http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2008_record&page=H8&position=allCONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE January 15, 2008
BEGIN IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS
ON RESOLUTION OF IMPEACHMENT
OF VICE PRESIDENT
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a
previous order of the House, the gentleman
from Florida (Mr. WEXLER) is
recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. WEXLER. Madam Speaker, on
November 7, 2007, this House voted to
refer Congressman KUCINICH’s resolution
of impeachment of Vice President
CHENEY to the House Judiciary Committee.
As a member of the Judiciary
Committee, I now ask that we immediately
begin impeachment hearings.
The issues at hand are far too serious
to ignore. DICK CHENEY faces credible
allegations of abuse of power that if
proven may well constitute high
crimes and misdemeanors.
Did the Vice President manipulate
intelligence to push this Nation into
war based on false pretense?
Did the Vice President unmask a covert
CIA agent for political purposes?
Did the Vice President order the illegal
surveillance of Americans and the
illegal use of torture?
These questions must be answered.
Just recently, former White House
Press Secretary Scott McClellan revealed
that the Vice President and his
staff purposely gave him false information
to report to the American people,
a clear obstruction of justice.
This administration has undermined
the checks and balances of our government
by brazenly ignoring congressional
subpoenas and recklessly claiming
executive privilege. Impeachment
hearings are the only way to force the
Bush administration to answer questions
and tell the truth.
Congress must take the first step by
enforcing the subpoenas against Harriet
Miers and the President’s Chief of
Staff and hold them in contempt of
Congress. In this time, at this moment,
Congress must stand for the truth. If
we fail to act, history may well judge
us complicit in the alleged crimes of
Vice President CHENEY.
Madam Speaker, a growing chorus of
Americans are calling for accountability.
The response from Congress
thus far has been silence and denial.
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman
from Florida is reminded to refrain
from personal references toward
the Vice President.
Mr. WEXLER. Madam Speaker, not
long ago I launched a Web site in support
of my call for hearings. The people
responded en masse. After only 4
weeks, over 189,000 Americans have registered
their support for hearings,
names I now hold in my hand. These
frustrated and patriotic Americans
come from all 50 States and share one
common goal: accountability for the
Bush-Cheney administration and a rebirth
of Congress as an equal branch of
government.
So many have been working on this
cause before me. Groups like Democrats.
com, AfterDowningStreet.org,
CodePink, ImpeachBush.org, Impeach
for Peace and others. All told, there
have been well over 1 million signatures
urging us to take action.
Tomorrow, I will deliver these names
to my colleagues on the Judiciary
Committee with a letter to my friend
Chairman CONYERS calling for hearings.
I will ask my colleagues to sign
this letter. In addition, tomorrow, and
continuing every day for months, I will
publish in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD
several thousand names of supporters
who have signed up.
History demands that we take action,
because the case against Vice
President CHENEY is far stronger than
the illegalities surrounding Watergate.
When compared to the partisan and
petty allegations made against President
Clinton by Ken Starr and the GOP
Congress, the true gravity of the case
against the Vice President appears in
its devastating clarity. In fact, in the
history of our Nation, we have never
encountered a moment where the actions
of a President or a Vice President
have more strongly demanded the use
of the power of impeachment.
I have heard the arguments that it is
too late, that we have run out of time,
and that we don’t have the votes. While
today there may not be enough votes
to impeach, it is premature to think
that such support would not exist after
hearings. Let us remember that it
wasn’t until after hearings began that
the Watergate tapes emerged. Who
knows what facts will comfort when
the full truth is told in this case?
Arguing that it is too late signals to
future administrations that in the
waning months in office they are immune
from constitutional accountability.
Hold hearings which will put
the evidence on the table, and the evidence
alone must determine the outcome.
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER
PRO TEMPORE
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Visitors
in the gallery are guests of the House
and shall refrain from displays of approval
or disapproval.
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