July 25th, 2008
07:59 PM ET
15 years ago

Bush impeachment comes up again

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/07/25/art.kucinich.gi.jpg caption="Kucinich is pushing for the impeachment of President Bush."]WASHINGTON (CNN) - At a crowded Judiciary Committee hearing today, House Democrats talked about impeaching President Bush.... to the disgust of the committee's Republicans.

It was purely stagecraft. The day's star witness, Ohio Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich, received a noisy ovation filled with cheering, clapping and whistling as he walked into the hearing room. Kucinich, who has introduced articles of impeachment, exhorted the committee to "support and defend the constitution that has been trampled time and again over the last seven years."

The hearing, technically, was not about impeachment but about executive power and its constitutional limitations. Judiciary Chairman John Conyers, D-Michigan, ticked-down a list of items that included, in his words, "the politicization of the Department of Justice, the misuse of signing statements, the misuse of authority with regard to detention, interrogation and rendition, possible manipulation of intelligence regarding the Iraq war, improper retaliation against critics of the administration... and excessive secrecy."

While Conyers called the evidence "both credible and substantial," Republicans scoffed.

Texas Rep. Lamar Smith, the senior Republican on the committee, dismissed the hearings as "an anger management class."

For more on the impeachment back-and-forth, tune into Campbell Brown: Election Center tonight at 8 pm ET.


"This hearing will not cause us to impeach the president; it will only serve to impeach Congress's credibility," Smith said. Rep. Trent Franks, R-Arizona, went further with his criticism, saying Friday’s session "amuses our terrorist friends greatly," and "would make Alice in Wonderland roll her eyes.”

In the end, the committee took no action toward beginning an impeachment inquiry.

soundoff (304 Responses)
  1. Daniel

    Why Kucinich is even in office is beyond me. The man is an absolute wacko, despite having an attractive (though hippie) wife.

    This is nothing more than political posturing. Nothing to see here.

    July 25, 2008 05:20 pm at 5:20 pm |
  2. Tom P

    Seems as though we all forget that 80+% of the US public and Congress supported the war initially when Saddam invaded Kuwait, toyed with the UN inspectors, played like he still had the WOMD he had used previously on the Kurds and elsewhere, etc, etc. Impeach for what? Using the Executive authority grsnted to Commander in Chief during war time?? War Crimes??? Get serious.....

    July 25, 2008 05:20 pm at 5:20 pm |
  3. No McCain!

    Better late then never...

    July 25, 2008 05:20 pm at 5:20 pm |
  4. Rick

    Dennis should be removed from his office, and detained at GTMO.

    July 25, 2008 05:21 pm at 5:21 pm |
  5. Keith M

    The exploration into the powers of the Executive branch is the responsibility of congress and has too long been ignored. Exploration is needed and if the Bush administration has commited offenses then impeachment by the House is required to be followed by trial in the Senate.

    July 25, 2008 05:21 pm at 5:21 pm |
  6. Frankie

    I don't think it's too late to start the impeachment process, it seems strange that we can impeach a president for having lied about his extra marital affairs. Mr. Bush mislead this country into a war which we don't belong in, that cost over 4 thousand lives. And let's not forget Katarina. How we nearly went into war with China and North Korea, Let's not forget the 4 trillion dollar deficit caused by this administration alone, the weakened dollar and the high price of gasoline. I mean with all the damage that this adminitration caused, can we just anull his presidency and say it never happened.

    July 25, 2008 05:21 pm at 5:21 pm |
  7. Michelle D. - Atlanta, GA

    If this country can impeach a president for getting a "hummer" in the White House and lying about it, then why can't we impeach "W" for all of his treasonous acts?

    I don't understand why we are waiting around...go ahead and do it already.

    July 25, 2008 05:22 pm at 5:22 pm |
  8. Chris in VA

    Wow, you people are completely off your rockers.

    July 25, 2008 05:22 pm at 5:22 pm |
  9. Sherry

    I'm an African-American woman who voted for both Bushes; until recently, I was a registered Republican. Well, no more! I am totally disgusted with this Administration. They have started a war that have taken way too many lives; our financial system is going to implode; and we are paying way too much for gas and food. Wasn't the President the one who said the war would pay for itself? What happened? What happened is that his croonies have gotten filthy rich off this war and the American people will be left holding the bag. I say to those who opposed Mr. Obama, get real. You see what is going on. If your decisions are not based on race, then we can have a true conversation; if they are, then do us all a favor and go to Iraq to fight this war!

