House tables (kills) resolution to impeach Cheney (Update! resolution will be debated)

[sabra]

Source: USA Today

Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, is trying to impeach Vice President Cheney for what he describes as "high crimes and misdemeanors" before the invasion of Iraq.

Right after the proposal was read on the House floor this afternoon, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer stepped forwarded and convinced lawmakers to table the bill.

"Impeachment is not on our agenda. We have some major priorities. We need to focus on those," Hoyer told Fox News.

Read more: http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2007/11/house-tables-re.html?loc=interstitialskip

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C-SPAN:

Currently 151 Dems - 104 Repubs voted to table

Update 2:33 central:

Repubs are changing their votes from Yea (92) to Nay(99)

Update 2:41 central: (mayhem on the house floor)

202 Yea - 209 Nay

Update 2:52 central: (mayhem on the house floor)

170 Yea - 242 Nay

USAToday update:

Update at 3:39 p.m. ET: We thought that the vote to table was over -- the clock said 0:00 -- but lawmakers are still switching things around and Kucinich is within a few votes of getting his bill to come up for a vote.

Update at 3:43 p.m. ET: At least 149 Republicans have voted in favor of considering the impeachment resolution. Hoyer's motion, which would have blocked a vote, looks like its going to fail by at least 31 votes.

Update at 3:53 p.m. ET: The 15-minute vote began at 2:53 p.m. ET. It's been an hour, and they're still voting. The tally stands at 170-242 right now. Hoyer needed 218 votes to push the bill off the agenda. He's 72 votes short.

Update at 4:02 p.m. ET: Hoyer's motion failed 251-162. The House is now voting on whether to vote on whether the resolution should be sent to the Judiciary Committee.

[robinlynne]

1. their priorities are not our priorities. They are tabling the priorities of the world..

[Gman]

2. The vote's not finished

and it's already LBN.

[katty]

29. so to Conyers? sent to committee

[Gman]

38. My post was only about 20 minutes into the vote to table

that everyone just assumed would prevail. The voting went on for another 45 minutes or so and surprised all of us.

[UstreamTV]

41. agree

I agree..

[Gregorian]

3. So they are ok with criminals in their White House, it would seem.

More illegal wars, more debt, more torture. It's ok to reveal a covert CIA agent.

I just hope the people of this country wake up from their Lexus induced slumber before very much longer. Comfort is not a replacement for the Constitution.

[Fiendish Thingy]

4. 151 primary challenges to the cowardly Dems who won't defend the Constitution! n/t

[shireen]

5. are you listening to Randi? House vote is going nuts!

THE REPUBLICANS WANT TO DEBATE IT!!!

THE DEMOCRATS ARE TRYING TO KILL IT!!!

HAS THIS BECOME OPPOSITE WORLD?

This is getting bizzarer and bizzarer .....

[Megahurtz]

6. WTF???

:wtf:

[lfairban]

10. Could someone correct me if I am wrong, PLEASE.

But that is what it looked like to me too.

Why are the Dems voting to table and the Rep. to proceed? Only 28 Rep. voting to table!

There must be a logical explanation, but I don't see it.

[shireen]

39. republicans are the new democrats

:P

ok, seriously ...

I think some 'pubs are taking a "bring it on" approach, to quote their fearless but dim leader.

Problem is, I don't think they realize what they've voted for. This is going to the Judiciary Committee, headed by Conyers, and he's not going to hold back. A lot of dirty laundry will be aired.

I also think that some Republicans are genuinely angry at Cheney, and want him exposed.

Meanwhile, there are the Steny Hoyer Democrats, who voted to table it. :wtf:

According to Randi, there was a lot of vote-switching. I think the half-wits were trying to outwit each other.

[The Witch]

7. That headline is not so accurate!!

:wow:

[bonnieS]

8. wrong!

one by one the Republicans switched over to not table till there was a majority not to table. They totally reversed their numbers. They obviously have a plan.

[stranger81]

9. gotta change that headline -- it's gonna be debated!!!

If you're not watching CSPAN right now, you should be -- it's 242 to 170 to vote down the motion to table . . . . and more Dems are switching their votes every minute to take up the debate!!

[tomg]

11. This is the wildest thing I have ever seen. nt

[katty]

19. Finally!

[Bluebear]

12. Dewey beats Truman!

[jordi_fanclub]

13. "BUSH, the uniter"... it's official: COWARDICE is a democratic "virtue"!

[Acadia Blue]

23. He has dirt on everyone with his illegal spying.

[rodeodance]

14. so far over 100 repugs have CHANGED their vote to NO! (to table) NOT dead!

[Roland99]

20. What is the GOP up to?

I don't trust them one bit.

[Ian_rd]

32. Politics ....

The Republicans want to force the cowardly DLCers into a corner to alienate the left (us) by voting against impeachment. And of course, the "centrist" Dems are trying to prevent it. And anyone who shows support for impeachment will be hammered by the Republican media machine.

[MGKrebs]

37. The Repubs can't lose.

If Impeachment goes forward, everything else comes screeching to a halt, even if impeachment fails. If impeachment succeeds, Bush* appoints Huckabee V.P.

