Kucinich to launch Cheney impeachment push on April 25

Michael Roston
The Raw Story
Thursday April 19, 2007

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), the former mayor of Cleveland who is seeking the 2008 Democratic nomination for president for the second time, has selected a date to introduce articles of impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney.

A source who asked to remain anonymous told RAW STORY that the articles of impeachment would be introduced next week.

"The Congressman plans to introduce the articles on Wednesday, April 25th," the source told RAW STORY.

The Congressman's office responded in an e-mail Thursday afternoon to RAW STORY by saying "No comment" when asked if the report was true.

Mary Ann Akers reported at her blog, The Sleuth, on Monday that the Congressman had sent a "dear colleague" letter to fellow Members of Congress informing them of his plan to introduce the articles of impeachment against the Vice President. However, he had postponed the plan in the wake of the killing of 32 students, faculty, and staff at Virginia Tech on Monday.

Multiple congressional offices confirmed to RAW STORY that they had received the letter, but none had been apprised of the impeachable offenses with which the Ohio Democrat would charge the Vice President.

Additionally, a spokesman for the House Judiciary Committee, which would receive and consider Kucinich's charges against the Vice President once they are filed, was not yet aware of them.

Vice President Cheney's office would not comment to the Cleveland Plain Dealer on the reports about the charges because they had not yet seen the articles.

Unimpeachable - A Bush Tribute

GOP Gonzales Resignation Roll Call

By Will Thomas - April 20, 2007, 12:19 PM
TPM

It's time for an update.

Since our last rundown of Republicans who want Gonzales gone, a number of others have made outright calls for his resignation. Still more have stopped just short, though they've made it clear that they hope Gonzales will do everyone a favor and resign.

Gonzales' sole enthusiastic supporters, by our count, are Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and the White House.

The list:

The Senate

Sen. John Sununu (R-NH)- "The president should fire the attorney general and replace him as soon as possible with someone who can provide strong, aggressive leadership."

Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR)- "For the Justice Department to be effective before the U.S. Senate, it would be helpful."

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK): "I believe you ought to suffer the consequences that these others have suffered. I believe the best way for us to put this behind us is your resignation."

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL)- "There are some problems that he just hasn't handled well, and it might just be best if he came to a conclusion that the department is better served if he's not there.'"

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)- "Sometimes, it just came down to these were not the right people at the right time. If I applied that standard to you, what would you say?"

Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA)- "For you to have said this was an ‘overblown personnel matter,’ I think that can't be erased. And the clouds over a lot of the professionals can't be erased and the worry by those who haven’t been subjected to those clouds can't be erased. Now, I’m not going call for you resignation; I'm not going to make a recommendation on that. I think there are two people that have to decide that question. You have to decide it in the first instance. If you decide to stay on, it’s up to the President to decide."

The House

Rep. Vern Elhers (R-MI)- "Since he's such a close, personal friend, he's hurt the President by what he's doing, he should have the politeness to offer his resignation."

Rep. Paul Gillmor (R-OH)- 'Given the totality of the circumstances, I think it would be better for the President and the Department if the Attorney General were to step down."

Rep. Dana Rohrbacher (R-CA)- "Even for Republicans this is a warning sign … saying there needs to be a change."

Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE)- "Frankly, until these statements came out that contradicted his first statement, I was backing him, saying that he shouldn't resign. Now I think that he should."

Prominent Conservatives

The National Review Editorial Board- "Alberto Gonzales should resign. The Justice Department needs a fresh start."

Mark Corallo, Justice Department spokesman (2002-2005)- "Alberto Gonzales' loyalty to George Bush has got to trump George Bush's loyalty to Alberto Gonzales."

Additionally, prior to Gonzales’ testimony, a group of conservatives with ties to the White House wrote President Bush to express their displeasure with the Attorney General. They finished the letter saying:

"Attorney General Gonzales has proven an unsuitable steward of the law and should resign for the good of the country... The President should accept the resignation."

