Conyers Moves Censure Bill Against Bush, Cheney
CensureBush.org Campaign Launched in Response to New House Legislation
The AfterDowningStreet.org coalition, an alliance of over 100 grassroots organizations, has launched a new campaign called CensureBush.org in order to support new legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers that would censure President Bush and Vice President Cheney and create a select committee to investigate the administration's possible crimes and make recommendations regarding grounds for impeachment.
H.Res.635 would create a select committee to investigate the Administration's intent to go to war before congressional authorization, manipulation of pre-war intelligence, encouraging and countenancing torture, and retaliating against critics and to make recommendations regarding grounds for possible impeachment.
H.Res.636 and H.Res.637 would censure, respectively, Bush and Cheney for failing to respond to requests for information concerning allegations that they and others in the administration misled Congress and the American people regarding the decision to go to war in Iraq, misstated and manipulated intelligence information regarding the justification for the war, countenanced torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of persons in Iraq, and permitted inappropriate retaliation against critics of the Administration, for failing to adequately account for certain misstatements they made regarding the war, and - in the case of President Bush - for failing to comply with Executive Order 12958.
The House Judiciary Committee Democratic staff has just released an extensive report titled "The Constitution in Crisis: The Downing Street Minutes and Deception, Manipulation, Torture, Retribution, and Cover-ups in the Iraq War," available online.
The After Downing Street / Censure Bush Coalition has organized over 60 town hall forums around the country on January 7th and plans to make these new developments in Congress a focus of many of those events.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/event
Tim Carpenter, Director of Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), and Co-Founder of After Downing Street, said: "Progressive Democrats of America is proud to be working with Congressman Conyers for the passage of H.RES.635, H.RES.636, and H.RES.637. We thank Congressman Conyers for his leadership and are excited to be working with the grassroots to mobilize and organize a broad base coalition that will demand action from Congress to investigate the lies of the Bush administration and their conduct related to the war in Iraq."
Bob Fertik, President of ImpeachPAC.org and Co-Founder of After Downing Street, said: "The publication of 'The Constitution in Crisis' marks a turning point in American history. It's long past time for Congress to hold George Bush and Dick Cheney fully accountable for the crimes they committed before and during the disastrous Iraq War. I am certain that a serious investigation of these crimes will lead to the impeachment and removal of both Bush and Cheney."
Attorney John Bonifaz, Co-Founder of After Downing Street and 2006 Massachusetts candidate for Secretary of State, said: "The people of this country are waking up to the severity of the lies, crimes, and abuses of power committed by this president and his administration. Now is the time to return to the rule of law and to hold those who have defied the Constitution accountable for their actions."
Bill Moyer, Executive Director of the Backbone Campaign, adds: "'Culture of Corruption' does not do justice to the Bush Administration's systematic undermining of the checks and balances of this republic. Add spying on Americans to the already long list of crimes in the Conyers report. The 'I word' (impeachment) has become the elephant in the room. Congressman Conyers, the Backbone Campaign is honored to support your efforts."
For more information, contact: Bob Fertik at 718-424-7772 or David Swanson at 202-329-7847.