We need to impeach and remove Richard Cheney and George W. Bush. I'm not here to argue this proposition with anybody. If you don't agree, then you don't need to read any farther. I'm here to talk about how we can get serious about accomplishing it.
We can pressure our Democratic Congresspeople on impeachment until we're blue in the face. We can stage sit-ins in their offices, we can call, fax and mail them urging they move on impeachment. And I can appreciate all these efforts -they've done all they can do. But they can't overcome the fear of Congressional Democrats that impeachment will be a partisan, divisive, embarrassing affair and will undermine their ability to do good things, and more importantly for a politician, undermine their ability to be seen doing good things. Until that fear can be overcome, there's very likely not going to be any movement on impeachment.
But there is something we can do to fix this problem, and it's time for us to take this step.
In 1974, when the House Judiciary Committee voted to refer articles of impeachment against Richard Nixon to the full House, 11 Republicans voted the party line to protect their President. Only 6 switched sides. And yet, that level of bi-partisanship from the House was enough to scare Nixon out of the White House, warned by Senators from his own party that the evidence was too solid for them to ignore.
We're not ready yet to pressure Senators. Heck, there aren't even any impeachment hearings in the House yet. But it is time to pressure House Republicans, especially those on the Judiciary Committee. And don't think these guys can't be swayed. In the current climate, most of them are vulnerable. Many of them have histories that make swaying them on impeachment easier. At least two of them didn't even have a Democratic challenger in the last election.
In this spirit, here's a list of Republicans, vulnerable and not, who are running for re-election in 08 and are on the HJC. I leave off two of the most senior members of the Republican HJC contingent, as it looks like they're retiring, and even if Coble's not, he'd be a bear to take on in North Carolina.
So here's your introduction to the House Judiciary Committee Republicans we need to target:
First up comes Elton Gallegly, California's Representative from the 24th district. If you're from California, you shouldn't like this guy much. He the only member of your delegation that opposes legislation that would prevent the feds from interfering in your State's medical marijuana laws. He's announced his retirement at least twice, and rescinded it both time, lately because he doesn't think the Republicans can hold the seat if he goes. It's time to tell him to join the impeachment train, or he'll find Republicans can't hold that seat, even if he's in it.
Contact him at these three address and phone numbers:
Washington Office
2309 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515-0523
(202) 225-5811
FAX: (202) 225-1100
District Offices
2829 Townsgate Road, Suite 315
Thousand Oaks, CA 91361-3018
(805) 497-2224
Toll Free: (800) 423-0023
FAX: (805) 497-0039
485 Alisal Road, Suite G-1A
Solvang, CA 93463
(805) 686-2525
FAX: (805) 686-2566
Next is Bob Goodlatte, Virginia's Representative from the 6th district. There's not much to say about him except that he ran virtually unopposed in the general election. His only challengers were a couple of independents. His signature issue is prohibiting internet gambling. Let's tell him not to gamble with his political career by opposing impeachment.
He's got lots of offices, make sure you send a letter or a phone call to all of them at:
Harrisonburg Office:
2 South Main Street Suite A, First Floor
Harrisonburg, VA 22801
(540) 432-2391
(540) 432-6593 fax
Lynchburg Office:
916 Main Street Suite 300
Lynchburg, VA 24504
(434) 845-8306
(434) 845-8245 fax
Roanoke Office:
10 Franklin Road, SE Suite 540
Roanoke, VA 24011
(540) 857-2672
(540) 857-2675 fax
Staunton Office:
7 Court Square
Staunton, VA 24401
(540) 885-3861
(540) 885-3930 fax
Washington, DC Office:
2240 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5431
(202) 225-9681 fax
Continuing in our search for just six good Republicans in the HJC, we find Steve Chabot, representing Ohio's first district. He's a true right-to-lifer, voting against embryonic stem cell research, he also obstructed a light rail system in Hamilton county, hates the environment, and is generally a right-wing dick. But he only won the last election 53% to 47% so he deserves to get some pressure on impeachment too.
Contact this mouth-breather at:
Washington Office
129 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-2216
(202) 225-3012 (fax)
Cincinnati Office
3003 Carew Tower
441 Vine Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
(513) 684-2723
(513) 421-8722 (fax)
Moving on, we find another Representative from California, representing it's 3rd district, Dan Lungren. Lungren's an immigration hawk who ran against Davis for Governor of California and lost. He claims he's back in the House because of 9/11. While his district has been drawn to be safer for Republicans, '08's gonna be a hell of a year for Republicans, so there are no guarantees. Tell Lungren we have to impeach because of 9/11. It might work.
