Why it is important for the Congress to start Impeachment hearings at this late stage of the Bush Presidency.

Many believe that while Bush deserves to be impeached for what he has done to this country in taking us into a war with Iraq based upon lies, it is too late to do anything meaningful and that they should just let his term come to an end. Well that argument can be overwhelmed with a more compelling reason to pursue impeachment.

According to many expert Constitutional lawyers, there are several compelling reasons to pursue impeachment of President Bush, even at this late stage of his Presidency. Let me cite a few reasons why many citizens have no clue as to the ramifications of Impeachment hearings at this late stage of the Bush Presidency. First, if Articles of Impeachment are brought up against President Bush, the President would lose his power to grant blanket pardons to those of his Administration who may have committed crimes. There is considerable buzz in the press that this is exactly what Bush plans to do before leaving office.

Secondly, once Articles of Impeachment have been initiated by Congress, the President loses his right of Executive Privilege. Why is this important. It is important because this President and Vice President have kept much hidden from Congress to do its job of oversight of the Executive branch. If the Articles were initiated, we might understand whether there were Crimes committed by Vice President Cheney in outing then CIA covert operative Valerie Plame. Remember that it was Special Prosecutor, Patrick Fitzgerald, who was charged with investigating the CIA leak and found Scooter Libby guilty (and then pardoned by Bush) and said that there was a cloud around the Vice President as to whether he also committed a crime. This is important and has not been resolved. These are several good reasons why it is important to initiate the Articles of Impeachment of Bush. Thank you Rep. Dennis Kucinich for initiating this process, Rep.Robert Wexler for his support, as well as Committee Chairman Rep. John Conyers.

Raise your voice to your elected officials to support these proceedings going forward. To listen to the hearings in real time starting at about 10:30am EST or 7:30am PST on CSPAN or on the radio on KPFA, which will broadcast this Congressional meeting live.

Libby must report to Jail- Court rules. UPDATE below

Federal Appeals Court rules Scooter Libby must go to jail. His name has been officially changed to fit the new digs he will soon occupy: federal inmate No. 28301-016. Scooby Doo, they got Scooter too!

To read the story click here.

I can't think of a better story to post on this, my 500th posting!

UPDATE: The euphoria was very short lived as President Bush has granted immunity to Scooter Libby so he doesn't have to spend even one day in prison. I'll bet President Bush, and especially VP Cheney, are happy they did this, as they hope some day if they are ever brought up on War Crimes at the World Court, that some of their influential Republican base members will try to get them a pardon there, as a quid pro quo for helping Libby.

Bring back tar and feathering

Many Americans are frustrated with this Administration and want us to leave Iraq within one year. maybe it is time to bring back an ancient method of punishment, tar and feathering. If we do it fast enough it could be used at the next phase of the Libby trial, the sentencing phase. According to Answers.com, “this expression alludes to a former brutal punishment in which a person was smeared with tar and covered with feathers, which then stuck. It was first used as a punishment for theft in the English navy, recorded in the Ordinance of Richard I in 1189, and by the mid-1700s had become mob practice. The figurative usage dates from the mid-1800s.”

I get more and more frustrated over the multitude of manipulations and outright lies from both President Bush and VP Cheney. Cheney's obsession with silencing those who disagreed with his pronouncements and those who challenged his assertions have come to roost on a loyal soldier, Scooter Libby. Neither this VP nor this President have even a tiny speck of the courage of the people they have led on the battlefield nor in their Administration. They are a disgrace and others in the world have known what we know. It is high time this Congress starts showing some spine too. Follow-up on the conviction of Libby with a subpoena of VP Cheney. Congress and the Democrats now own the problem.

Patrick Fitzgerald, Federal Prosecuter, a real class act

Scooter Libby was found guilty on 4 out of 5 counts by a jury today. We owe a lot to the Federal Prosecutor, Patrick Fitzgerald. He was a class act in doing his job and speaking outside the Court today. I nominate him to replace Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. It could make this Administration more palatable to have such a man of principle and honor serving the public interest. Watch for Fitzgerald being drafted to serve in a more public capacity in the coming years. Again, you did a great job. Your country is lucky to have you.

What is VP Cheney's game plan in the Scooter Libby trial? My predictions..

That is the question of the day. I have written extensively on Cheney's arrogance and chutzpah. How does he plan to deal with Prosecutors in this trial? My belief is that his strategy is not to have Scooter Libby be the fall guy, as has been mentioned already in the press. However, what has not been written is how does he plan to do this given he is going to testify on Libby's behalf. I believe that Cheney himself, will take the hit for Libby including admitting to any possible violations of the law regarding disclosing Classified information, as he plans to get a pardon from President Bush, for all possible crimes he may be charged with, before he leaves office. Watch this unfold and remember you read it first here. Only a person of this level of arrogance would be this way without first securing a promised pardon from the President.

I think we owe Chris Mathews of MSNBC's Hardball, a debt of gratitude, for initiating the questions about the State of the Union claims by the President that Iraq was pursuing yellow cake uranium from Niger. Cheney knew it was a bogus claim but wanted it that way. Those unanswered questions , instigated by Chris, occupied the attention of Cheney to the point where he personally managed the project to discredit Wilson and tried to manage the media through his chief of staff Scooter Libby and others. Cheney wanted to see the transcripts of Chris's show each day on this topic as he was obsessed according to yesterday's court proceedings.

Thanks so much Chris. Keep up the pressure. We need answers and accountability!