By David Swanson, 5/30/07
On Tuesday, Maine became the 11th state legislature to introduce a
resolution to petition for the impeachment of President George Bush and
Vice President Dick Cheney. Maine joins Vermont (where the Senate has
already passed such a resolution), California, Hawaii, Illinois,
Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Already 14 state Democratic parties have not just introduced but passed
resolutions supporting impeachment. So have 85 cities and towns, either
by public vote, or by a vote of the local government, or both. Details
are available here: http://www.impeachpac.org/resolutions-list
The introduction of Maine’s resolution followed months of activism by the citizens of the state, http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/me
, which culminated in a rally on Tuesday at the State House, where they
presented a citizens’ petition bearing 11,000 signatures.
A video is available at: http://www.wcsh6.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=61892
WCSH6 reports:
Protesters At Statehouse Call For Bush Impeachment
Web Editor: Chris Rose, Reporter
Last Updated: 5/29/2007 9:27:37 PM
AUGUSTA (NEWS CENTER) — A group made up of peace activists, lawyers,
and leading democrats are calling on the Maine House of Representatives
to pass a resolution in support of the impeachment of President Bush.
Portland Democrat Ethan Strimling says he will submit a bill calling
for the legislature to support a resolution calling for the impeachment
of President Bush. Strimling says the signatures gathered throughout
Maine supporting the measure should get the attention of his
colleagues. The signatures were brought to the Speaker of the House’s
office and to Senate President Beth Edmonds after protesters held a
loud rally outside the statehouse Tuesday. Petitions with the
signatures were also delivered to the Maine offices of Congressmen
Allen and Michaud.
The Portland Press Herald reports:
Strimling introduces bill on behalf of impeachment movement
By Ann S. Kim Portland Press Herald (Maine)
AUGUSTA – Sen. Ethan Strimling, D-Portland, today introduced a bill on
behalf of the movement to impeach President Bush and Vice President
Dick Cheney. The impeachment effort in Maine wants the state
Legislature to pass a resolution calling for impeachment
investigations. The movement has collected more than 11,000 petition
signatures in support of the effort. Activists rallied in front of the
State House today before delivering the signatures to the offices of
Senate President Beth Edmonds, D-Freeport, and House Speaker Glenn
Cummings, D-Portland. Strimling said he doesn’t know whether
impeachment is warranted but that he wants the debate to take place.
Information about Maine’s impeachment effort is available at http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/me and at http://www.maineimpeach.org
The Chair of Maine Lawyers for Democracy, John Kaminski, spoke at
Tuesday’s rally. Maine Lawyers for Democracy is a statewide group of
over 70 lawyers who have called for impeachment. They have circulated
to legislators a detailed position paper calling for impeachment.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/sites/afterdowningstreet.org/files/maine.pdf
They cited the deceptions used to justify starting the Iraq War, the
illegality of the War under international treaties adopted by the
United States, and illegal wiretapping of U.S. citizens. In other
words, Maine Lawyers for Democracy cited not just impeachable offenses
but also specific violations of law, as did – to an even greater extent
– Congressman John Conyers’ report released last year on the same topic:
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/downloads/crisis/summary.pdf
This renders quite odd the Portland Press Herald’s editorial on
Tuesday opposing impeachment on the undefended and baldly asserted
ground that no crimes have been committed:
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=108786&ac=PHedi
For more information on impeachment efforts in Maine and www.maineimpeach.org contact: Gary Higginbottom ghiggin2@earthlink.net
For more info on Maine Lawyers for Democracy contact: John Kaminski mainelawyersfordemocracy@yahoo.com
For additional information on Maine’s impeachment movement, including videos, see: http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/me
Speakers on impeachment are available:
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/speakers