Below you’ll read the opinions of many congresspeople on the topic of impeachment. However, despite repeated calls, faxes, and emails, the following representatives on the Judiciary Committee failed to make available for a meeting even one of their aides: John Conyers (D-MI), Artur Davis (D-AL), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Melvin L. Watt (D-NC), Howard L. Berman (D-CA), Rick Boucher (D-VA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), William D. Delahunt (D-MA), Linda T. Sanchez (D-CA), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI).
Read about the previous day here.
Friday the 27th
10:00 a.m.
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We met with Mr. Jonathan Pyatt, Legislative Council for Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. Mr. Pyatt welcomed us and made it clear that Rep. Wasserman-Schultz was sympathetic to our position, but was also afraid that impeachment would distract from implementing a variety of social programs, such as issues surrounding child health care. We reminded him of the importance of stopping the precedent set by this Administration and the power of the veto to prevent significant social change, suggesting that the best way to accomplish the Democratic agenda is through impeachment. Mr. Pyatt stated that Rep. Wasserman-Schultz is also concerned about ensuring that Democrats remain in power and gain the White House during the upcoming elections. We informed him of how previous impeachment attempts have favored the party pursuing them and discussed how the public perception of Democrats as unwilling to hold the Administration accountable was making them look weaker and hurting their chances in the elections. Ultimately, Mr. Pyatt stated that the Congresswoman’s position was that we may get to the point where impeachment is required, but that this is not the time, and that we should talk about it again in September. We conveyed the urgency of the situation in light of the upcoming distraction in the form of the 2008 elections. We also presented Mr. Pyatt with “The Genius of Impeachment,” and wrapped up by reminding him that it doesn’t hurt to join the 15 supporters of H. Res. 333, to which he replied, “Point taken.”
Pressure from constituents can hardly go awry at this point.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)
Phone: 202-225-7931
Submit your comment to Rep. Wasserman Schultz
11:00 a.m.
We met with Rep. Bobby Scott next. Rep. Scott spoke with us for about an hour, and even then practically had to be dragged away by his staffers once he was late for his next appointment. David Swanson of After Downing Street describes the meeting: “I like debating Scott because he starts with most of the same premises I do but ends up in a totally different place… He maintains that there does not yet exist solid evidence for impeachment, and that investigations will uncover such evidence faster if they are not called impeachment investigations. He thinks that calling them impeachment investigations will prevent the Democrats from joining with the Republicans to pass good legislation. And he’s concerned that joining the 15 heroes now cosponsoring articles of impeachment against Dick Cheney would ‘marginalize’ him.” Read the whole article
Contact Rep. Robert C. Scott (D-VA)
(202) 225-8351
Submit your comment to Rep. Scott
12:45 p.m.
We stopped by Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. to present him with a DIY Memorial and requested that his staffers relay to him our request that he sign onto H. Res. 333 to support Cheney’s impeachment.
Contact Rep. Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. (D-IL)
202-225-0773
Submit your comment to Rep. Jackson
1:00 p.m.
We visited Rep. Betty McCollum’s office, explained the DIY Impeachment, and presented her with a DIY Memorial from her district. We delivered about a thousand pro-impeachment signatures from Minnesota citizens, and also requested that the Congresswoman sign H. Res. 333. We asked her office that we would be continuing to attempt to set up a meeting locally in Minnesota.
Contact Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN)
202-225-6631
Submit your comment to Rep. McCollum 11:00 a.m.
2:00 p.m.
As Representatives were getting out after voting on the farm bill, we laid out two suitcases filled with DIY Impeachment Memorials outside the Congressional offices and waited for Congresspeople to walk by. Perhaps because of the heat, few took this route, but we did have the chance to discuss H. Res. 333 with a few. One flatly stated that he did not support impeachment. Another, who was not aware of the resolution in question, thought that it would be a distraction from other work in Congress. A third Congressman also stated that it would be a distraction, as well as divisive in light of what happened with President Clinton. When informed that unlike Clinton’s impeachment, this one has public support and would involve legitimate impeachable offenses, the Congressman asked whether we thought Clinton engaged in impeachable offenses. We replied that we have no doubt that he did, but that this was not the reason he was impeached. The Congressman’s then smiled and indicated agreement, and thanked us for being our here doing this work.
4:00 p.m.
