House Dem defends leadership decision to quash impeachment

[Trillo]

Source: The Raw Story

A House Democratic leader defended the party's decision not to pursue the impeachment of Vice President Dick Cheney, saying an effort to oust the man who is among the most vocal pushing for war with Iran is "not even in the top 10" of voters' priorities and would benefit Republicans at the polls next year.

In a heated exchange Thursday with liberal radio host Ed Schultz, Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the deputy Democratic whip, said the party, which dramatically swept into power last year, was more focused on other priorities.

Voters asked Congress "to focus on withdrawing our troops from iraq, on expanding healthcare access. ... They did not ask us to spend any time on the impeachment of the vice president," Wasserman Schultz insisted.

Impeachment would prevent Congress from addressing issues like the war in Iraq, healthcare, renewable energy and the environment.

Read more: http://rawstory.com/news/2007/House_Dem_defends_leadership_decision_to_1109.html

[Ian David]

1. We've been screaming for impeachment for six years! WTF!!! n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Cui Bono? Who benefits?

the top 1%

[Morereason]

36. Wow!!! Listen to the audio! Schultz is all over her. He wants impeachment!

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

3. what priorities? these assholes haven't done anything!

We can't even get Democratic presidential canidates to promise to end the war during their first term!

[superkia]

23. Atleast the MSMs top wont but we have some that would,its our..

choice on who we nominate. Look at what candidates are speaking out about impeachment and which ones aren't, that should tell you allot about who they are and who's team they are on.

[wundermaus]

4. The Stench of DINO BuShit

wafts from the halls of Congress

[jus_the_facts]

9. INDEED....

[Vincardog]

5. Right ya are. Go on passing bills that jr can veto and you can not override.

That is SO much better that impeaching the criminals and returning our country to some semblance of the rule of law, Does anyone feel like yelling BULLSHIT?

[Dr.Phool]

6. Hey Washerman-Shlitz. You haven't done that either.

Screw you and Stinky Hoyer both!

[dantyrant]

10. Exactly.

What the hell kind of argument is that?

[jordi_fanclub]

7. "not even in the top 10" of voters' priorities ?!?!?!

And exactly WHERE is that famous LIST of priorities?

I presume that exists at least a little poll INCLUDING the impeachment priority!

EDIT: Or don't exists???

[Morereason]

37. Because they are told it is not possible

[Selatius]

8. So you can, in fact, rape the Constitution and get away with it.

Good to know. It's a fine precedent indeed for all people who want nothing more than just a little more power.

[KansDem]

11. Where have I heard this before?

...was more focused on other priorities.

Oh, yeah! Now I remember...

"......former Congressman Lee Hamilton, chairman of the House select committee investigating the Iran-contra affair, was shown ample evidence against Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, but he did not probe their wrongdoing. Why did Hamilton choose not to investigate? In a late 1980s interview aired on PBS 'Frontline,' Hamilton said that he did not think it would have been 'good for the country' to put the public through another impeachment trial. In Lee Hamilton's view, it was better to keep the public in the dark than to bring to light another Watergate, with all the implied ramifications. When Hamilton was chairman of the House committee investigating Iran-contra, he took the word of senior Reagan administration officials when they claimed Bush and Reagan were 'out of the loop.' Independent counsel Lawrence Walsh and White House records later proved that Reagan and Bush had been very much in the loop. If Hamilton had looked into the matter instead of accepting the Reagan administration's word, the congressional investigation would have shown the public the truth. Hamilton later said he should not have believed the Reagan officials. However, today, George W. Bush is considering appointing Hamilton UN ambassador."

Lee Hamilton and Iran-Contra

Done for the "good of the country."

Oh, and this...

But, in 1993, Clinton and the Democratic congressional leadership concluded that pursuit of these “old” scandals would only embitter the Republicans, make the Democratic Party look vindictive and endanger the bipartisanship that Clinton saw as essential for his domestic policy agenda.

The scandals also were complicated affairs, requiring detailed understanding of the underlying facts. Much of what happened had occurred in secret and involved foreign witnesses spread over several continents. The events covered more than a decade in time.

This was also done "for the good of the country"

Consortium News

So "for the good of the country" means letting neo-con criminals go free? They'll only be back again and we'll go through this whole nightmare again.

[windoe]

32. Impeachment is too inconvenient?!

It will divide the party? These are lame reasons not to uphold the law of the land, and enable criminal behavior.

[shaniqua6392]

12. What a load of crap.

I used to like her too. They all suck. The Constitution should have had something in it whereas the American people could vote to FIRE THEM ALL and tell them to get the Hell out of our house. They are not doing what we want them to do. Do they think if they tell us that impeachment is not a priority for Americans right now that we are just going to believe them? That is a Republican tactic and we Dems are far more intelligent than that. Iraq. Impeachment. Economy. Start with those three things you bunch of asswipes. Might as well start with impeachment since you can not seem to stop funding the occupation of Iraq. Disgusting pigs in Washington. It is time for a Revolution. We want our country back now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[balantz]

14. Perhaps it was a message

when the Republicans voted not to table H.R.333. Maybe that's why they were laughing when they changed their votes and gave US the message that the whole thing is rigged. They said "Here, have your impeachment," knowing all along they own the majority of House Democrats. Perhaps some of these Democrats ran on lies and really aren't Democrats, but placed as such.

