Could the NSA wiretapping lead to impeachment?

[marmar]

NSA could lead to impeachment? (audio)

Posted by Evan Derkacz at 9:05 AM on August 21, 2006.


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George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley, lead counsel in a different challenge to NSA wiretapping, included a different though obvious angle the recent ruling on Bush's wiretapping program: it's a violation of federal law :


"if this is upheld is there is a strong argument that the president committed a federal crime not once but maybe over thirty times..."

If the administration's allowed to just say: Oh, now that it's deemed illegal, I'll stop, we could all do that, no? Of course, they aren't even doing this. They're appealing further, hoping to take it to the friendly confines of the Supreme Court, but it's a worthwhile question to ask... especially given the possibility that one or both houses of Congress may change hands...

My favorite pundit argument is the one contending that the plaintiffs in the lawsuit aren't necessarily having their rights violated by being tapped. Of course, we don't know, and we can't, because it's SECRET WIRETAPPING. In the audio clip here, Turley has just addressed this question, noting that the judge chose to focus on the Constitutionality of the program ("tak the White House out to the shed on almost every point") rather than simply whether or not the plaintiffs were or weren't the focus of illegal wiretapping

http://www.alternet.org/bloggers/evan/40623

[Kagemusha]

1. Anything's possible, but not bloody likely.

For the simple reason that the ballot box is where a legitimate contendor fights these battles, and President Cheney isn't a thought that excites me.

[MannyGoldstein]

3. Both Cheney & Bush Should Go... But There's A Little Problem

Cheney and Bush are both impeachment worthy on a number of counts - e.g.:

• Bush for flagrantly violating the Constitution (little differences of opinion don't make for impeachment, but willful misinterpretation does).


• Cheney for abuse of power in the Plame affair.

HOWEVER, impeachment will need the help of Democrats in Congress. Sadly, there are only a handful of actual Democrats in Congress - Feingold, Conyers, etc. The rest are spineless and self-serving, and will flee from impeachment just as they fled from censure, fled from preventing and stopping the Iraq war, and fled from many of their other basic duties. They'd only want an impeachment resolution in order to have people on the Left to triangulate against.

Very sad.

[Th1onein]

6. So...we could have a felon for a President?

Sorry, I meant to say, "we could have an idiot felon for a President?"

[Kagemusha]

9. You're only a felon once you're convicted in a court of law

by a jury of your peers, which is not legally possible for a sitting President.

So literally, to answer your question, no.

In spirit, absolutely.

[focusfan]

2. I really hope he gets impeached

but like everyone says it's not likely he has repuke Congress
wrapped around his finger.:pals: 

[agates]

4. Could it? Maybe

Should it? Definately!!!

[loves_dulcinea]

5. i don't have the time to wish

or the energy for fantasies. i'll believe it when the bastard is in prison, not a moment sooner.

[orpupilofnature57]

7. It's a prime example of Shrub's contempt for the Law!!

Actually it's another example of his ability to STEAL our country through FEAR.

[Disturbed]

8. This case will drag on until Busholini is no longer

the Prez. I suspect that the SC will uphold the ruling.

[calimary]

10. Well, dammit, SOMETHING needs to.

Keep visualizing...

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

11. A Democratic Majority leads to impeachment...

In the meantime, BushCo. can do anything they damn well please.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

12. Yes.

And No.