Included as signatories were: Bruce Fein, a former senior official in the Reagan Justice Department, David Keene, Chariman of the American Conservative Union, John Whitehead, head of the Rutherford Institute, Bob Barr, former Georgia Congressman, and Richard Viguerie, a well-known GOP fundraiser.

Doolittle Resigns Appropriations Panel Seat

By Paul Kiel
TPM
April 19, 2007, 2:25 PM

Rep. John Doolittle, R-Calif., has decided to temporarily give up his seat on the House Appropriations Committee after FBI agents searched his house as part of a congressional influence-peddling investigation.

Doolittle's decision, to be announced Thursday, was confirmed by a Republican congressional staffer who spoke on condition of anonymity because the news was not yet public.

That would be the same appropriations seat which he used to help steer $37 million to Brent Wilkes (who's accused of bribing Duke Cunningham), and another $400,000 to Jack Abramoff's client, the government of the Marianas Islands.

Update: More from Roll Call:

While Doolittle is expected to voluntarily take himself off the panel while the investigation continues, knowledgeable House sources said that Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and members of the Republican Steering Committee -- which determines committee assignments -- were prepared to remove him from his post if he would not do so himself.

Republicans Turning Against Gonzales

In a comment on an earlier post (Gonzales Gets Heated With Sen Specter: “I’ve Already Said That I Misspoke”), I pointed out that Arlen Specter, a Republican Senator (Pennsylvania), who grilled Gonzales on his "preparation" for today's hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, is sick of Gonzales. Apparently he is not alone as this story, together with video clip shows:

Coburn: You Should Resign

By Paul Kiel - April 19, 2007, 3:06 PM
TPM

During his questioning, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) told Alberto Gonzales that he should resign.

There "has to be consequences" for the management and leadership failure under Gonzales' watch. It's "generous to say that there were misstatements" by Gonzales and others, Coburn said. "I believe that you ought to suffer the consequences," he said, adding that Gonzales ought to be judged by the same standards with which he judged the U.S. attorneys.

"The best way to put this behind us is your resignation."

Here is another Republican Senator, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who is leass than 100% happy with the U.S. attorney firings:

Key Aide Has Told Wolfowitz To Step Down, Sources Say

Reuters | Posted April 18, 2007 10:34 PM

A deputy to Paul Wolfowitz urged the World Bank chief on Wednesday to resign in the interests of the institution during a meeting of the bank's management, sources who participated in the meeting said.

The sources told Reuters that World Bank Managing Director Graeme Wheeler, a bank veteran named by Wolfowitz as one of his two deputies a year ago, raised the issue at a meeting of the bank's vice presidents.

Read Whole Story

Gonzales Hearing

April 19, 2007 at 08:54 AM

The Senators' comments are taken from Thursday's Senate Judiciary Oversight hearing on the firing of eight US Attorneys. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is the committee's main witness. The following are excerpts from the hearing:




Senators' comments:

Sen Leahy: The Dept of Justice should never be reduced to another political arm of the White House.... There is mounting evidence of improper actions...if you have nothing to hide then the White House should stop hiding it....

Sen Specter: This is a reconfirmation hearing...

Sen Schumer: This is a predicament of the Attorney General's own making...Who's running the Department?...

Sen Kennedy: Documents don't show any clear rational for the firings..

Sen Kohl: Many Americans wonder what is the rational for you to continue as Attorney General...

READ WHOLE STORY

Gonzales Gets Heated With Sen Specter: "I've Already Said That I Misspoke"

April 19, 2007 at 11:03 AM

This video from CSPAN is from Thursday's Senate oversight hearing of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' handling of the US Attorney firings.

Around 10:15am, the interchange between GOP Senator Arlen Specter and Alberto Gonzales got particularly heated over the question of Gonzales' preparation.

Transcript:

Sen Specter: I know you've been preparing for this hearing

Gonzales: I prepare for every hearing, Senator

Sen Specter: Do you prepare for all your press conferences? Were you prepared for the press conference where you said there weren't any discussions involving you?

Gonzales: Senator, I've already said that I misspoke. It was my mistake....