Rep. Ellison’s office had informed us that the Congressman may have to cancel our 4:00 appointment, and sure enough, unfortunately he was not able to make it. We stopped by anyway to take advantage of any press which came by. Rep. Ellison’s office was courteous enough to provide us with an alternate meeting with a legislative aide, during which we requested that Rep. Ellison communicate with members of the Minneapolis City Council in support of passing an impeachment resolution. We also offered the Congressman the chance to take the DIY impeachment resolutions to the floor of the House. The aide agreed to pass along our request.
Contact Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN)
202-225-4755
Submit your comment to Rep. Ellison
5:00 p.m.
We stopped by Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s office to present a DIY Impeachment Memorial from California. Although Rep. Pelosi was not available to meet with us, her staffers agreed to present her with the Memorial. We also asked them to encourage the Congresswoman to put impeachment back on the table.
Before we left, we also photographed one of our members in a Guantanamo Bay outfit standing by Nancy Pelosi’s office.
6:00 p.m.
As apart of World Can’t Wait’s “Declare It Now! Wear Orange” Campaign, we marched around the White House a few times, one of us clad in a Guantanamo Bay detainee outfit, the other in a shirt proudly proclaiming impeachment. Shortly after, we met up with the local chapter of World Can’t Wait at a local restaurant, who treated us to a showing of “No End in Sight,” a documentary on how our country went to war in Iraq.
9:30 p.m.
After the film “No End in Sight,” we attended a discussion panel with Associate Producer Audrey Marrs and people who had appeared in the documentary. Rep. Jim Moran was present during this discussion and made several remarks sharply critical of the Bush Administration. We made sure to make mention of impeachment during the discussion as well, garnering some applause. As we were leaving the theater, possibly because he saw our impeachment shirts and heard our impeachment-related question, Rep. Moran thanked us for our efforts.
Hency “Hank” Johnson DID cosign H. Res. 333 to impeach Vice President Cheney… so don’t be too hard on him.
As for the rest… they are in violation of their oaths of office and anyone who wants to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies foreign and domestic” (Dick Cheney, George W. Bush, Alberto Gonzales, et al) should consider running against them in ’08 as a Green, Indeplendent or Democrat during the primary.
I thought Maxine Waters represented the people. I was wrong!
We had a meeting scheduled with Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) herself, but when
we arrived we were informed that Rep. Waters was busy at the moment. We
discussed impeachment for about ten minutes with one of her staffers, who
was not well informed on this issue and was unaware of Rep. Waters’ current
thoughts on impeachment strategy. The staffer made an attempt to locate Rep.
Waters, but she remained busy. He encouraged us to call the scheduler as we
were leaving to make an appointment with the Representative or an informed
staffer. When we did so, the scheduler informed us that Rep. Waters would be
busy for the duration of our stay. When we asked if we could schedule a
phone conference, the scheduler stated they would call us back to do so if
they had the chance. Or will they still be too busy or on August recess?
I was told that Maxine Waters had a scheduled meeting about Impeachment but was unable to attend because she was on the phone. She was more interested in an “Important Call”. She was too busy. She needs to do more work. She is obligated to Impeach Bush and Cheney. She has a lot of work ahead of her and needs to make Impeachment her #1 priority.
Great work Jodin, D.L. Corvin and David, etc. I know that this moves things forward a notch or two. We’ll keep the pressure up back in Minnesota and see what the next few weeks brings.
I strongly encourage everyone reading this to contact their Representative as often as they can to encourage them to cosign H. Res. 333.
it is becoming very clear that most Reps. aren’t aware of how intensely most Americans fear that our Democracy may not withstand this assault.
The ACLU is putting out a highly pointed message that the Constitution may be lost forever.
I fear they may be right.
Maxine Waters has cosigned H. Res. 333 to impeach Cheney. She worked hard to get Conyers to meet with our lobbyists Jodin and D.L. Corvin. Maxine is doing the people’s work. No question. She should be thanked and strongly encouraged to continue.
By not Impeaching Bush (Democrats), this empowers the Green Party. The Green party could change the results of the 2008 election. Anyone agree? Remind them there is a Green Party and people are Very Unhappy with the Democrats and the Republicans. Kucinich should be part of the Green Party.
John Conyers is the Chairman and he of all people should be DEMANDING IMPEACHMENT.
He is Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. What does that say about the members of the Judiciary?
Maxine Waters changed her tune. She is only on the Judiciary Committee and our president and vice presdident have broken the Law!