Kucinich is pursuing CheneyÕs impeachment. Well let's help him out. Sacks and sacks of mail are about to arrive in Dennis Kucinich's office initiating impeachment via the House of Representative's own rules.
Kucinich says he is building his case for impeachment, and is working to build the support of his peers in Congress. He said he needs us to keep building the groundswell of support for impeachment all over the country. He asks that we send him copies of all the resolutions passed in various States, local Legislative Districts, County Districts and of any petitions with signatures, so that he can present them to the floor of the House. He said he felt that our framing the issue of impeachment in terms of the Constitution is a principled choice, and ultimately more effective than just acting on anger. Here's video of Kucinich addressing the impeachment issue:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAIJyKhJhiM
Let's answer Kucinich's call with a petition that has its precedent in history, and its legitimacy in the Rules of the House of Representatives.
This is much more than just a petition. This is a way for individual citizens to initiate the impeachment process themselves, directly.
There's a little known and rarely used clause in the rules for the House of Representatives that sets forth the various ways in which a Vice President can be impeached. Only the House Judiciary Committee puts together the Articles of Impeachment, but before that happens, someone has to initiate the process.
That's where we come in. One of the ways to get impeachment going is for individual citizens like you and I to submit a memorial. ImpeachForPeace.org has created this new memorial based on one that was successful in impeaching a federal official in the past.
To find out more, check out: http://ImpeachForPeace.org/ImpeachNow.html
To initiate impeachment, send one letter to Impeach for Peace, and another to one or more of the following representatives who were recommended by Rep. Keith Ellison. Rep. Ellison is on the House Judiciary (the committee in charge of drawing up Articles of Impeachment), and provided a list of fellow Judiciary members. With encouragement, Rep. Ellison believes these representatives might support impeachment. Then, come July, to make a big impact, weÕre delivering all the letters weÕve received on the same date, and with cameras rolling.
Strategic Representatives to whom to send this memorial:
| Honorable Dennis J. Kucinich 14400 Detroit Avenue Lakewood, Ohio 44107 | |
| Honorable Linda T. Sanchez 17906 Crusader Ave. Ste. 100 Cerritos, CA 90703 | Honorable Jerrold Nadler 201 Varick Street, Suite 669 New York, NY 10014 |
| Honorable Howard L. Berman 14546 Hamlin Street, Suite 202 Van Nuys, CA 91411 | Honorable Zoe Lofgren 635 N. First Street, Suite B San Jose, CA 95112 |
HereÕs what to do:
1. Print out two pages: the cover letter and petition addressed to ÒImpeach for Peace.Ó Also print as many copies of the last two pages in this document as you wish. These two pages are the cover letter which you will address to various representatives listed above, and the petition. Each envelope will contain a cover letter and a petition.
2. Fill in all blank spots:
¥ Print your name/address in the ÒFrom:Ó boxes on the cover letters and petitions.
¥ Print your full name after ÒI, _____Ó on the cover letters.
¥ Print your state after ÒState of ______Ó on the cover letters (For example: ÒMinnesotaÓ).
¥ Sign your name and write the current date on the ÒSignatureÓ line at the bottom of each of the cover letters.
¥ Write your full name after ÒThe petition of _____Ó on each of the petitions.
¥ Print your state after ÒState of ______Ó on the petitions (For example: ÒMinnesotaÓ).
¥ Print the representativesÕ name and address in each cover letterÕs ÒTo:Ó box.
¥ Print the representativesÕ name in each cover letterÕs ÒDear ________, Ò line.
3. OPTIONAL: According to the chief parliamentarian in the U.S. House of Representatives and his deputy, these memorials do not need to be notarized. If youÕd rather be on the safe side, however, there are many local banks or workplaces that will notarize them at no cost. There are also notaries in every law office. IMPORTANT: If you decide to get the petitions notarized, wait to sign and date them until you are in the presence of the notary. You can find a notary at: http://www.notaryrotary.com/agent/search.asp
However, do not let the inconvenience of notarizing the memorials stop you from sending them. If you are unlikely to go to this effort, or if you do not have a bank account and are unwilling to pay to have them notarized (usually a very small fee if not free at many businesses), then simply sign it and send it in. Notarization is probably not necessary, and regardless, your document will help create political pressure.
