The following is a guest editorial by my friend from the Boston Tea Party Chat Room, troublemkr.
I was against impeachment. I thought it was a waste of time/effort. It has become apparent to me, though, with the recent GSA no-bid contract and Doan's stewardship, with the recent Department of Justice US Attorney firings and the Attorney General's inability to be honest with Congress, that the administration does not believe in the rule of law. And the law is the foundation of our democracy.
This is not a government by the republicans for the republicans. The Hatch Act does not permit federal employees to act in partisan ways in the operation of government. (Go here for more on the history of the Hatch Act.)
Ironically, the republicans were instrumental in passage of the Hatch Act. Times have changed very much. I am a dissident republican because the values of our party are not evident to me now. It seems that these "republicans" are trying to force their will on the whole government, to govern with one-party rule. They conduct business secretly. They have broadened the executive branch control over the other two branches of our government. This was NEVER envisioned by our forefathers. The natural result of this is a dictatorship. Would the republicans want the democrats to win the white house and exercise these powers? Doubtful.
While Doan was advised by the Bush Administration attorneys not to pursue a no-bid contract for her friend's company, she disregarded this instruction. And the Bush Administration did nothing.
In an effort to circumvent possible subpoenas for the white house email system, the administration has used the Republican National Committee's email system. This indicates that some White House personnel conspired with Abramoff, at the very least, to hide communications from a possible prosecution in the future.
In the US Attorney scandal, one of Gonzales' assistants is asserting her fifth
amendment right on the basis that the committee has made up its mind. these
grounds have not been established as a circumstance that would permit a
witness to claim their fifth amendment right. The fifth amendment was never
designed to hide guilt from congress.
“ No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”Congress is not a body that is trying criminal cases. Congress does not deprive the defendant of due process of law. but the assertion of the fifth amendment smacks of obstruction of justice. This says nothing about whether a defendant can choose to testify to congress or not.
If the US Attorneys that were not fired might be guilty of a violation against the Hatch Act, the citizens of this country should know that. US Attorneys are not just a political appointment. They are the prosecutors for the people of this nation. If White House personnel directed these firings for not carrying out Bush policy, then the White House personnel should also suffer the same punishment as the people that they directed. There should be no assertion of executive privilege because executive privilege was not designed to circumvent the law.
Violation of the Hatch Act requires removal from their position of authority. At this time, i feel ample examples exist to demonstrate the Bush Administration's incompetence in the operation of government. This administration cannot conduct itself outside of the law.
Therefore, i am willing to accept Bush's impeachment as the only reasonable alternative.
troublemkr, aka Suzanne Hamlet Shatto, describes herself as "a moderate republican" whose been "active in politics" "for many years."