Sen Specter:...I'm asking you were you prepared. You interjected that you're always prepared. Were you prepared for that press conference?

Gonzoles: Sir I didn't say that I was always prepared. I said I prepared for every hearing.

Sen Specter: Well and I'm asking you do you prepare for your press conferences.

Gonzales: Senator we do take time to try to prepare for the press conference.

Sen Specter: And were you prepared when you said your weren't involved in any deliberations?

Gonzales: Senator, I'v already conceded that I misspoke at that press conference. There was nothing intentional. And the truth of the matter is...

Sen Specter: ...Let's. let's, let's, move on, I don't think you're going to win a debate about your preparation frankly...

McCain Sings: "Bomb Bomb Bomb, Bomb Bomb Iran," At Campaign Stop

Georgetown Times | Scott Harper | Posted April 19, 2007 10:30 AM

with getting proper medical treatment when it's needed, it makes it hard to recruit, McCain said.
Another man -- wondering if an attack on Iran is in the works -- wanted to know when America is going to "send an air mail message to Tehran."

McCain began his answer by changing the words to a popular Beach Boys song.
"Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran," he sang to the tune of Barbara Ann. "Iran is dedicated to the destruction of Israel. That alone should concern us but now they are trying for nuclear capabilities. I totally support the President when he says we will not allow Iran to destroy Israel."

South Korean 'loner' behind US school shooting

AFP
Published: Tuesday April 17, 2007


MAKESHIFT memorial at Virginia Tech; anger, grief grips campus after shooting.

Anger and grief gripped the campus of Virginia Tech University on Tuesday as police identified the gunman behind the deadliest school shooting in US history as a South Korean student "loner."

Monday's rampage at the university in southwestern Virginia, which left more than 30 people dead, was carried out by Cho Seung-Hui, 23, an English major at Virginia Tech, police said.

The Chicago Tribune newspaper and ABC News reported that Cho had left behind a note in his dormitory in which he railed against "rich kids."

"You caused me to do this," he wrote in the several-page-long note that railed against "debauchery" and "deceitful charlatans."

Wesley Clarke Outlines "the Plan"...

...to take out Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and finally Iran:

So I came back to see him a few weeks later, and by that time we were bombing in Afghanistan. I said, “Are we still going to war with Iraq?” And he said, “Oh, it’s worse than that.” He reached over on his desk. He picked up a piece of paper. And he said, “I just got this down from upstairs” -- meaning the Secretary of Defense’s office -- “today.” And he said, “This is a memo that describes how we’re going to take out seven countries in five years, starting with Iraq, and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and, finishing off, Iran.” I said, “Is it classified?” He said, “Yes, sir.” I said, “Well, don’t show it to me.” And I saw him a year or so ago, and I said, “You remember that?” He said, “Sir, I didn’t show you that memo! I didn’t show it to you!”

Wes Clarke says:

Please join the Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans at VoteVets.org and me -- sign the petition to President Bush today. Urge him to work with our allies and use every diplomatic, political, and economic option at our disposal to deal with Iran. War is not the answer.

President Bush, I demand that you stop the rush to war with Iran. I urge you to use every option available to defuse tensions with Iran -- diplomatic, political, and economic -- before even considering military force. Military force must be viewed as the last resort -- not the first option. War is not the answer.

StopIranWar.com

What Could Have Possessed Him?

S.Korean student blamed for U.S. shooting rampage
Tue Apr 17, 2007 12:55PM EDT
Andrea Hopkins and Patricia Zengerle

BLACKSBURG, Virginia (Reuters) - A student from South Korea was the gunman who killed 32 people at Virginia Tech university, police said on Tuesday. They gave no motive for the worst shooting rampage in U.S. history.

Police identified the shooter as Cho Seung-Hui, a 23-year-old senior who was a legal U.S. resident, and said one of two guns found was used in both shootings on Monday at the sprawling rural campus in southwestern Virginia.

Cho killed himself at Virginia Tech after opening fire on students and staff in four classrooms in an apparently premeditated massacre. Two people were shot to death two hours earlier at a dormitory.

Police said Cho was studying English literature.