4. If youÕve decided against getting the document notarized, then sign and date the ÒSignatureÓ line of the petitions that have the bit about notarization on them.
5. Address envelopes with Impeach for PeaceÕs name/address and the name/address of the representatives (listed above).
6. Write your return address on the envelopes and put stamps on them.
7. Place the memorials and cover letters in the appropriately addressed envelopes (and please consider including a voluntary contribution to ÔImpeach for PeaceÕ to help us with travel expenses to Washington DC).
8. Email all your friends about this!
9. Mail the envelopes today.
Petition: Cover Letter
| To: Impeach for Peace | From (Name & Address): |
Dear Impeach for Peace,
I, __________________, citizen of the State of _______________, and of the United States, respectfully ask you to deliver on my behalf to the U.S. House of Representatives a petition of memorial. In concordance with the Jefferson's Manual section LIII, 603, which states that Òimpeachment may be set in motion by charges preferred by a memorial, which is usually referred to a committee for examinationÓ, I submit the enclosed petition for review by the House Judiciary Committee regarding the impeachment of the Vice President of the United States.
Thank you in advance for your assistance in this procedure.
Respectfully,
________________________________________________
Signature Date:
Petition
| | From (Name & Address): |
To the Honorable House of Representatives of the United States:
The petition of _____________________, a citizen of the State of _________________, and of the United States, respectfully showeth:
That, Jefferson's Manual section LIII, 603, states that impeachment may be set in motion by charges preferred by a memorial, which is usually referred to a committee for examination; and
The memorial goes on to set forth that, Richard B. Cheney has intentionally misled the public regarding the threat from Iraq in order to justify a war against Iraq, intentionally conspired with others to defraud the United States in connection with the war against Iraq in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 371; and
The memorial goes on to set forth that, Richard B. Cheney has conspired to commit the torture of prisoners in violation of the "Federal Torture Act" Title 18 United States Code, Section 113C, the UN Torture Convention and the Geneva Convention, which under Article VI of the Constitution are part of the "supreme Law of the Land"; and
The memorial goes on to set forth that, Richard B. Cheney authorized the leaking classified national secrets to further a political agenda, exposing an unknown number of covert U. S. intelligence agents to potential harm and retribution;
The memorial goes on to set forth that, In all of this Richard B. Cheney has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as Vice President, subversive of constitutional government to the great prejudice of the cause of law and justice, and to the manifest injury of the people of the United States.
In conclusion the memoralist says:
Having thus submitted to your honorable body the facts of his case, your petitioner begs leave to observe that it appears from those facts:
First. That the said Richard B. Cheney has, in his capacity of Vice President of the United States, been guilty of usurping a power which the laws of the land did not give him.
Second. That said Richard B. Cheney has exercised his power, be the same usurped or legitimate, to the detriment of every citizen of the United States.
Wherefore, and inasmuch as the said Richard B. Cheney has violated the most sacred and undoubted rights of the inhabitants of these United States, your petitioner prays that the conduct and proceedings in this behalf, of said Richard B. Cheney, may be inquired into by your honorable body, and such decision made therein to impeach, to appoint managers to conduct the impeachment trial in the Senate, and to inform the Senate of these facts by resolution (Manual Sec. 607; Deschler Ch 14 Sec. 9) for trial and removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States;
And your petitioner, as in duty bound, will pray.
