High Crimes and No Misdemeanors

This is from a John Nichols article that appeared in The Nation yesterday. I can only hope that Vermont's actions are the beginning of a massive groundswell to hold the current administration responsible for its crimes.

Late Tuesday night, there were confirmed reports that 36 towns [in Vermont] had backed impeachment resolutions, and the number was expected to rise. In one town, Putney, the vote for impeachment was unanimous.

For the record, Middlebury says:

We the people have the power -- and the responsibility -- to remove executives who transgress not just the law, but the rule of law.

The oaths that the President and Vice President take binds them to "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States." The failure to do so forms a sound basis for articles of impeachment.

The President and Vice President have failed to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution" in the following ways:

1. They have manipulated intelligence and misled the country to justify an immoral, unjust, and unnecessary preemptive war in Iraq.
   


2. They have directed the government to engage in domestic spying without warrants, in direct contravention of U.S. law.
   


3. They have conspired to commit the torture of prisoners, in violation of the Federal Torture Act and the Geneva Convention.
   


4. They have ordered the indefinite detention without legal counsel, without charges and without the opportunity to appear before a civil judicial officer to challenge the detention -- all in violation of U.S. law and the Bill of Rights.

When strong evidence exists of the most serious crimes, we must use impeachment -- or lose the ability of the legislative branch to compel the executive branch to obey the law. George Bush has led our country to a constitutional crisis, and it is our responsibility to remove him from office.