Kucinich's Impeachment Proposal Takes Antiwar Stand to New Lengths
Tuesday 24 April 2007
Ohio Democratic Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich on Tuesday introduced articles of impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney for "high crimes and misdemeanors" related to his participation in the buildup for the war in Iraq - and what the longshot Democratic presidential contender said was belligerent rhetoric toward Iran.
In an 18-page draft resolution, Kucinich outlined three charges against Cheney: that he "manipulated the intelligence process ... by fabricating the threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction" to justify the war in Iraq; that he deceived citizens and Congress "about an alleged relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda" to justify the war; and that he has "openly threatened aggression against the Republic of Iran, absent any real threat to the United States, and has done so with the United States' proven capability to carry out such threats."
"In all this, Vice President Richard B. Cheney has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as vice president, and subversive to constitutional government, to the prejudice of the cause of law and justice and the manifest injury of the people of the United States ... [and] by such conduct, warrants impeachment and trial, and removal from office," the resolution concluded.
Kucinich introduced the articles at a news conference held at 5 p.m. Tuesday on Capitol Hill, which was delayed for several hours. The event was originally planned for noon, but Kucinich initially postponed it based on news reports Cheney was undergoing emergency medical treatment for a chronic blood clot condition in his leg. When subsequent news reports indicated the tests were more routine, Kucinich rescheduled the event.
Kucinich - who opposed military intervention in Iraq from the start and voiced strong criticism of the Bush administration's policy during a quixotic run for the 2004
Democratic presidential nomination - again has made his antiwar stance a main issue of his bid for the White House.
Democratic leaders, who have stated repeatedly they have no intentions of pursuing the impeachment of either President Bush or Cheney, do not support the impeachment effort. Kucinich said Tuesday that he did not have any co-sponsors for the resolution. But he proclaimed that he had the support of "millions of Americans."
Speaking at the news conference, Kucinich said he was pursuing impeachment of Cheney, and not Bush, for practical reasons. "It's significant and responsible to start in this way, because if the same charges would relate to the president as relate to the vice president, you would then have to go through the constitutional agony of impeaching two presidents consecutively," he said.
Kucinich posted his proposed articles of impeachment on his congressional Web site.