After being defeated last year, the Vermont State Democratic Committee voted overwhelmingly to ask the state legislature to pass the currently-stalled bill calling for the impeachment of George Bush under Section 603 of the Jefferson's Manual (a guide to US House procedures)
The reason this is different from what has come before (when this was tried last year) is threefold:
First, there is currently a carefully crafted bill (modeled after the so-called "Rutland Resolution" that swept the County Democratic infrastructure in Vermont last year) languishing in the House Judiciary Committee. Last time around, there was no such bill at this stage in the legislative session. Although it's common knowledge that it was sent there to die, there are signs that under steady pressure (and increased media coverage) - as well as the impact of current events - the bill's status may be back in play.
Second, as of last Town Meeting Day, 36 more Vermont towns have passed pro-impeachment resolutions, representing a broad geographic spread in the state. This has brought added pressure for action.
Third - and most significantly - in contrast to the uniform resistance of the entire Democratic leadership last year (despite what was a breathtaking and inspiring upsurge from the rank and file on its behalf), this year, speaking to the bill in the committee was the President Pro Tem of the Vermont State Senate - Senator Peter Shumlin of Windsor County. While sympathetic to the resistance to the issue from his counterpart, Speaker of the House Gaye Symington (D-Jericho), he has spoken openly and publicly of his support for the measure. Shumlin does seem to be holding to the notion that such a joint resolution cannot be initiated in the State Senate, however no one can find anything under Section 603 or State laws and procedures to necessitate that, as it does not involve impeachment of a state officeholder.
For those of you who need a reminder of this process, here's a helpful summation:
What is not generally known is that impeachment proceedings against the President of the United States can be initiated in the House of Representatives by action taken by a state Legislature.
Lifted from a diary by arbortender on Daily Kos:
Pages 314-315 of the House Rules for the 109th Congress, incorporating Jefferson's Manual, which the House uses as a supplement to its standing rules, read as follows:
Section 603. Inception of impeachment proceedings in the House.
In the House there are various methods of setting an impeachment in motion:
(yakyakyak;)
by charges transmitted from the legislature of a State (III, 2469)
Stay tuned. If this is going to happen, it'll happen within the next month, at which point it will be up to our at-large Representative Peter Welch to carry the resolution to the US House.