US Rep. Ellison Uniquely Positioned To Launch Bush Impeachment Effort

If Democrats dot com is correct, and it appears to be so, h/t Thomas Lifson at American Thinker, a combination of state politics and the House's reliance on The Jefferson Manual to govern parliamentary procedure, newly elected Muslim Congressman Keith Ellison D-MN may find himself to be the Democrat legislator best positioned to launch Impeachment procedures against President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

Actually, he attempted to lay the groundwork for that very effort prior to his election to the House. As a state legislator in Minnesota, Ellison co-authored and was the primary sponsor for HR No. 24:

1.1     A house resolution
1.2     relating to impeachment of President George W. Bush.
1.3     WHEREAS, Section 603 of Jefferson's Manual of the Rules of the United States House
1.4     of Representatives allows federal impeachment proceedings to be initiated by action of a state
1.5     legislature; and (see link above for rest)

This is an accepted form of launching Impeachment proceedings, per The Jefferson Manual. A Representative from the state that sends up such a resolution to Congress only need acknowledge its receipt to launch impeachment proceedings.

In the House there are various methods of setting an impeachment in motion: by charges made on the floor on the responsibility of a Member or Delegate; by charges preferred by a memorial, which is usually referred to a committee for examination; by a resolution dropped in the hopper by a Member and referred to a committee; by a message from the President; by charges transmitted from the legislature of a State or territory or from a grand jury; or from facts developed and reported by an investigating committee of the House. (here)

The Jefferson Manual, rules used by the U.S. House, allows for impeachment to be begun in this manner. It only takes one state legislature. No governor is needed. One Congress Member, from the same state or any other, is needed to essentially acknowledge receipt of the state's petition. Then impeachment begins. (here)

Back to a quote from AM:

Last year the state legislatures of California, Minnesota, Illinois, and Vermont introduced but did not pass resolutions to send impeachment to the U.S. House.

Any of those resolutions need only be re-introduced and passed in a new state legislative year. So, while the same might be said for a number Democrats in Congress, as Bush continues to try and lead the fight in the GWOT, ironically, it could be the first Muslim elected to Congress who used a Koran once owned, but ultimately repudiated, by Thomas Jefferson in his private swearing in ceremony, who ends up most uniquely positioned to tie Bush and his administration up in the legal wrangling such a process would necessitate.

Update: Opted to change "best positioned" to "uniquely positioned"

Comments

[Darth Malice]

Ah yes ,the moooslim congressman .This was expected.I do believe that conservatives should join the impeachment if GW gets wobbly on WOT.This is a bad time in America.

[kyly]

Keith would be a hero to most Americans if he led impeachment proceedings! Bush has a 32% approval rating, go for it Keith and the Dems. America would be eternally grateful.

[Darth Malice]

I only want him impeached if he continues to tie our mens hands.Conservatives like me will make that call.

[Carl]

Only the 31%ers would weep for Bush. Important for them to take Cheney with him.

[Darth Malice]

Carl maybe let the queen of starkist take over.Yea that's a plan

[Atilla the Hun]

Meh. If we are this arse-backwards so as to allow an impeachment in the last two years of a lame duck presidency during a war... then we probably either deserve a military coup d'etat or worse, a Pelosi presidency... would likely end up with the USA being conquered by Mexico.

Perhap what we really need is to cleanse this nation of leftists, socialists, Democrats, Muslims, Queers and Mexicans... lock down the borders, and call it a day.

[Darth Malice]

Atilla impeachment should be an option for conservatives to ensure Bush does no go wobbly on the war and judicial nominations.Conservatives have to hold his feet to the fire.

[Jon G]

I'd love to see the Republicans impeach Bush because he's gone wobbly on the war. That would pretty much destroy the Republicans for the next 10 to 20 years.

The Dems don't want to impeach Bush. Check his poll numbers, he's tanking and taking the Republican party with him.

Surge? The American public - who just thumped the Repubs - are overwhelmingly against it. As is much of the military brass. 20,000 troops ain't gonna pull solve anything in Iraq - it, in the words of Ollie North, just provides more targets.

And Iraq's a civil war - what, exactly, are you expecting to win?

[Dave in W-S]

kyly, from the same polling outfit, the Democrat led Congress has an approval rating of 27%. Can we impeach them, too? Please?

[Dave in W-S]

Of course, if we impeach the President and the Congress, that doesn't leave too many elected officials to lead the government, does it? Maybe we should just go with the elected branch with the higher approval rating.

Which would be the Executive - read that the President.

[Darth Malice]

Jon all Bush has to do in Iraq is destroy Al Queda and kick the Iranians....too easy.

[Jon G]

If it's so easy, how come it's taking so long? And nothing's gone according to plan? We went because Saddam was going to nuke us, now we're doing nation building. Talk about mission creep.

Little early to be doing polling on the new Congress - they just took office. The low numbers are a hangover from the years of Republican congressional leadership - otherwise knows as Bush's rubberstamp.

[larry]

hmmm, so the moslem pig is moving into position to try and cause harm to the US government. golly! ok, who DIDN'T see that coming?