Arcata City Council calls for Bush impeachment

[whimsicaldeb]

January 7th, 2006 8:50 pm
Arcata City Council calls for Bush impeachment
By Kimberly Wear / Eureka Times-Standard

ARCATA -- A split City Council passed a resolution demanding the impeachment or resignation of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, citing violations of international and constitutional law.

The White House responded that the president “remains focused on the business the American people elected him to conduct.”

The resolution lists a series of allegedly impeachable offenses, including “the crime of misleading the American people and Congress into waging an unnecessary and brutal war in Iraq,” “the criminal failure of the president to respond adequately to the Hurricane Katrina disaster,” “torturing human beings in violation of the Geneva Convention” and “ordering the secret surveillance of American citizens.”

Councilman Dave Meserve and Councilwoman Harmony Groves penned the resolution that passed 3-2 Wednesday, joined by Councilman Paul Pitino, with Mayor Michael Machi and Councilman Mark Wheetley dissenting.

”All elected officials swear to uphold and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic,” Meserve said. “This obligates us to act when the president violates the Constitution. We hope that other cities will join us in demanding the impeachment of Bush and Cheney.”

White House spokesman Ken Lisaius said Bush understands that there are people who “oppose the president's efforts to win the war on terror.”

”How those opposed to those efforts choose to express that opposition is up to each individual -- in this case a city council,” he said. “This president recognizes he has a responsibility and the constitutional authority to protect our country and that's what he will continue to do.”

The resolution also asks that Congressman Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, join with others in Congress to introduce articles of impeachment against Bush. That would make him the third president to face the proceeding.

The first was President Andrew Johnson and the second -- more than 100 years later -- was President Bill Clinton. Both were acquitted. President Richard Nixon resigned rather than face impeachment.

Impeachment is a two-tier process beginning with a formal accusation, or the impeachment, being brought by the House of Representatives with a majority vote. Then, there is a trial by the Senate -- a conviction requires a two-thirds vote.

Copies of the Arcata resolution are being sent to Thompson, Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and members of the House Judiciary Committee.

Source: http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/index.php?id=5441
Orginal Source: http://www.times-standard.com/local/ci_3377385