Impeachment resolution nets 24 co-sponsors, sent to committee

MONTPELIER— A formal resolution introduced late Tuesday in the state Legislature calling on Congress to draft articles of impeachment against Pres. George W. Bush has been sent to the House Judiciary Committee for review.

Rep. Dave Zuckerman, P-Burlington, the lead sponsor of the measure, was joined by 23 of his colleagues, all Progressives and Democrats except for one independent.

Late Wednesday, the measure was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee, according to the Office of House Speaker Gaye Symington.

The following legislators have signed onto the resolution as of early Tuesday: Rep. George Cross, D-Winooski; Rep. Steve Darrow, D-Putney, Rep. Joannah Leddy Donovan, D-Burlington; Rep. Winston Dowland, P-Holland; Rep. Sarah Edwards, P-Brattleboro; Rep. Michael Fisher, D-Lincoln; Rep. Patsy French, D-Randolph; Rep. Steve Green, D-Berlin; Rep. Sandy Haas, P-Rochester; Rep. Jim Hutchinson, D-Randolph; Rep. Warren Kitzmiller, D-Montpelier; Rep. Lucy Leriche, D-Hardwick; Rep. Jason Lorber, D-Burlington; Rep. Jim Masland, D-Thetford; Rep. Jim McCullough, D-Williston; Rep. Rosemary McLaughlin, D-Royalton; Rep. Betty Nuovo, D-Middlebury; Rep. Chris Pearson, P-Burlington; Rep. Kathy Pellett, D-Chester; Rep. Daryl Pillsbury, I-Brattleboro; Rep. Dexter Randall, P-North Troy; Rep. Ann Seibert, D-Norwich; and, Rep. David Sharpe, D-Bristol.

The resolution lays out a broad case for impeachment, ranging from wiretapping U.S. citizens to lying about reasons for going to war in Iraq. It is modeled, in part, after recent resolutions approved by county Democratic committees

“We should not get into perpetual impeachment proceedings with every president, and if you disagree with their policies you should work through the democratic process,” Zuckerman told the Guardian on Tuesday. “However, no president is above the law, and while Republicans used impeachment to carry out a policy disagreement with a president, this is about a president who thinks he’s king. We threw that notion overboard more than 200 years ago.”

Zuckerman, who has been mulling this resolution since February, put it on hold as the session gathered steam and he considered making his own bid for the U.S. House. Then county Democratic committees took up the call, as did several towns.

Zuckerman is relying on the Jefferson Manual of rules for the U.S. House of Representatives that allows state legislatures to initiate impeachment proceedings by submitting charges to Congress.

State Democrats earlier this month sidestepped the Legislature in response to a grassroots effort among various county committees to get lawmakers to initiate such proceedings. All 13 county committees voted to support some form of impeachment resolution — eight supported calling on the Legislature to act, four counties voted for an impeachment resolution to go direct to Washington, and one voted to support Sen. Russ Feingold, D-WI, censure effort.

Top lawmakers voiced tepid support for legislative action, saying it was coming at a time when too many policy discussions were being made on the budget, health care and transportation.

Zuckerman’s effort comes on the heels of a letter written by Rep. Richard Marek, D-Newfane, which was signed by 56 members of the House and 13 members of the Senate. No Republicans signed the letter. The letter asks the House Judiciary Committee to begin impeachment proceedings.

Six Vermont towns passed resolutions on Town Meeting Day calling for Bush’s impeachment. On May 1, Vermont’s effort moves to the nation’s capital when Vermonters plan to hand deliver those petitions to House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-IL.

The members of Vermont’s congressional delegation, who are not enthusiastic about impeachment, do support hearings that could lead to possible censure.

Posted April 26, 2006

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