Nine Republicans Break Party Ranks

[ElsewheresDaughter]

OpEdNews....

Original Content at http://www.opednews.com/articles/24-Republicans-Vote-for-Im-by-Ralph-Lopez-080716-139.html


July 17, 2008

Nine Republicans Break Party Ranks: Send Impeachment Article to Judiciary for Hearings


By Ralph Lopez


In a stunning development which fell with the silence of a feather yesterday, nine Republicans broke with their iron-fisted party to put country first, and voted to send Rep. Dennis Kucinich's article of impeachment HR 1345 to the Judiciary, where Chairman John Conyers will hold a hearings on abuses of power by the Bush administration, according to the Congressional Quaterly's CQToday. The final vote was: Yea 238 - Nay 180.



The Nine Republicans are:

Congressman Kevin Brady (TX)

Congressman Wayne Gilchrest (MD)

Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC)

Congressman Don Manzullo (IL)

Congressman Tim Murphy (PA)

Congressman Ron Paul (TX)

Congressman Dave Reichert (WA)

Congressman Christopher Shays (CT)

Congressman Mike Turner (OH)

One of the Republicans, Walter Jones, represents Camp LeJeune in North Carolina, one of the largest Marine bases in the country, and one which has borne heavily the sacrifice of the Iraq War.



CQ said of Conyers' hearings: http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/34803
..The anticipated hearing would review more than a year of committee inquiry into such matters as the firing of U.S. attorneys, the leak of the identity of former CIA operative Valerie Plame and the information provided to Congress in the run-up to the Iraq War.

..

Kucinich has promised a surprise foreign official as a witness in the hearing. His article focuses on administration claims that Saddam possessed WMD in the run-up to the Iraq war, and that there was a connection between Hussein and 9/11. In addition to many other sources, Kucinich's article relies heavily on the famous Downing Street Memo (DSM), the transcript of a gathering of the British Prime Minister's senior ministers on July 23, 2002.

The DSM includes such passages as: http://www.downingstreetmemo.com/memos.html

..C reported on his recent talks in Washington. There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy.

..

and also:

..It seemed clear that Bush had made up his mind to take military action, even if the timing was not yet decided. But the case was thin. Saddam was not threatening his neighbors, and his WMD capability was less than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran. We should work up a plan for an ultimatum to Saddam to allow back in the UN weapons inspectors. This would also help with the legal justification for the use of force.

..

Major media coverage has been scant.

To email letters to multiple newspapers at the same time go here, and ask for coverage of the issue. http://www.democrats.org/page/speakout/letterstoeditors

Also, here is a link to major media listed by Fairness in Accuracy and Reporting. http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=111





Authors Website: http://ralphlopezworld.com

[NC_Nurse]

1. Good for Walter Jones! He's really made a big turnaround since the whole

"freedom fries" thing.

Good on him for being honest with his constituents and voting against this madman. :thumbsup: Not an easy thing to do in this state.

[malaise]

5. Isn't he up for elections like every other

Congress person. I'm sure his constituency is anything but happy with all those deaths.

[Jim Lane]

13. It's courageous of him. His constituency is pro-Bush.

His Congressional District has a of R+15.

Because of his increasing disenchantment with Republican orthodoxy, on the war and other issues, Jones faced a primary challenge this year. He won by 60%-40%, which is a pretty thin margin for a primary involving a seven-term incumbent.

[NC_Nurse]

15. Sadly, many military families remain true believers in a war after their loved

ones death. I think it makes it seem like it meant something. Besides Bush getting to play War God.


:(

[Fire Walk With Me]

2. Kick and recommend.

:applause:

[rpannier]

3. Shays must really be feeling the heat

His enabling of bush must be costing him in his district

[JerseygirlCT]

19. Last Republican Congressperson in New England

You betcha he's feeling it!

[aspergris]

4. props to reichert

he's a repub, but he's my rep and i've always liked him.

[Wwagsthedog]

6. Kevin Brady?

I'm totally shocked. Ron Paul? No matter what else he is guilty of, he is anti-war - period.

[lonestarnot]

7. Well thank you pugs!

Now kiss my sweet ass!

[global1]

8. I Talked To A Staunch Repug Friend Yesterday And He Said The.....

only way to save the Repug party is for the Repugs to get behind the impeachment movement and get rid of * & Cheney themselves.

They know that *Co has ruined the Repug party - he said - maybe beyond saving. He thinks that Obama will win by a landslide and that the Dems will gain an over 60 seat advantage in the senate and will pick up a bunch of seats in the house as well - and all of this he attributes to *'s failed presidency - * has done irreparable damage.

He admitted that McCain doesn't have what it takes and dreads any Obama/McCain debates and is actually thinking that the Repugs will embarrass themselves at their national convention.

He is saying that the only way the Repugs might be able to turn the tide is if they get behind impeaching * before the election. That this might get them some respect and stem the overwhelming wopping they are going to take in November and maybe save some seats in Congress.

I'm wondering if he is coming up with this himself or if he has some inside info that this talk is going on behind the scenes?

Wouldn't it be great if some Repug party bigwigs went to the WH and asked * and Cheney to step down or they'll support impeachment?

You know things are bad when you have staunch Repugs like this begin to abandon ship.

Now if only this would catch on with many, many other Repugs.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Hope more join them

and force our leadership to do the right thing

[Bozita]

10. There will be more. Think dogfood.

[onenote]

11. the author of the article quoted in the OP is utterly clueless.

Yes, nine repubs voted to refer DK's latest resolution to Judiciary. Is that a stunning development? Not in the real world. If the author of the article was halfway informed he would know that 24 repubs supported the motion to defer DK's June impeachment resolution. So maybe he's right--it is stunning that so few supported the motion.

But the fact is that supporting the motion to refer is simply a safe vote -a way to kill the resolution without having to actually vote to kill it and those voting for it knew it.

For the record, four or five repubs voted to refer the cheney resolution last november.

And apart from maybe Jones and Paul, I'd be willing to bet that none of these repubs would vote to actually start an impeachment proceeding if that was the question before them.

Clueless. Just clueless.

[jwirr]

12. Are they all up for election in November?

[Voice for Peace]

14. K&R!

[DailyGrind51]

16. Manzullo (IL) saw the writing on the wall, when Dennis Hastert's

solidly Republican district went for a Democrat!

[underpants]

17. RON PAUL!!!!!!!!!!

:patriot:

[bdamomma]

18. Wow Chris Shays is he up for re election or something??

cause he is a kiss up to Bush.

[JerseygirlCT]

20. Every two years- so yes.

He's also the sole hold-out Republican now. The other two GOP congresspeople in CT were defeated last time. Shays only won by a squeaker then himself.

He's not the worst of these guys, but I'm sure he sees which way the tide is turning.

[DemReadingDU]

21. Mike Turner? from Ohio

Jeebus, I'm totally shocked. He must be worried about losing his seat.