"The evidence has not led us to say with all certainty that the same shooter was involved in both shootings," said Steven Flaherty, superintendent of the Virginia State Police. "It's certainly reasonable for us to assume that Cho was the shooter in both places."

Victims were found in at least four classrooms as well as a stairwell, he said.

"The gunman was discovered among several of the victims in one of the classrooms," Flaherty said. "He had taken his own life."

Full Article

Scientists fear flight of Britain's bumblebees

Last year, I allowed the grass and the weeds of the lawn in front of my home to grow, and was delighted to see the bees who were attracted by the dandelions.

This year I've done the same, but the bees are nowhere in sight.

This is worrying.

The article below from Reuters outlines the reasons why we in Britain should be concerned:

Britain's bumblebee population is under threat in a crisis that could wipe out entire species and have a devastating knock-on effect on agriculture, scientists say.

The furry yellow-and-black creatures, essential for pollination, are being killed off by pesticides and agricultural intensification, which have cut back on hedgerows and removed their source of food.

"There just aren't enough flowers around," Professor Dave Goulson, the director of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust at the University of Stirling in Scotland, said on Monday.

"If we knock out an important group like bumblebees, it can have a huge knock-on impact on other things, such as the pollination of important crops and flowers."

The abortion rebellion: NHS doctors refuse to carry out terminations

SIMON CABLE and SIMON CALDWELL
UK Daily Mail
Monday April 16, 2007

Rising numbers of doctors are refusing to carry out abortions, leading to a crisis in NHS provision.

The stance by staff, taken on ethical grounds, has led to a doubling of abortions carried out by private clinics, according to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

The swell of medical staff joining the unprecedented moral revolt means that there may soon not be enough doctors to carry out sufficient terminations to meet the public demand.

Why Is this Happening Again?

The Grade 1 class at Dunblane Primary School.

Most of the children in this class were killed in the shooting on 13 March 1996

First Dunblane (1996), then Columbine (1999), then Nickel Mines (2006), now this...

David Iglesias Removed Shortly After Phonecall Between Sen. Domenici and 'President'...

Here are two stories based on the Albuquerque Journal article Suzie posted earlier today (tonight) on Domenici's sacking of Iglesias.

The first from TPM:

Can I get your attention for a second?

Josh Marshall
TPM
(April 15, 2007 -- 01:37 PM EDT)

You're going to hear a lot about Al Gonzales on the Hill, document dumps and timelines and a lot of other stuff. But not much else you're going to see in the Purge story is going to be as important as this story that ran this morning in The Albuquerque Journal. I mentioned it below and Paul Kiel has a detailed analysis of it here.

But here's what it amounts to.

It was Sen. Domenici's (R-NM) call to David Iglesias to get him to game the November election with an election-timed indictment that got this scandal really rolling. And it's always been the key question just how and whether Domenici's failed play to get Iglesias to tamper with the November election led to his firing on December 7th.

Now, we know a much more detailed timeline about just what happened.

As we've known Domenici had been complaining about Iglesias for some time. President Bush and Karl Rove had also been complaining to Gonzales about Iglesias's record prosecuting 'voter fraud'. Domenici told Gonzales he wanted Iglesias out back in the Spring of 2006. But Gonzales said he would only fire Iglesias on the president's orders.

Now, let's fast foward to just before the November election. Iglesias didn't show up on the firing list prepared in October 2006. Then Domenici makes his call sometime a couple weeks or so before the election. He doesn't get satisfaction from Iglesias. And then shortly after the election, Domenici puts in a call to Karl Rove. He tells Rove he wants Iglesias fired. And he asks Rove to take his message directly to the president. That led to a telephone conversation between Domenici and the president himself, presumably arranged by Rove.

Do you think it's possible that Domenici didn't mention his call to Iglesias just before the election and Iglesias's alleged foot-dragging on indicting Democrats?

From the article we don't know the precise date of the Rove and Bush conversations. But we do know that Iglesias's name first shows up on the firing list on November 15th.