Call him at:
Washington, D.C. Office
2448 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-5716
Fax: (202) 226-1298
District Office
2339 Gold Meadow Way, Suite 220
Gold River, CA 95670
Phone: (916) 859-9906
Fax: (916) 859-9976
Chris Cannon, Utah's Representative from the third district is up next. Now you might ask yourself "why would I bother contacting a Republican from Utah about impeaching Bush?" There are two reasons. The first is that Cannon's not all that well liked in his own party. He barely won a primary challenge the last time. The second is sheer irony. Cannon was one of 14 House members who prosecuted Clinton's impeachment in the Senate. Let's see if he can reconcile impeaching over a blowjob with impeaching over obstruction of justice, lying to start a war, leaving thousands to drown and die in New Orleans.....
This guy needs a lot of phone calls to expose his inconsistency and hypocrisy. Call him at:
Washington Office
2436 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-7751
Fax: (202) 225-5629
Provo Office
51 S University Ave Suite #319
Provo, UT 84606
Phone: (801) 851-2500
Fax: (801) 851-2509
Outside Utah County Call
1-800-571-2971
West Jordan Office
8000 South Redwood Road #332
West Jordan, UT 84088
Phone: (801) 569-5125
Fax: (801) 569-5126
On to a state I reluctantly call home, we find Ric Keller, Florida's Representative from the 8th district. A long time ago, he promised to term limit himself. Well, now he's changed his mind and he's running in '08. That switch has earned him a primary challenger, and this looks like a seat we're gonna pick up running Mike Smith. That said, if he's desperate enough to keep his seat, we might be able to convince him to bail on Bush.
Call and write him at:
Washington Office
419 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone (202) 225-2176
Fax (202) 225-0999
District Office
605 East Robinson Street
Suite 650
Orlando, FL 32801
Phone: (407) 872-1962
Fax:(407) 872-1944
A man who needs no introduction around these parts is the ever odious Darrell Issa, California's Representative from the 49th district. Issa is at the heart of the current USA scandal, and it's probably too much to hope that he could come on board the impeachment train with us. But we might be able to convince him to keep out of the way, and that's at least worth a phone call.
Bug this bastard at:
Washington D.C. Office
211 Cannon House
Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
phone: 202-225-3906
fax: 202-225-3303
San Diego County Office
1800 Thibodo Road, #310
Vista, CA 92081
phone: 760-599-5000
fax: 760-599-1178
Temecula Office
phone: 951-693-2447
If anyone could rival Issa for worst Republican of the HJC (not counting Sensenbrenner, of course) it would have to be Indiana's Representative from their 6th district, former heir apparent to the Republican leadership, Mike Pence. Pence is infamous for comparing Bagdad to a summertime Indiana outdoor market, and not only drinks the Kool-Aide, but helps mix it. Though he'll likely never falter in his support of Bush, we should keep him too busy throwing away all the letters and faxes urging him to support impeachment to do anything else.
We can accomplish this at:
Washington DC
1317 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-3021 office
(202) 225-3382 fax
Anderson
1134 Meridian Plaza
Anderson, IN 46016
(765) 640-2919 office
(765) 640-2922 fax
Richmond
50 North 5th Street
Richmond, IN 47374
(765) 962-2883 office
(765) 962-3225 fax
Muncie
204 South Walnut Street
Muncie, IN 47305
(765) 747-5566 office
(765) 747-5586 fax
We find another Republican from Virgina, Randy Forbes, representing their 4thd district on our target list. Forbes is an undistinguished politician who has troubling ties to the Abramoff scandal. Since his district has been re-drawn, it is a pretty safe Repubican seat. Forbes won his last election with more than three quarters of the vote. But once again we find one of those rare races where there wasn't a Democratic challenger. Let him know that we expect him to do his job.
Contact him at:
Washington D.C. Office
307 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225 - 6365
(202) 226 - 1170 (fax)
Chesapeake District Office
505 Independence Parkway, Suite 104
Chesapeake, VA 23320
(757) 382 - 0080
(757) 382 - 0780 fax
Colonial Heights District Office
2903 Boulevard, Suite B
Colonial Heights, 23834
(804) 526 - 4969
(804) 526 - 7486 fax
Emporia District Office
425 H. South Main Street
Emporia, VA 23847
(434) 634 - 5575
(434) 634 - 0511 fax
Whew, with only five more Republicans to go, this list is getting long. But quitters never win, so on we go with Steve King, Iowa's Representative from the 5th district. King is the ass who was one of the members who tried to cut Nancy Pelosi's travel budget, claimed that D.C. was more dangerous than Iraq, equated Abu Ghraib with hazing, insulted Helen Thomas and lies about immigrants. The Des Moines Register recanted it's endorsement of him, calling him an extremist and an embarrassment to Iowa. (Ya think?!) Iowans can be a pretty sensible lot. Despite the fact that he won with almost 60% of the vote, they may not want him back after the next two years. Let him know he might be able to save face by backing impeachment.
