Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Takoma Park, Maryland Passes Resolution to Impeach Bush and Cheney
On July 23, 2008, the City of Takoma Park, Maryland passed a resolution (5 to 0, two members were absent) to impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney.
The official petition will be delivered to the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
What follows is the draft of the petition as posted on the City of Takoma Park, Maryland website.
Introduced by: Councilmember Snipper
CITY OF TAKOMA PARK, MARYLAND
RESOLUTION 2007-
Resolution to Impeach President George W. Bush
And Vice President Richard B. Cheney
WHEREAS, President George W. Bush, in his oath of office, swore to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States;" and
WHEREAS, Vice President Richard B. Cheney, in his oath of office, swore to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic;" and
WHEREAS, it is a fundamental principle of U.S. jurisprudence that no one is above the law and no one may operate outside of our constitutional system of checks and balances; and
WHEREAS, George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney conspired with others to defraud the United States of America by intentionally misleading Congress and the public regarding the threat from Iraq in order to justify a war in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 371; 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 and Richard B. Cheney conspired to commit the torture of prisoners in violation of the "Federal Torture Act" Title 18 United States Code, Section 113C, 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 and Richard B. Cheney acted to strip American citizens of their constitutional rights by ordering indefinite detention without access to legal counsel, without charge and without the 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 law; and
WHEREAS, George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney have arrogated excessive power to the executive branch in violation of basic constitutional principles of the separation of powers while acting to undermine the authority of the legislative branch and the judiciary by issuing "signing statements" that claim that the executive branch may disregard laws enacted by Congress when the President or his subordinates deem it appropriate, and by the above referenced conduct; and,
WHEREAS, in all of this George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney have acted in a manner contrary to their trust as President and Vice 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 Takoma Park, MD and of the United States of America; and
WHEREAS, petitions from the country at large may be presented by the Speaker of the House according to Clause 3 of House Rule XII.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Takoma Park, Maryland, that George W. Bush and Richard B. 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; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT our senators and representatives 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 George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney, to the end that they may be impeached and removed from such office; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the City Clerk shall certify to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, under the seal of the City of Takoma Park, a copy of this resolution and its adoption by the Council of the City of Takoma Park, as a petition, and request that this petition be delivered to the Office of the Clerk and 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 original authorizing signature of the City Clerk.
Adopted this Xth day of XXX, 2007.
Attest: ____________________________
The official petition will be delivered to the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
What follows is the draft of the petition as posted on the City of Takoma Park, Maryland website.
Introduced by: Councilmember Snipper
CITY OF TAKOMA PARK, MARYLAND
RESOLUTION 2007-
Resolution to Impeach President George W. Bush
And Vice President Richard B. Cheney
WHEREAS, President George W. Bush, in his oath of office, swore to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States;" and
WHEREAS, Vice President Richard B. Cheney, in his oath of office, swore to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic;" and
WHEREAS, it is a fundamental principle of U.S. jurisprudence that no one is above the law and no one may operate outside of our constitutional system of checks and balances; and
WHEREAS, George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney conspired with others to defraud the United States of America by intentionally misleading Congress and the public regarding the threat from Iraq in order to justify a war in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 371; 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 and Richard B. Cheney conspired to commit the torture of prisoners in violation of the "Federal Torture Act" Title 18 United States Code, Section 113C, 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 and Richard B. Cheney acted to strip American citizens of their constitutional rights by ordering indefinite detention without access to legal counsel, without charge and without the 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 law; and
WHEREAS, George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney have arrogated excessive power to the executive branch in violation of basic constitutional principles of the separation of powers while acting to undermine the authority of the legislative branch and the judiciary by issuing "signing statements" that claim that the executive branch may disregard laws enacted by Congress when the President or his subordinates deem it appropriate, and by the above referenced conduct; and,
WHEREAS, in all of this George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney have acted in a manner contrary to their trust as President and Vice 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 Takoma Park, MD and of the United States of America; and
WHEREAS, petitions from the country at large may be presented by the Speaker of the House according to Clause 3 of House Rule XII.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Takoma Park, Maryland, that George W. Bush and Richard B. 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; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT our senators and representatives 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 George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney, to the end that they may be impeached and removed from such office; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the City Clerk shall certify to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, under the seal of the City of Takoma Park, a copy of this resolution and its adoption by the Council of the City of Takoma Park, as a petition, and request that this petition be delivered to the Office of the Clerk and 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 original authorizing signature of the City Clerk.
Adopted this Xth day of XXX, 2007.
Attest: ____________________________
