Brookfield, Dummerston, Marlboro, Newfane, and Putney, Vermont
Now add Brattleboro to the list of towns passing resolutions calling for the impeachment of President George W. Bush.
Today was Brattleboro's annual Town & Town School District meeting and an impeachment resolution similar to the ones passed in other Vermont towns was finally introduced after debating for approximately 6 hours on all kinds of budgetary issues. You would expect people to be fried after all that but what followed was another hour and a half of intense discussion about whether or not town meeting reps should pass it. At approximately 6:20 PM, they did!
The impeachment resolution moved by Town Meeting Rep. Dora Bouboulis went as follows:
WHEREAS, Jefferson's Manual section LIII, 602, states that impeachment may be set in motion by charges transmitted from the legislature of a state; and
WHEREAS, George W. Bush had intentionally misled the Congress and the public regarding the threat from Iraq in order to justify a war against Iraq, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 1001 and intentionally conspired with others to defraud the United States in connection with the war against Iraq in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 1805; and
WHEREAS, George W. Bush has admitted to ordering the National Security Agency to conduct electronic surveillance of American civilians without seeking warrants from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review, duly constituted by Congress in 1978, in violation of Title 50 United States Code, Section 1805; and
WHEREAS, George W. Bush has conspired to commit the torture of prisoners in violation of the UN Torture Convention and the Geneva Conventions, which under Article VI of the Constitution are part of the "supreme law of the land"; and
WHEREAS, George W. Bush has acted to strip Americans of their constitutional rights by ordering indefinite detention of citizens, without access to legal counsel, without charge and without opportunity to appear before a civil judicial officer to challenge the detention, based solely on the discretionary designation by the President of a U.S. citizen as an enemy "combatant", all in subversion of the law; and
WHEREAS, in all of this George W. Bush has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as President, subversive of constitutional government to the great prejudice of the cause of law and justice, and to the manifest injury of the people of the State of Vermont and of the United States.
Be it resolved that George W. Bush, by such conduct, warrants impeachment and trial, and removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States;
WHEREAS, it is the uniform practice of the U.S. House of Representatives to receive petitions or resolutions from primary assemblies of the people;
Be it resolved that George W. Bush and Richard Cheney, by such conduct, warrant impeachment and trial, and removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States;
Be it resolved further by the Town of Brattleboro, that our Senators and Representative in the United States Congress be, and they are hereby, requested to cause to be instituted in the Congress of the United States proper proceedings for the investigation of the activities of the President, to the end that he may be impeached and removed from such office.
Be it resolved further, That the Clerk of the Town of Brattleboro be, and is hereby instructed to certify to the Clerk of House of Representatives, under the seal of the Town of Brattleboro, a copy of this resolution and its adoption by the Town of Brattleboro, and that this resolution be entered in the United States Congressional Journal. The copies shall be marked with the word "Petition" at the top of the document and contain the authorizing signature Town Clerk.
WHEW!
To be honest, there's just so much to say. Just incredible sharing from the heart by many, some even claiming it was the best town meeting they've ever been too.
However, there was a major concern and that was that many felt the language in the resolution sounded too inflammatory and/or lacked true evidence. Some even felt that Town Meeting was not the appropriate time and place to bring it up remarking that, "town meeting reps are elected to pass/reject budget appropriations, etc. NOT impeachment resolutions.
The Moderator did allow comments from the gallery and one mentioned rather eloquently that "this was the right time and place, that the Town Meeting Reps. represent the concerns of their districts and this was too important to ignore."
After some heated discussion, the Town Meeting Reps. agreed to pass it, provided that they strike all the WHEREAS items from the new version. The final version was passed as follows:
Be it resolved further by the TOWN MEETING REPRESENTATIVES of Brattleboro, that our Senators and Representative in the United States Congress be, and they are hereby, requested to cause to be instituted in the Congress of the United States proper proceedings for the investigation of the activities of the President, TO SEE WHETHER that he may be impeached and removed from such office.
This amended version passed unanimously and Town Meeting adjourned at 6:20 PM.
Even though there was not as much teeth in this resolution compared to the ones passed in other Vermont towns, Dora Bouboulis was very satisfied with the results.
"It was an action. It sends an action to Washington and most of all the discussion was respectful, intelligent, thoughtful and that's what Town Meeting and democracy is all about," said Bouboulis.
Add Brattleboro to the list of towns demanding accountability for the illegal and immoral actions of George W. Bush.
Who's next?