Contact him at:
Washington, D.C.
1609 Longworth Office Building
Washington D.C. 20515
Phone: 202.225.4426
Fax: 202.225.3193
Council Bluffs
40 Pearl St.
Council Bluffs, IA 51503
Phone: 712.325.1404
Fax: 712.325.1405
Creston
208 W Taylor Street
P.O. Box 601
Creston, IA 50801
Phone: 641.782.2495
Fax: 641.782.2497
Sioux City
526 Nebraska Street
Sioux City, IA 51101
Phone: 712.224.4692
Fax: 712.224.4693
Spencer
306 N Grand Avenue
P.O. Box 650
Spencer, IA 51301
Phone: 712.580.7754
Fax: 712.580.3354
Storm Lake
800 Oneida St., Suite A
Storm Lake, Iowa 50588
Phone: 712.732.4197
Fax: 712.732.4217
Tom Feeney's another asshole Republican from my state, representing Florida's 24th district. Feeney's one of those Florida Republicans we can thank for foisting Bush off on us in 2000. Since then he's been a pretty solid Bush supporter. But he has broken ranks once, on the Medicare Reform bill, which he though was too expensive. He's known for being a "waste-watcher." He's also known as one of the 20 most corrupt Congresspeople. The 24th looks like a district we can pick up in '08, so let's see if we can apply that pressure to impeachment, and get Feeney to break even more substantially with Bush.
Contact him at:
Washington Office
323 Cannon House Office
Building Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-2706 (202) 226-6299 fax
Orlando Office
12424 Research Parkway, Suite 135
Orlando, FL 32826
(407) 208-1106 (407) 208-1108 fax
Port Orange Office
1000 City Center Circle, 2nd Floor
Port Orange, FL 32129
(386) 756-9798 (386) 756-9903 fax
Titusville Office
400 South Street, Suite 4-A
Titusville, FL 32780
(321) 264-6113 (321) 264-6227
Coming from Arizona's 2nd district, we have Trent Franks. Franks has associated himself in the past with that notable group Focus on the Family, and it's quite obvious from his wikipedia page that he really cares about the little children. Ask him if he cares enough about them to preserve our Constitution.
Contact him at:
Washington Office
1237 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-4576
Fax: 202-225-6328
District Office
7121 West Bell Road
Suite 200
Glendale, AZ 85308
Phone: 623-776-7911
Fax: 623-776-7832
Louie Gohmert, from Texas's first district, is probably as lost a cause as Pence and Issa. Doing everything from blaming Murtha for the failings in Iraq to blaming Democrats for a downward adjustment to the Dow, Gohmert's become the face of Republican fealty to Bush. Nonetheless, we should bug him as much as Pence and Issa, tie them down with this issue so they can't do anything else.
Commence bugging at :
Washington Office
510 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-3035
(202) 226-1230 fax
Longview
(903) 236-8597
Lufkin
(866) 535-6302 toll free
Marshall
(866) 535-6302 toll free
Nacogdoches
(866) 535-6302 toll free
Tyler
(866) 535-6302 toll free
(903) 561-6349
(903) 561-7110 fax
Last, and probably least of the idiots we need to start bugging is Jim Jordan, Ohio's Representative from the 4th district. This is a seat Republicans held on to, despite it's being open. Jordan's a rare new face in the Republican side of the aisle, and he's made a name for himself in state politics through restricting access to welfare and playing watchdog with the public till. He likes wrestling. Maybe someone here can pin him with an argument for why he should support impeachment.
Contact him at:
Washington D.C. Office
515 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2676
Fax:(202) 226-0577
Mansfield Office
24 West Third Street
Room 314
Mansfield, OH 44902
Phone: (419) 522-5757
Fax:(419) 525-2805
Lima Office
3121 W. Elm Plaza
Lima, Ohio 45805
Phone: (419) 999-6455
Fax:(419) 999-4238
Findlay Office
100 East Main Cross
Suite 201
Findlay, Ohio 45840
Phone: (419) 423-3210
Fax:(419) 423-3233
So there we have it folks, 14 Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee. Some of them we might be able to turn. Most of them we probably won't. Conyers recently asked for 3 more members to support H. Res. 333 before he'll move on it. Imagine the impetus we can give this issue if those three are Republicans!