[Ian_rd]

48. I fear you may be correct

I'm happy that it's going forward, but there are two things the Republicans can count on as sure as the sunrise: their control of the media and the reliable cowardice of the Democratic leadership.

I love all these people who think we need to "build a case first." The case is as solid as it needs to be - more so. It reminds me of the "more study is needed" argument in order to counter global warming.

[Sancho]

15. 242 nay 170 yea

Randi Rhodes is talking about it...

[sakabatou]

16. How I would love to see Cheney be thrown out.

Unfortunately it seems that it won't make it.

[Highway61]

17. Somebody pinch me

WTF is going on????????????? Anyone watching this??? I can't believe what I am seeing...tell me I am not dreaming
P.S.I want the name of EVERY Dem who voted Yea

[katty]

18. I am watching this on cspan and msnbc had it...

[justfred]

21. It is pretty obvious....they are betting the Dems don't have the guts..

...to go through with it. They want the bill debated and voted on. They are forcing our hand. They think they can split the Dems by doing this while getting their base to rally around the leader.

The only way this will backfire on them is if ALL the Dems now vote in favor of impeachment. Call your representative NOW and make sure they know you want them to do the right thing.

NOW is the time!!!

[JBear]

24. Or else...

Maybe something else is a-foot...

1) The Republi-cons could be looking for force Cheney out to put in the Republi-con heir apparent.
2) They just want to see this thing over.
3) They see tying this congress up as a way to garner more votes next November.

Who knows what else!

:bounce:

[leftynyc]

26. That's it

Also, they know the base wants this and if the dems vote to table it, it will fracture the party. It's time to show how united this party can be. Cheney has a 19% approval rating.

[Acadia Blue]

22. Illegal spying got something really dirty on Pelosi,,,,and that is

why she is protecting these CRIMINALS. Bet they got something on every single Democrat, Independent and even Republicans that they need to control like good little Nazies.

[AndyTiedye]

45. Well That is The Only Plausible Reason For them To Resist ALL FISA Oversight

[roody]

47. Or is she just an arrogant millionaire asshole?

[BadgerKid]

25. Major priorities...like more money to the *co fund

:eyes:

[Critters2]

27. What are those priorities, exactly? nt

[Proletariatprincess]

28. Is this a good thing?

Seems to me that impeachment charges must be before the Judiciary Committee. But the world seems turned upside down...the repubs are against tabling the motion but also against referring to the Judiciary committee. Im confused. Anybody help me out here?

[lfairban]

30. I heard an explanation that might help.

The reason the Reps. didn't want to table is because it would enable a one hour discussion, which I think is what Dennis was looking for.

Now that it has been referred, there will be no further debate today, which is what the Reps. wanted.

[CANDO]

31. The Repubs obviously think debating this works in their favor.

They don't get it that the country knew Clinton's crime was not impeachable, while Cheney's will be their ultimate nightmare. God-damned spineless Democrats! Hammer these fucking war criminals for their crimes!

[tridim]

33. Dewey Defeats Truman!

:D

[Proletariatprincess]

34. This isnt over yet

Just heard MSNBC say the issue has been killed....and that is all. Amazing how little the MSM has even noticed this issue...I have been monitoring the cable channels and just one brief mention on MSNBC. Maybe tonite on Keith Olberman...he will have Michael Moore on tonite too.
Still...seems to me the Judiciary committee could take this up....ah...but I forget it is run by spinless democrats who probably will just ignore it and chalk it up to Dennis's presidential campaign effort as was just alleged by a CQ reporter. Well...it COULD happen I guess.....(sigh)

[rodeodance]

35. HO HO you need another update--Motion to send to committee passed-collecting dust now

[peaches2003]

36. Calling DEMS bluff

As usual the Repugs get one step ahead of the Dems in strategy. The impeachment bill was not something Dem leadership wanted, but Dennis initiated it. Now the Repugs are saying- ok, let's debate it. Dems will split, further alienating their base and also letting the Repugs say the Dem Congress does nothing but waste time on bills that will never pass and only care about embarrassing Bush/Cheney. This will not go over well for the Dems in Congress(as usual).

[ImpeechBush]

44. You are unfortunately correct

This once again makes the Democrats look more like a circus than a political leadership. The only way there is an upside is if all the Democrats were to stick together -- then it would backfire. In our dreams.

[UstreamTV]

40. Senator Chris Dodd Speaking LIVE NOW!

http://ustream.tv/channel/swift-event

Join the chat and conversation

[galledgoblin]

42. emailing my thanks to my (republican) congressman

I won't lie, " A resolution raising a question of the privileges of the House." means absolutely nothing to me alone, but in context it means my congressman voted with Kucinich every time.

we may disagree often, but recently John McHugh has been voting my way, so I gotta give him a nod.

meanwhile DINOs are trying to do the work of Bush and his authoritarians for him.

if it weren't for the primaries, I'd love to hand in my card.

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/index.asp
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll1037.xml
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll1038.xml
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll1039.xml

[billyoc]

43. We(NY AFL-CIO) endorsed McHugh(R) in '06.

He co-sponsored the Employee Free Choice Act.

[DesEtoiles]

46. NO - resolution will NOT be debated