____________________________________________________________________
Signature Date
Print Name: __________________________________
| For Notarizing Only STATE OF ______________________ ) ) SS: COUNTY OF ____________________ ) SWORN TO and subscribed in my presence this _______ day of ___________________, 20______. ___________________________________ Notary Public |
Petition: Cover Letter
| To: | From (Name & Address): |
Dear _____________________________,
I, __________________, citizen of the State of _______________, and of the United States, respectfully ask your representation in the U.S. House of Representatives through a petition of memorial. In concordance with the Jefferson's Manual section LIII, 603, which states that Òimpeachment may be set in motion by charges preferred by a memorial, which is usually referred to a committee for examinationÓ, I submit the enclosed petition for review by the House Judiciary Committee (for precedent see Hinds Sec. 2364, 2491, 2494) regarding the impeachment of the Vice President of the United States.
For precedent, I refer to the petition of Luke Edward Lawless, from March 30th, 1826 in regards to impeaching Federal Judge James H. Peck.
Also, here are the House rules that allow for the submission of the memorial (even from those not in you constituency):
______________________________________________________________________
Congress House Rules Manual -- Doc No. 108-241, Page 600-ÒPetitions, memorials, and other papers addressed to the House may be presented by the Speaker as well as by a Member (IV, 3312). Petitions from the country at large are presented by the Speaker in the manner prescribed by the rule (III, 2030; IV, 3318; VII, 1025). A Member may present a petition from the people of a State other than his own (IV, 3315, 3316). The House itself may refer one portion of a petition to one committee and another portion to another committee (IV, 3359, 3360), but ordinarily the reference of a petition does not come before the House itself.Ó
________________________________________________________________________
Thank you in advance for your assistance in this procedure.
Respectfully,
________________________________________________
Signature Date:
Petition
| | From (Name & Address): |
To the Honorable House of Representatives of the United States:
The petition of _____________________, a citizen of the State of _________________, and of the United States, respectfully showeth:
That, Jefferson's Manual section LIII, 603, states that impeachment may be set in motion by charges preferred by a memorial, which is usually referred to a committee for examination; and
The memorial goes on to set forth that, Richard B. Cheney has intentionally misled the public regarding the threat from Iraq in order to justify a war against Iraq, intentionally conspired with others to defraud the United States in connection with the war against Iraq in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 371; and
The memorial goes on to set forth that, Richard B. Cheney has conspired to commit the torture of prisoners in violation of the "Federal Torture Act" Title 18 United States Code, Section 113C, the UN Torture Convention and the Geneva Convention, which under Article VI of the Constitution are part of the "supreme Law of the Land"; and
The memorial goes on to set forth that, Richard B. Cheney authorized the leaking classified national secrets to further a political agenda, exposing an unknown number of covert U. S. intelligence agents to potential harm and retribution;
The memorial goes on to set forth that, In all of this Richard B. Cheney has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as Vice President, subversive of constitutional government to the great prejudice of the cause of law and justice, and to the manifest injury of the people of the United States.
In conclusion the memoralist says:
Having thus submitted to your honorable body the facts of his case, your petitioner begs leave to observe that it appears from those facts:
First. That the said Richard B. Cheney has, in his capacity of Vice President of the United States, been guilty of usurping a power which the laws of the land did not give him.
Second. That said Richard B. Cheney has exercised his power, be the same usurped or legitimate, to the detriment of every citizen of the United States.
Wherefore, and inasmuch as the said Richard B. Cheney has violated the most sacred and undoubted rights of the inhabitants of these United States, your petitioner prays that the conduct and proceedings in this behalf, of said Richard B. Cheney, may be inquired into by your honorable body, and such decision made therein to impeach, to appoint managers to conduct the impeachment trial in the Senate, and to inform the Senate of these facts by resolution (Manual Sec. 607; Deschler Ch 14 Sec. 9) for trial and removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States;
And your petitioner, as in duty bound, will pray.
____________________________________________________________________
Signature Date
Print Name: __________________________________
| For Notarizing Only STATE OF ______________________ ) ) SS: COUNTY OF ____________________ ) SWORN TO and subscribed in my presence this _______ day of ___________________, 20______. ___________________________________ Notary Public |