Conyers Announces Judiciary Committee Hearing On “Imperial Presidency,” Continues to Stall on Impeachment

On July 9th, a group of Veterans For Peace members, including myself, met with House Judiciary Committee Chairman Congressman Conyers to hear his plans regarding impeachment. This was a follow up to our previous meeting with him at which we presented a petition calling for impeachment with over 23,000 signatures on June 11th. At that meeting, he promised to reveal to us his plans when we met next. His “plans” were non-existent; his excuse was that he had not made a decision yet. Of course, every day he doesn't impeach, he is deciding not to. The Real News Network covered the meeting and captured it well with this video:

Stalling On Impeachment

I got the impression that Conyers is going senile. If he really thinks as slow as he talks, we're in a lot of trouble. Most of his staff seem to be in favor of impeachment and are just waiting for the word. A couple of them even thanked us for being there and being so strong in our convictions. For a long time, Pelosi has been saying that impeachment is “off the table” and has obeyed every command from the administration, so it's safe to say that they have her by the balls. She bought the speakership by raising money for her fellow Democrats, and there have got to be a lot of financial skeletons in her closet. The only question is, has Pelosi actually convinced him that impeachment isn't strategically wise, or is someone threatening him? I wouldn't put it past Bush's cronies to even go after his family.

He told us at that meeting that he wanted to meet with us again on July 25th. We were pretty pissed to put it mildly. More run around from another spineless Democrat. More posturing from this sorry excuse for an opposition party. Don't they get it that when we can see through their BS so easily it doesn't work? Remember the country having a good laugh when Clinton and Obama made nice in Unity, New Hampshire? If there was a city named Obvious Crude Political Calculation, it would be overrun by Democrats. I really hope they don't keep control of the Congress.

Conyers canceled that meeting with us to announce that his committee will be holding a hearing that day on “the Imperial Presidency of George W. Bush and possible legal responses.” That's like someone who is getting robbed at gun point calling their Mom to discuss calling the cops. Does he really think that this is going to make the Democrats look good? I hope he is aware that after writing impeachment articles for Nixon, his party had a sweeping electoral victory. Likewise for the Republicans with Clinton.

The press release (below) brags about all of the violations of the Constitution by this administration that the judiciary committee has “conducted extensive oversight into.” Basically, “Yes, we're keeping track of how bad we're getting screwed.” He presented us with an even more extensive list of things the committee has looked into at our last meeting, as if it would appease us. Of course, they have failed to do anything about any of them. What's the point of oversight if you don't do anything when you discover a crime has been committed?

This is too disgusting for words. I want to vomit. I will be there on the 25th anyway to continue to push for impeachment, but I'm not holding my breath, and I'll have to hold my nose. Of course, the ultimate reason that our government is corrupt is because our culture is corrupt. If we held our representatives in Congress accountable, they might be inclined to hold the President accountable. But then, if we were paying attention, and doing our duty as citizens, we wouldn't have Bush for a president in the first place.


For Immediate Release
July 17, 2008
Contact: Jonathan Godfrey (Conyers)

(Washington)—Today House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. announced that, on July 25, the House Committee on the Judiciary will hold a hearing on the Imperial Presidency of George W. Bush and possible legal responses.

“Over the last seven plus years, there have been numerous credible allegations of serious misconduct by officials in the Bush Administration,” said Conyers. “At the same time, the administration has adopted what many would describe as a radical view of its own powers and authorities. As Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, I believe it is imperative that we pursue a comprehensive review commensurate to this constitutionally dangerous combination of circumstances. Next Friday’s hearings will be an important part of that ongoing effort.”

The Committee is expected to examine a range of legal and legislative responses to allegations of administration misconduct and their expansion of executive branch power.

Since the beginning of the 110th Congress, the Committee has conducted extensive oversight into allegations of misconduct by the administration, including: (1) improper politicization of the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorneys offices, including potential misuse of authority with regard to election and voting controversies; (2) misuse of executive branch authority and the adoption and implementation of the so-called unitary executive theory, including in the areas of presidential signing statements and regulatory authority; (3) misuse of investigatory and detention authority with regard to U.S. citizens and foreign nationals, including questions regarding the legality of the administration’s surveillance, detention, interrogation, and rendition programs; (4) manipulation of intelligence and misuse of war powers, including possible misrepresentations to Congress related thereto; (5) improper retaliation against administration critics, including disclosing information concerning CIA operative Valerie Plame, and obstruction of justice related thereto; and (6) misuse of authority in denying Congress and the American people the ability to oversee and scrutinize conduct within the administration, including through the use of various asserted privileges and immunities.

The July 25 hearing will be held at 10:00 a.m. in room 2141 of the Rayburn House Office Building. Additional information, including witness participation, will be announced next week.