Open letter to my state legislators on impeachment

02/25/2007

Dear Rep. Norton and Sen. Senjem,


I recently received an interesting email regarding the potential impeachment of George W. Bush. The email contained information of interest to you as state legislators explaining how the impeachment process can be started in state legislatures.

Three states have begun the process - NM, WA, and VT. New Mexico's resolution (SJR 5) passed the Rules Committee last Friday on a unanimous 5-0 vote. The email contained a link to a web page explaining the historical precedents for such an action: http://impeachbush.tv/impeach/statebasis.html.

I believe it's critically important for George W. Bush to be impeached, convicted and removed from office. The list of his high crimes and misdemeanors is lengthy. I won't take the time to list them here.

What are critical are the precedents. Unless specifically repudiated, these usurpations and violations of the Constitution will become established as precedents available to other Presidents in the future, and our Federal Republic will continue its long slide toward Presidential dictatorship and, eventually, tyranny.

As I've said many times before, President Bush must be impeached not for spite, not for punishment, not even for justice, but for precedent.

This is not a partisan issue.

Sen. Senjem, you are a Republican. If events continue on the present trajectory, the next President will almost certainly be a Democrat. Do you want that President to have the powers Bush has usurped to the Presidency?

Furthermore, would it not be better for Republicans for there to be a year or two before the next election during which the American people have a chance to forget the nightmare of the last several years?

I do know there are a few unprincipled Democrats who hope just the opposite. They are lukewarm to impeaching this President or forcing an end to the occupation of Iraq because they know that if the mess continues to get worse, the landslide in 2008 will be even greater than it was in 2006. They look forward to nothing so much as the albatross of Bush and Iraq hanging around Republican necks in 2008.

Of course, these practical considerations pale before the ethical and patriotic reasons for you to introduce a resolution of impeachment. Remember, it was several Republican Senators lead by Barry Goldwater who went to Nixon and convinced him to resign by making it clear they would vote for conviction.

Rep. Norton, I hope you are as principled as I believe you to be, that you do not secretly harbor glee over the plight of Republicans in 2008, and will work to correct problems now to prevent additional disasters during the coming two years, rather than hoping for such disasters to guarrantee Democratic success in 2008.

I ask both of you to do the right thing for our country and introduce a resolution for impeachment to the Minnesota State Legislature.

Congressman Walz, you need not wait for the Minnesota Legislature. I believe any single Representative may introduce articles of impeachment, and you can certainly work with the rest of the House to "Git 'er done."

Others who may see this on one of the groups or lists to which I subscribe, or friends and relatives I may have bcc'd, please forward this to your legislators in whatever state you reside and ask them to introduce a resolution for impeachment to be taken forward by your Congressional delegation.

Sincerely,

Bill Rood
Constituent MN legislative district 29B and US CD 1