No one disputes that Domenici's call to Iglesias was at best inappropriate. But there's been a lack of direct evidence that Iglesias's refusal to bow to political pressure led directly to his firing. Now we have that evidence. And it's not Kyle Sampson or even Alberto Gonzales whom Domenici went to to get sign off for Iglesias's ouster. It was right to the president. And the available evidence now points strongly to the conclusion that the final decision to fire David Iglesias came from the President of the United States.

Here's BradBlog's spin on the story:

David Iglesias Removed Shortly After Phonecall Between Sen. Domenici and 'President'...

Just back in town, and catching up with much that we've been unable to keep up with. That process will likely continue for several days, even as we've got a "biggie" coming tomorrow.

In the meantime, today's "biggie" news comes out of The Albuquerque Journal indicating that the order to fire New Mexico's U.S. Attorney David Iglesias seems to have come directly from George W. Bush after Sen. Pete Domenici's (R-NM) attempts to get the prosecutor to either bring "voter fraud" cases or be removed had otherwise failed.

Domenici's attempts preceded the Nov. 2006 election between Rep. Heather Wilson (R) and NM's former Democratic Attorney General Patricia Madrid, who ended up being reported as the loser by fewer than 900 votes.

Talking Points Memo distills the Journal piece, we distill TPM's distillation...

[H]ere's what it amounts to.

It was Sen. Domenici's (R-NM) call to David Iglesias to get him to game the November election with an election-timed indictment that got this scandal really rolling. And it's always been the key question just how and whether Domenici's failed play to get Iglesias to tamper with the November election led to his firing on December 7th.

No one disputes that Domenici's call to Iglesias was at best inappropriate. But there's been a lack of direct evidence that Iglesias's refusal to bow to political pressure led directly to his firing. Now we have that evidence. And it's not Kyle Sampson or even Alberto Gonzales whom Domenici went to to get sign off for Iglesias's ouster. It was right to the president. And the available evidence now points strongly to the conclusion that the final decision to fire David Iglesias came from the President of the United States.

At 08:24 PM EDT, Josh Marshall of TPM has this to add:

This is curious. The day's big story--the Albuquerque Journal article that places President Bush at the center of the firing of New Mexico U.S. Attorney David Iglesias--did not contain any reaction from the White House or the Department of Justice. Mike Gallagher's piece this morning noted that Sen. Pete Domenici's office declined to comment, but there was no reference, one way or the other, to any effort to contact the White House or DOJ for comment. That's not necessarily a criticism of Gallagher's work, but it did leave me with questions and the expectation that there would be some serious blowback from the Administration in response to the article. But here we are on Sunday evening, and I'm still not seeing any public reaction from the Administration. McClatchy is reporting that the White House did not respond to its questions about the story out of New Mexico. You might say the silence is deafening.

Late update: The later version of the McClatchy story contains reaction from the White House and DOJ.

Meanwhile Sunday, the Albuquerque Journal reported that Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., told Gonzales in the spring of 2006 that he wanted New Mexico U.S. attorney David Iglesias dismissed, and that Gonzales refused. The newspaper said that Domenici later made the same case to White House adviser Karl Rove and spoke to President Bush about it after the November election, but before the attorney firings were announced on Dec. 7. Iglesias was among those fired.
The newspaper cited "sources familiar with the firing of Iglesias, including sources close to Domenici," but did not name them.

Justice Department spokesman Brian Roehrkasse said the president did not tell Gonzales to fire Iglesias. He also said that Gonzales did not recall discussing with Domenici whether or not to replace Iglesias.

A White House spokesman, Trey Bohn, pointed to comments made by President Bush and his adviser Dan Bartlett last month when asked about the conversation with Domenici.

Bush said that in speaking to Gonzales about U.S. attorneys, "I never brought up a specific case nor gave him specific instructions." Bartlett said that "there was no directive given, as far as telling him to fire anybody or anything like that."

Domenici spokesman Chris Gallegos said Domenici would have no comment.

Late Update: As this close reading TPM Reader notes ...