[balantz]

17. Oh, I see

Wasserman Schultz works on the Clinton campaign. Now we see where she gets her orders.

[AndyA]

13. BULLSHIT Debbie! And you know it. If you don't, you should resign because you aren't

paying attention.

BULLSHIT,
DEBBIE...

BULLSHIT!

Grab yourself by your frizzy hair and pull your head out of your ass. IMPEACHMENT is on the table for your constituents and the Democratic base, and you aren't even coming to dinner!

:wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf:

[Pastiche423]

15. When asked about impeachment

they all use the very same talking points. At least they've learned something from the republics.

I can see them in their early morning meetings doing the Wal-Mart cheer...

"Do our constituents want impeachment? Everyone say it together! NO!"

:grr:

[dpbrown]

16. Vichy Democrats

Surrender Monkeys

[Xipe Totec]

18. How can we uphold the rule of law, if the rich and powerful go unpunished

while the poor suffer the full consequences to the letter of the law?

[ThomCat]

19. They have no fucking clue what the top ten priorities of voters are

because they clearly only listed to corporate reps and donors. x(

[Botany]

20. God Damn it Debbie

Impeachment is the people's business. If you do not understand that get out
and get out now. Wanna help stop this insane war in Iraq? How about holding
to account the man whose lies and schemes got us into that war?

These bastards have stolen 2 elections, lied us into a war, made terrorism worse,
looted the Treasury, spied on us, help to kill the supportive capacity of the planet
for a buck, committed treason in the Plame case, and many many more actions
all of which rise to the level of a "high crime or misdemeanor" and you spineless
shits do nothing.

[2tr4nqued]

21. We need an impeachment pledge.

Here's mine:

I, , do solemnly swear that if Democrats do not do everything within their power to impeach Vice President Cheney and President Bush, then I will not vote for any Democrats in 2008.

I invite everyone to join in the ultimatum.

[balantz]

22. Who lives in her district?

Start peppering her with emails and phone calls telling her to IMPEACH!

[Baby Snooks]

24. And of course she's from Florida...

"Impeachment would prevent Congress from addressing issues like the war in Iraq, healthcare, renewable energy and the environment."

Someone might explain to her that if we impeached Cheney and then Bush and then removed Pelosi and Hoyer, and her, we wouldn't have to address Iraq. We could just withdraw the troops.

What is it with Democrats who are elected by Democrats, and some Republicans, and then act as lapdogs for the very people we elected them to impeach?

[Botany]

25. "They" just don't get it.

All they have is excuses ... Cheney lied to get us into an unneeded war.
And impeachment would at long last hold him to account for that evil
act.

BTW I don't give s*** one about 2008 and the elections .... I want these
crooks held accountable now. So if a bank robber is all the way out
of the bank .... let him go because the stick - up is over?

[kelligesq]

26. her office has received over 2000 calls today - want to give her your 2 cents?

free call to anyone in the senate or congress

1 800 862 5530

just ask for whoever you want

or 800 828 0498

keep those call going all week to everyone on house judiciary
or your own congressperson

[calteacherguy]

27. I support their decision. nt

[muryan]

28. i do too

ive never been on the impeachment bandwagon, mainly because i want to see a democrat in the white house in 08. Sure id support impeachment hearings if they were to happen, but it would lose so much of the independent vote its not even worth it. Most of my friends are independent voters and i know the last thing they want to see on tv is the government bogged down in hearings for the next 12 months.

[kelligesq]

35. That assumes this govt. cant walk and chew gum at the same time - only

the judiciary committee of the house is involved in the
beginning...they doo all the investigative work and hearings
before it goes to Senate for vote....

with the hundreds of thousands of committees and subcommittees
on the Hill...they cant handle impeachment hearings?

think about it.

[IndianaGreen]

34. Then you better enlist in the military and go fight Iran

It would be cowardly to support an attack on Iran which will put our troops in Iraq in grave peril.

[muryan]

38. you're reaching

We wont attack iran. This is an example of fear mongering by the good guys, and frankly is getting very old

[ideagarden]

29. traitors...

The Democratic Party has been infiltrated. There is a time in history when we must form new parties and detract from the power grabbing controllers. The democrats need to seriously think about regrouping for the people of this country.

[IndianaGreen]

30. Their sorry excuses would have been more credible had they defunded the war

No wonder this Congress is polling lower than Bush!

[2rth2pwr]

31. This is from her website

“Impeachment is a lengthy process which would divide Congress and this nation even more deeply than we are divided right now. Referring this resolution to the House Judiciary Committee is the constitutionally appropriate process that should be pursued.”

edit for linky thing- http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/fl20_schultz/HRes333statement.html

[BootinUp]

33. And the gnashing of teeth could be heard in the nets!

Get over it already. It wasn't gonna happen period.