    July 25, 2008 05:22 pm at 5:22 pm |
  10. pv

    Why waste time trying to impeach a president who has less than 6 months left in office when there are many more important problems for Congress to address? Congress seems good at holding hearings but not so good at solving problems. Maybe that is why Congress' ratings are lower than the President??????

    July 25, 2008 05:22 pm at 5:22 pm |
  11. John in Virgina

    This is long overdue. And not only do we need to do that, we need to collectively push our state governments to try to impose an amendment on the U.S. Constitution setting term limits on federal Congressmen. We retain these same idiots for decade after decade after decade that don't accomplish a thing. Today they are deadlocked over energy and drilling while the American people are the ones who suffer their incompetence at getting anything done in there. We need new people, new ideas, and new politics. The politics that get in the way of solving these problems is disgusting and obviously Bush and the 535 morons in Congress need a strong message that they are there to represent the people; not giant corporations that pay them to do certain things, and themselves.

    July 25, 2008 05:22 pm at 5:22 pm |
  12. Donny

    It may be too late but GO FOR IT! It will be a blemish on his legacy.

    July 25, 2008 05:22 pm at 5:22 pm |
  13. bill in montgomery

    To bad we can't get the morons in Congress to work on things that help average Americans instead of wasting time on this kind of crap. Keep it up Congress and all of you will be looking for new jobs in November.

    July 25, 2008 05:22 pm at 5:22 pm |
  14. Peter

    impeachment was suppose to be a way of checking and balancing power.

    its obvious to the United States citizens that lying about cheating on your wife is far more severe than lying to the citizens of the country and accumulating a 9 trillion dollar debt because of those lies.

    July 25, 2008 05:23 pm at 5:23 pm |
  15. CL OT

    Why are they wasting time with this. Lets get an energy policy. This is why the congress has a 8% approval rating. What a wast of time and money.

    July 25, 2008 05:23 pm at 5:23 pm |
  16. Pete

    They (the Repuglicans) impeached Clinton over lieing to cover a personal affair. Now we have a professional bunch of crooks and thugs that have made careers out of lieing to and manipulating the federal government sitting the whitehouse and the same Repuglicans are scoffing. They are so out of touch with reality it makes you wonder how they can even function on a day to day basis. Anyone with vision that skewed is either lieing themselves or in need of real psychiatric care.

    July 25, 2008 05:23 pm at 5:23 pm |
  17. Liz

    I would hope that they would impeach both Bush and Cheney.. I get chills thinking about Cheney as President

    July 25, 2008 05:23 pm at 5:23 pm |
  18. Garee

    Grounds for Impeachment appears to be a lot like pornography. Politicians can't define it BUT they know it when they see it.
    For Republicans it's a stain on a blue dress while Dems seem to think preserving and defending the Constitution of the U.S. merits consideration.
    Interesting difference, I think.

    July 25, 2008 05:23 pm at 5:23 pm |
  19. Tom P

    Sorry, but Bill could have screwed all the interns he wanted to. Still can and likely does. Who could blame him considering his only nonadulterous option? The reason he was impeached was for lying under oath.

    July 25, 2008 05:23 pm at 5:23 pm |
  20. mhm

    impeach him!

    July 25, 2008 05:23 pm at 5:23 pm |
  21. ClintonDems4Cynthia08

    And again the scumbag Democrats will skuttle the idea. As Pelosi says "its off the table". No more Dems, no more Repubs. VOTE GREEN. SAVE AMERICA !!!!

    July 25, 2008 05:24 pm at 5:24 pm |
  22. Ben (Eugene, Oregon)

    election year stunt...

    July 25, 2008 05:24 pm at 5:24 pm |
  23. Bill Shake

    Make life easier –
    Call the cops and have him arrested for negligent homicide and embezzlement – Using govt resources for private purposes – US military for the oil company profit.

    Let's get real. Put Bush, Cheney, Rice, and Rumsfield in jail now.

    July 25, 2008 05:24 pm at 5:24 pm |
  24. ex republican

    what does "oil spill mcCANE" think about it?

    July 25, 2008 05:24 pm at 5:24 pm |
  25. guy

    The Democrats dont have the guts to go thru with it ( apart from a couple exceptions). Most of them voted to support Bush, they should be impeached as well. I know they come crying now that they have been lied to. All they had to do, was actually do their job and researching the facts was not that difficult,it was available everywhere.

    July 25, 2008 05:24 pm at 5:24 pm |
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