You can drive a Halliburton convoy through that White House denial. The President never brought up “a specific case” -- say, U.S. v. Talking Points Media -- nor “gave [Gonzales] specific instructions.” No “directive” that Gonzales should “fire anybody or anything like that.”
So a call from the President to the Attorney General in which he says, “Pete Domenici called me this morning, says we gotta do something about that U.S. Attorney in New Mexico, Iglesias. Not doing his jobs, not bringing cases fast enough – can you look into that, see what needs to be done?” That would fit within the White House denial.

Perhaps more importantly, remember this: by law , only the President can fire U.S. Attorneys. That’s the only correct way to interpret the statute. Bush got a complaint about Iglesias. Bush fired Iglesias. So how much did Domenici tell Bush? I think we need to know a lot more details…

Brown's gold sale cost UK £2bn

Just in case you were beginning to think that the US of A is the only country in the world that is governed by a bunch of complete arseholes, here's a little something to reassure you that you're not the only ones in your predicament.

A Little background: Gordon Brown, the man in the photo, and current Chancellor of the Exchequor (that's like Finance Minister, except that America doesn't really have one, since it's given power over its money to a private institution called the Federal Reserve), assumed he was John Smith's succssor.

John Smith was the previous leader of the Labour Party which Blair now heads.

When Smith died of a heart attack, Blair and Brown both stood as candidates for the succession. Allegedly, Blair (who was then known as Bambi because he was cute and cuddly), did a deal with Brown in a restaurant in Islington (posh part of London), whereby Brown would support Blair's leadership bid, but that Blair would stand down at some point to make way for a Brown Premiership.

Blair never did so, and this has been a sore point between the two ever since.

Here's a story on how Brown lost the country, my country, 2 billion quid.

BTW, before you start to crow, have you ever wondered why Fort Knox is so safely guarded. Is it to make sure nobody steals the gold? Or is to make sure that nobody gets inside to find that the American People's gold has been sold by the banksters and there's nothing there?

By Marie Woolf, Political Editor
The Independent
Published: 15 April 2007

Gordon Brown was accused last night of disregarding advice from the Bank of England before he sold more than half the country's gold reserves at a time when the market was at a 20-year low.

Bank officials had misgivings about Mr Brown's decision to sell 400 tons of bullion in a series of auctions between 1999 and 2002, according to The Sunday Times.

The decision cost the taxpayer around £2bn because, since then, the price of gold has almost trebled. At a meeting with senior gold traders, Bank officials were warned the sale would achieve a poor price. The Bank said the decision to sell the gold was taken by the Treasury.

The Treasury said last night the Bank "recommended auction as the best method to achieve... fairness and value for money".

Where did the Twin Towers Go?

The idea that two buildings of the size of the Twin Towers could fall symetrically into their own footprints at free fall speed due to gravity alone beggars belief. They didn't collapse pancake style which is the normal way when such buildings collapse, leaving a huge pile of rubble. In fact, they didn't colllapse at all. They disintegrated. They literally "went up in smoke".

Where did these colossal buildings vanish to?

Dr Judy Wood thinks she knows the answer.

Afraid of the Light?

Peace Be With You, Kurt Vonnegut

By Harvey Wasserman
OpEdNews
April 15, 2007 at 08:31:32

As the media fills with whimsical good-byes to one of America's greatest writers, lets not forget one of the great engines driving this wonderful man-he HATED war. Including this one in Iraq. And he had utter contempt for the men who brought it about.

"Can I speak frankly?" he asked Professor Manuel Luis Martinez, the poet and writing teacher who would "interview" him. "The only difference between George W. Bush and Adolph Hitler is that Hitler was actually elected."

Holding up a book about Ohio 2004, he said: "You all know, of course, that the election was stolen. Right here."

Allen L. Roland adds:

As I scanned the obituaries regarding the death of Kurt Vonnegut ~ I was looking for the one that would capture the true essence of this unique man, the one that would capture his spirit and vitality that was, quite literally, a force of nature. Who else but Vonnegut could write ~ "If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph: ' The only proof he needed for the existence of God was music.' I found it ~ enjoy !