republican party.
Something tells me the unconstitutional flag burning amendment is on hold for a while.
Maybe when it’s over, we won’t have to pee in a cup to get a crappy job.
Maybe.