Link: Final Vote Results for Roll Call 1037.
A ‘YES‘ vote on the ‘motion to table’ (vote 1037) was a vote to permanently dispose of the resolution without action: in other words, not to even consider or debate the high crimes and misdemeanors committed in our executive office by our Vice President. A "NO" vote (the position which ultimately won) was to consider the issue in open floor debate. Hence the counter-intuitive colors. Steny Hoyer eventually got the resolution kicked into the Conyers’ Judiciary Committee as a means of avoiding floor debate.
Here’s how our Arizona delegation voted:
Giffords (D) "YES"
Grijalva (D) "NO"
Flake (R) "NO"
Mitchell (D) "YES"
Pastor (D) Not Voting
Shadegg (R) "NO"
Franks (R) "NO"
Renzi (R) Not Voting
As a result of the cowardice of many centrist Democrats who are personally afraid of the effect that an impeachment inquiry could have on their re-elections, the motion to table was going to win. When that became apparent, Republicans started switching their votes, so you have the odd spectacle of Grijalva, one of the most liberal members, voting with Shadegg, Flake, and Franks, some of the most conservative members, on a sharply political question.
Of course, the Republicans saw the vote as an opportunity to embarrass Democrats over supporting impeachment. After all, if wacky little Dennis Kucinich is behind it, it can’t be popular with voters, right? Wrong. It is hugely popular to actually try to uphold the Constitutional prerogatives of Congress and hold accountable the Vice President and President for the crimes they’ve committed in office.
Giffords and Mitchell have consistently said they can’t back impeachment, whatever their personal views, because the leadership had taken it ‘off the table,’ but Kucinich’s privileged resolution was a chance to see exactly where they personally stand on the issue, and they have both proven unequivocally that they stand for letting this Administration get away with their crimes.
When Democratic officials aren’t even willing to publicly debate and denounce the shameful and illegal behavior of the opposition party’s Administration, how can we trust them to faithfully execute their oaths of office to uphold and protect our Constitution? Arizonans who voted for them should be deeply angered by Giffords’ and Mitchell’s betrayal of their constitutional duty for purely political reasons. I know I sure am.
What I want to know now is, do Harry and Gabby really think that Cheney, and/or Bush for that matter, haven’t committed any impeachable offenses? Or do they just think it would be politically inconvenient for them to vote to investigate those crimes? It seems to me those are the only two choices that can explain their votes; the former means they are blind, and the second, craven.
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These people have to be impeached. They have and they will veto any piece of reasonable legislation out of congress. So the argument that Congress has better things to focus on is totally bogus. These arrogant SOBs flaunt their power and our so called representatives don’t have the spine to confront them! Is this nation doomed?
Francine, with all due respect. If she doesn’t get it by now, no amount of calling her will help.
I just received a call from a person who asked for my support for her campaign.
Thanks, but no thanks.
Vote for Tim Bee? What – bite your nose to spite your face? It isn’t as much as some of us want, but a Congress controlled by Democrats is – I repeat IS – better than a Congress controlled by Republicans. As for Giffords, I have two thoughts: the first is that “we” are not her only constituency and the second is that if each and every one who disagrees with her would TELL HER, early and often, there would be a message for her to get.
At least we can always count on Rep. Grijalva to fight for the public interest.
Did Giffords not vote to send the bill back to the Judiciary Committee for proper consideration? Members Judiciary Committee typically are the first people hold impeachment hearings (Jackson, Nixion, and Clinton). In my view, Giffords simply voted to allow the Judiciary Committee to investigate.
It’s time to cross over party ‘loyalty’ and teach our blue dogs a lesson. This is one non-repub who will vote for Tim Bee when the time comes.
Again we see that Giffords and her Blue Dog buddy in Phoenix are clueless as to what it means to represent their constituents.
It is startling how quickly these people can be turned into bought/owned hacks.
Maybe we can run some real Democrats against them in 2008?
AC, you really are a raving lunatic.
Have you ever sought treatment?
You really should.
The reason “The Leadership Took The Impeachment Hearings Off The Table” IS because Diane Feinstein and Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are WORSE than Cheney when it comes to PERSONAL involvement in Millions of Dollars being funneled back to there bank accounts and family members by Military Contractors!
The Industrial Complex IKE talked about is right before your eyes at Raytheon AKA Alex AROD Rodriguez and other Congressional Candidates from BOTH sides wanting to further protect this nuclear depository south of Tucson!
For any of you with-out security clearences you may not have heard of the Nuclear War Heads stored in the concrete bunkers behind the main building Air Force Plant Number 44!
You will NOT read about this stuff even in The Red Star;; WHY?? Because anyone who thinks IMPEACHING a President or Vice President will STOP the GIFFORDS -CHENEY “Buddy Punching” in Congress and The White House IS NUTS!!!!!
As for Giffords , The Million Dollar Baby” as I call her , you wil see that when the money runs out in Congress as our currency tanks so will she!
MIKHAIL KRYZHANOVSKY – UNITED STATES PRESIDENT DE FACTO
Mikhail Kryzhanovsky, KGB superspy, the author of the “White House
Special Handbook, or How to Rule the World in the 21st Century” is
the US president de facto.
Since 1996 American presidents, Bill Clinton and now – Bush, rule
United States in strict accordance to his instructions.
Educating the public. A big show is exactly what we need and deserve. An impeachment is something of a truth commission, too; even if he’s not convicted the truth comes out. When hearings on articles of impeachment introduced into committee for Nixon, there wasn’t the votes in the Senate either. It was what was found out as a result of the pressure those articles brought to bear that eventually forced Nixon’s resignation.
I will guarantee that if we have public hearings on impeachment, Bush and Cheney will be forced to resign rather than take their whole party down with them. Those men are criminals. We should treat them as such. What could be more urgent for us to focus on that taking the hands of criminals off the button? Saving our Republican form of government from being distorted out of recognition by the hubris and power-mad actions of the current Resident is more important that ANY other business. We had Republicans in charge of the Congress since 1994; we’ve proven that doing nothing useful for 13 years isn’t the end of the world. Even so, if we allow the GOP to intimidate us into not using our Constitutional powers, then they’ve won, and will continue to undermine the rule of law and the Constitution, not mention possibly taking us to war with Iran or naming another fundamentalist activist judge to the Supreme Court.
There is no compromise with the radical right. You either defeat and utter rout them politically, or they’ll do the same to us, given a chance.
No offense Michael, but what good is supporting impeachment if we don’t have the votes in the senate to remove? It would just be a show, and a distraction from what we really need to be focusing on.
Now they can regret it for the next three decades, AC. Given the unfortunate power of incumbency, there will be no serious Democratic challengers and she’ll very likely defeat Republican Tim Bee.
Your the ones who slobbered all over Giffords at Drinking Liberally!
This does it. I am totally fed up with my property manager representative. If this were about real estate or tires, maybe she would get it. But she doesn’t. She never will. She went to Congress with a 30 second sound bite knowledge of US foreign policy and she was totally unqualified for the job. I have no idea what drives this woman to vote the way she does, but I’m tired of her already. Really tired.
haha– ed pastor was back home watching his daughter lose.