WA State Impeachment Summary: Conversation with Linda Boyd
I called Linda Boyd for an update on Washington state impeachment news today. Linda's the Director of the Eastside Fellowship of Reconciliation and a lead activist on impeachment in the state. I've been seeing a lot of impeachment email going back and forth, I said. Is something going on? Actually, she answered, there is some news today. 'I'm about to send out a press release, but you can break the story: there's a debate on impeachment scheduled for the floor of the Senate on the morning of Thursday, April 19. We'll be having a huge rally on the same day.' Is the debate on the impeachment investigation bill SJM 8016? No, she answered, 8016 didn't make it out of committee in time to pass. But there is hope that we will get a vote on a Senate resolution.
As the House Rules for Impeachment in Jefferson's Manual provide, impeachment proceedings can be begun in the US House with charges transmitted from the legislature of a State (document from Eastside FOR's Impeachment page). I asked Linda if a resolution would work as well as a Senate Joint Memorial. She said she wasn't sure what the difference would be between a State Resolution such as New Mexico's, and a Joint Memorial, as in Washington State. But a Senate Resolution does not have the power of a Joint Memorial. The latter would hopefully initiate impeachment proceedings in Congress. However, Washington has provided hope and leadership for impeachment through State Legislatures across the country. And we're continuing to keep impeachment "on the table" until the job is done. On April 19th we will finally have our day in court, and we know that the folks in the other Washington will be listening.* In the film below the fold, Bill Moyer of The Backbone Campaign, explains the Jefferson Manual rules to an aide of Governor Gregoire this past March 12, as he respectfully and ceremoniously transmits a "spineless" citation to the Governor. The charge on the citation: "interfering in an effort in the Washington State Legislature to send a Joint Memorial to the US Congress requesting 'Investigation for Impeachment' of George Bush and Dick Cheney". Also see Moyer's Washblog story: Have Inslee and Murray forgotten where their power originates?.
Linda noted that there is strong citizen support for impeachment. When Senator Eric Oemig introduced SJM 8016 in mid February, Washington became the second state to take this step. Now, 2 months later*, 10 states have impeachment resolutions in the works. Five more, Linda said, are imminently expected to be introduced. 'People are pushing up from the grassroots everywhere for impeachment. There are resolutions coming from towns, legislative districts, state parties, county Democratic organizations', she said. 'You can't say the people don't want this. I was told by a legislative aide that this subject got more emails, calls, and letters than any other issue this year.' I asked if she thought the resolution expected to be introduced on the 19th has a good chance of passing. She answered that chances look good, though she's not making a prediction. Linda shared a story on a March 12 action taken in the state Senate on Impeachment Day in Olympia. Advocates attended a rally and visted their legislators, bringing letters from constituents who could not attend. Several wore T-shirts, with one letter each, that together spelled out the word I-M-P-E-A-C-H. They stood up in the Senate gallery to spell out their message to the gathered body and did get the Senators' attention, though they "got the gavel", as well. "The security guard knows me," Linda said, "I've been there 100 times. He was very sweet and told us we could not demonstrate there. He let us stay when we told him we had nothing else planned." Fashion tip for April 19th: Wear a "Guantanamo Orange" t-shirt. Where to get more info: Impeach Bush and Cheney: Eastside Fellowship of Reconciliation. *Updates/corrections, 4/11 and 4/12/07
WA State Impeachment Summary: Conversation with Linda Boyd | 5 comments (5 topical)
|