I appreciate Chairman Conyers joining us today, but I don't have much appreciation for his apologetic explanations about why issuing subpeonas is necessary.
I consider these subpoenas to be essential because the evidence our investigation has uncovered points to the pivotal role the White House played in the U.S. Attorney firings. We have only sought to compel cooperation through subpoenas after more than three months of stonewalling by the White House.
Subpeonas aren't essential, Chairman Conyers, IMPEACHMENT IS. Subpeonas will either be ignored, or Bush's thugs will just say "I don't recall" a hundred times and then go home and laugh at you.
The White House has FIRED THE CONSTITUTION, Chairman Conyers.
You KNOW they have.
You wrote THIS BOOK about it.
Why did you write that book, Chairman Conyers? Why did you ask 500,000 of us to sign your Downing Street Minutes petition? Why did you take that petition to the White House?
Why were you all for Impeachment when you HAD NO POWER to pursue it, but will not even talk about Impeachment now that you HAVE THE POWER to pursue it?
You don't need to come here and tell us about the "pivotal role the White House played in the U.S. Attorney firings."
We know all about the PIVOTAL ROLE they've played in that. We also know the White House has played a PIVOTAL ROLE in getting 500,000 Iraqis and 3,500 American soldiers KILLED. These people are all DEAD because the Bush White House LIED to Congress and LIED to the UN, and LIED to the American people. They've been LYING ever since, about EVERYTHING.
The Bush White House has this PIVOTAL ROLE thing perfected! It has played a PIVOTAL ROLE in plotting and engaging in pervasive abuses of power and obstruction of justice on a daily basis throughout the entire federal government for SEVEN YEARS. It has played a PIVOTAL ROLE in plotting and implementing massive and blatantly illegal NSA spying on Americans.
It has played a PIVOTAL ROLE in institutionalizing the torture of human beings in violation of the Geneva Conventions. It has played a PIVOTAL ROLE in perpetrating crimes ranging from the exposure of a covert CIA operative to the subversion of elections and the relentless perpetration of fraud throughout the entire defense and intelligence establishments.
Why did you introduce your Impeachment resolution in 2005 but won't call for Impeachment hearings NOW? Do you think Bush and Cheney have been behaving themselves lately? Is that it? You may have forgotten, but that House Judiciary Committee Chairman's gavel isn't your gavel, it's OUR gavel. You work for US. You need to start pounding that gavel in IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS.
You did NOT take this oath of office:
"I, John Conyers Jr, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States if I can get enough votes and have enough time, against all enemies, foreign and domestic, except George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and Karl Rove; that I will bear selective faith and periodic allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation with several mental reservations and purposes of evasion because I'm a politician and that's what we do for a living; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter if Speaker Pelosi lets me. So help me God."
You took THIS oath of office:
"I, John Conyers Jr, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."
The responsibilities imposed on you by your oath of office are very evident, Chairman Conyers.
The high crimes and misdemeanors committed by George W. Bush and Dick Cheney are very evident, Chairman Conyers.
The Constitutional power granted to the House of Representatives to Impeach for high crimes and misdemeanors is very evident, Chairman Conyers.
You have to begin Impeachment hearings.
If you aren't going to honor your oath of office, you don't deserve to represent us in Congress.
I was an active member on ConyersBlog for more than two years, until you banned me last week for pointing out that you're being a damn fool and a fucking idiot.
IT'S CALLED SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER.
If refusing to Impeach these democracy destroying thugs Bush and Cheney isn't damn fool fucking idiocy, I'd like to know what is.
You had the authority to ban me. Fine. You ALSO have the authority rendered to you by the Constitution to bring Impeachment charges against Bush and Cheney for pervasive and systematic violations of our Constitution and our laws.
I respected and admired you. I told you that many times over the two years I was on ConyersBlog. I'm telling you now that my respect and admiration for you is OFF THE TABLE until you put Impeachment ON THE TABLE.
I'm doing my job as a citizen by telling you this. You need to do your job as a congressman by honoring that oath of office you took.
IMPEACH.