Congressman Conyers Meets with Impeachment Advocates
Milwaukee’s active advocates for impeachment were surprised last week when the one man who could move forward impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives —Michigan Congressman John Conyers, the chair of the House Judiciary Committee—agreed to meet with them for an hour the next day. The impeachment advocates had protested Conyers’
attendance at a fund raiser last Monday for Rep. Steve Kagan (D-Green
Bay). But Conyers spoke with the protesters, and then invited them to
discuss impeachment the next morning.
“We gave him a lot to
think about,” said Debbie Metke, who attended the meeting. Conyers has
sent mixed signals about his willingness to act on impeaching President
George Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and other members of the
administration. While House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi had promised
that impeachment was “off the table” prior to the 2006 election,
Conyers has shown some support for it over the years.
At the
2005 Fighting BobFest, Conyers promised that if Democrats won a majority in the House, he’d act on impeachment. In May, Conyers sent a
letter to the president warning that if the United States
attacked Iran without congressional approval, he would begin
impeachment proceedings. Yet Conyers has not acted on the 35 articles
of impeachment introduced by his colleague, Ohio Democrat Dennis Kucinich, in June.
In his Milwaukee meeting last week, Conyers didn’t make any promises, although he did say that while Pelosi took impeachment off the table, he did not.
No Promises
“He has sent mixed signals all along,” said David Redemann, a citizen supporter of impeachment. “This meeting was more of the same.” Conyers said that he and Kucinich would discuss the matter with the other House members to see if there was any support for it. But he warned that the conservative Blue Dog Democrats, as well as Democrats who are serving their first term in Congress, would be unlikely to support impeaching Bush for crimes he committed while in office.
Conyers also hinted that alternative measures could be taken so that Bush and his allies could be tried for crimes after they leave office.
The Milwaukee advocates argued that impeachment proceedings would help Democrats in the November election, since voters want the president and vice president to be held accountable for their actions in office.
Although the advocates didn’t come away from the meeting with Conyers’ commitment to support impeachment, they did give him credit for meeting with them to discuss it. “I think he does want to do it,” Metke said. “But he feels his hands are tied.”
What’s your take? Write: editor@shepex.com or comment on this story online at www.expressmilwaukee.com.
Letters0
Also in News Features:
- Wed
3 - Thu
4 - Fri
5 - Sat
6 - Sun
7 - Mon
8 - Tue
9
Frank Martin just can't spend a quiet evening at home. In Transporter 3, he's ready to relax when a speeding car improbably crashes through the brick wall of his living room, depositing an associate about to die and a mysterious young Ukrainian woman, Val
Although separated by an ocean and multiple time zones, the Australian Outback bears remarkable resemblance to the American West. Both encompass mesas towering over rocky, dusty deserts shimmering like a mirage under unforgiving sunlight. Whip-snapping co
No, we didn't ask for an album featuring another recording of "Breathe," leading into "Time," leading into "Breathe (Reprise)," as happens on tracks two through four on Live in Gdansk. But Pink Floyd completists (we are legion) will want it anyway. Howeve
Jorge "El Guero" Hernandez may be the best-known regional Mexican artist with Milwaukee roots. Most of a decade has passed since he and brother Rogelio moved to San Antonio, but El Guero's Banda Centenario still nurtures a unique take on the often-manic D
The Third Ward has changed a great deal since the Milwaukee Ale House opened its doors 11 years ago. The Ale House was one of the first ventures to renovate a vintage building and take advantage of views of the Milwaukee River. A decade later the “r
Two new storefronts—Little Italy Olive Oil Co. and Capone’s Grotto— recently appeared at 1003 and 1007 N. Old World Third St., in the spot formerly occupied by Jewel of India. The interior received a much-needed makeover that includes be
