Cheney Impeachment Effort Finds Daylight In NW Indiana Paper

Cross-posted at Blue Indiana

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Last Friday, a remarkable event occured.  One that a growing majority of all Americans have been breathlessly awaiting.

Three members of the House Judiciary Committee called upon The People to join them in demanding for immediate impeachment hearings against V.P. Richard Cheney.  They even crafted an Op-Ed article explaining their intent and submitted it to the New York Times and The Washington Post, to name two of the most prominent recepients.  Both papers refused to print it.

Five days have passed.  We've not heard a whisper of this bold move anywhere in the mainstream media.  You know the sound....

                                       Crickets

I was lucky enough to have tuned into WCPT 820AM (Chicago) during my nightly commute.  Randi Rhodes was discussing the situation with Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL).  Thankfully, I was able to remember the website address long enough to investigate when I got home.  What I found was a petition allowing each citizen to join their effort.  The goal was to present 50,000 or so signatures to Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) as an motivation to start the hearings [related to Rep. Dennis Kucinich's (D-OH) HR 333/Res 799].  Kucinich's approved legislation has been gathering dust for over 6 weeks on Conyers' desk.

After adding my name, I continued to follow the tally.  I was curious to see how fast it would reach their target number.  Over the weekend, I witnessed approximately 1000 people per hour find their voices.  There were several diaries (links below) on Daily Kos tracking the progess.  By the time I logged off Sunday night, they'd heard from over 67,000 ticked off Americans!

Deciding to take advantage of this groundswell, some Kossacks started calling for 100,000 names, just to make the point clear.  We met that mark Wednesday evening.

In a parallel effort, the fact that two such prominent national newpapers refused to print the Op-Ed piece still bugged me.  So, when I initially heard about the situation, I fired off a couple of Letters to the Editor at The Post-Tribune and NW Indiana Times.  I was pleasantly suprised to recieve a message from the Times requesting confirmation that I was indeed the author.  Below is my original letter:

Representatives Wexler, Gutierrez, and Baldwin, all members of the House Judiciary Committee, asked us to add our voices to the ever increasing call for the impeachment of V. P. Dick Cheney.  It is long past the time that Cheney be held accountable for his actions.  The Constitution requires Congress to investigate any instances of high crimes and misdemeanors.  VP Cheney has provided abundant cause to activate that Constitutional obligation.

You should include your voice in calling the House of Representatives, specifically the Judiciary Committee, to begin immediate hearings into the machinations regarding our invasion of Iraq and the attempts to instigate another invasion in Iran.  

To join with thousands of others in this vital matter, go to http://www.wexlerwantshearings...  

Please take 30 seconds to tell the Judiciary Committee to schedule these hearings as they are mandated to do by the Oaths they took upon entering office.  

Speak up today and ask everyone you know to do the same!

 
The letter, and more importantly, the story, will be published in Thursday's edition. Granted, I did do a little nudging when I called the News editors of both papers asking whether they were aware of this development in the Judiciary Committee.  Both admitted they were not.  Although, the published version has been polished, they remained faithful to the core message as you can judge for yourself.

Last Friday, U.S. Reps. Robert Wexler, Luis Gutierrez and Tammy Baldwin, all members of the House Judiciary Committee, asked us to add our voices to the ever-increasing call for the impeachment of Vice President Dick Cheney. It is long past time that Cheney be held accountable for his actions.

Call the House of Representatives, specifically the Judiciary Committee, to begin immediate hearings into the machinations regarding our invasion of Iraq and the attempts to instigate another invasion in Iran.

To join with thousands of others in this vital matter, go to http://www.wexlerwantshearings...

Please take 30 seconds to tell the Judiciary Committee to schedule these hearings.

[Ed note: There is a section for comments available to the public below the letter.  Feel free to set the Dead End kids straight.]

And to make things more seredipitous, I received the following e-mail from Rep. Wexler just last night.

We have already reached 100,000 supporters. Thank You.

Now We Need Each of You To Send an Email to Ten More People to Get 250,000 Signed Up at WexlerWantsHearings.com by the End of the Year.

I can guarantee that your 100,000 voices calling for impeachment hearings will now be heard in Congress. Together, through our new Quarter Million Person Challenge, let's now set a new goal of 250,000 Americans signing up to demand action.

It has been just 5 days since I called for impeachment hearings for Vice-President Dick Cheney and already over 100,000 people - including you - have answered that call by adding your name as an impeachment supporter at www.WexlerWantsHearings.com. This is a truly remarkable response that demonstrates the power that average, everyday Americans can have when we come together to pursue justice and accountability.

Never mind that the national media ignored my call and rejected an op-ed that I wrote along with my Judiciary Colleagues Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI). The Netroots and citizen activists like yourself are spreading our message and demanding action.

Quarter Million Person Challenge

Our movement continues to grow by the hour and the day. But, with the media blackout, I need your help to grow our effort. With 100,000 supporters already signed-up, if each of you e-mail ten of your friends (a "Chain-ey letter") about www.WexlerWantsHearings.com  and the need for Cheney impeachment hearings we will reach over a million Americans and perhaps we can reach a new goal of 250,000 signers by the end of the year!!

Join Me Thursday Night on Blog Radio to Discuss Our Next Steps

On this Thursday at 9:00 p.m. (EST) and 6:00 (PST), please join me as I appear on live on the Internet to discuss my efforts to convince Congress to hold impeachment hearing.

Congressman Wexler Live on Blog Radio:

WHEN: Thursday, December 18, 9:00 pm (EST)/6:00 pm (PST)

WHERE: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/fpc (a link will be posted at www.wexlerwantshearings.com and www.wexlerforcongress.com  )

WHO: Rep. Wexler will appear live on Florida Progressive Radio with host Kenneth Quinnell of the Florida Netroots Caucus, Bob Fertick of Democrats.com, as well as Dave Lindorf, author of "The Case for Impeachment," and David Swanson with AfterDowningStreet.org.

More on the Media Blackout

The New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times, USA Today, and Boston Globe have all rejected our op ed (though the Miami Herald just put an edited version in its "Letters to the Editor" section). We have heard from the editors of some of these publications and they are telling us that they are getting overwhelmed with phone calls and letters of complaint. (Well done everybody!)

In short - we need to keep the pressure on if this news will spread far beyond the Netroots community.

With warm regards,

Congressman Robert Wexler

This thing is growing legs. Lots of them. And FAST!  I wonder how long the 'serious' media think they can shove this under the rug?  They are too stubborn to see the golden opportunity that fell into their laps.  This is one story, though, that won't be smothered.  The NW Indiana Times has made sure of that, along with 3 US House Reps and over 100,000 fed up Americans!

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We Did It! 50,000 Signatures Calling for Immediate Cheney Impeachment Hearings Collected in 1 Day!

Updated: Wexler Impeachment Petition Tops 67,000 Sigs

Wexler Impeachment Petition Tops 76,000 Signatures!

Wexler Hits 50,000 Impeach Sigs in One Day, Going for Half-Million