Support Wexler's Impeachment Presentation!

The Democratic Activist
(Update: It looks like we got the details wrong on this. Apparently, Congressman Wexler was scheduled to make a pro-impeachment speech to congress the evening of Wednesday, 1/15 and to present his online petition and letters appealing for impeachment hearings to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Conyers and the other members of the HJC sometime on Wednesday, 1/16 [here is the speech, and here are the letters]. Sorry about that. At least we were early!)

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The pressure for impeachment appears to be building.

Last month, Congressman Robert Wexler (D – Florida, 19th) and two fellow members of the House Judiciary Committee and launched a high-profile effort to lobby other HJC members to support the Cheney Impeachment Resolution, H. Res. 799. Congressman Wexler started an online petition urging Cheney's impeachment that so far has garnered nearly 200,000 signatures, and will be presenting his petition to Congress this Tuesday, 1/15/08, between 7 and 10pm, EST.

In a further indication that things are heating up on this issue, the New York Sun reported on the recent arrest of activists engaged in civil disobedience to support the impeachment effort.

From the Sun's article on 1/4/08:

"Four anti-war protesters were arrested at Rep. Jerrold Nadler's Brooklyn office Wednesday night when they refused to leave after closing hours.

The demonstrators, part of a group of about 15, sought to convince Mr. Nadler, who sits on the House Judiciary Committee, to impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney."

Congressman Wexler needs a huge deluge of support for impeachment right now to bolster his important presentation to congress this Tuesday evening!

The word has gone out to activists to get back on their phones and fax machines, and inundate key House reps with calls and faxes supporting Cheney's impeachment from early on Monday, 1/14/08 through 10pm EST on Tuesday, 1/15/08. In your communications to congressional reps, tell them of your enthusiastic support of the effort to impeach Dick Cheney, ask them for immediate hearings on H. Res. 799, and urge these reps to co-sign Wexler's impeachment letter to HJC Chairman John Conyers and to send their own formal pro-impeachment letters to the HJC chairman.

Here's what you can do, specifically, to join the effort:

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1. Sign Congressman Wexler's petition here urging the immediate impeachment of Vice President Dick Cheney, if you haven't already done so.

2. Call the Capitol Switchboard toll free at 1-800-828-0498, and ask to speak to your own congressperson, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, and each of the nine Democratic members of the HJC opposed to impeachment (the infamous "Ninny Nine," listed below). About 15 minutes is all it takes to make these calls!

Congressman Jerrold Nadler, whose local office was the target of pro-impeachment civil disobedience earlier this month, is one of the "Ninny Nine" and chairman of the HJC subcommittee where the Cheney impeachment resolution is currently stalled. Right now, and until H. Res. 799 is moved forward to a hearing, it's especially important to contact Mr. Nadler ... in every way possible, as often as possible.

3. Compose a short letter template, and fax personalized copies of it to Chairman Conyers, Speaker Pelosi, and each of the "Ninny Nine" (snail-mail letters likely won't arrive in time before 1/15/08, but are always good for follow-up). See below for a complete listing of names and full contact info.

4. Spread the word! Publish and/or email a link to this post to as many people as possible who may be interested in working to support the cause of impeachment at this critical time.

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Other ideas:

I've received reports that at 11:00AM on Monday, 1/14/08, Cindy Sheehan will be delivering between 7,000 and 10,000 pro-impeachment letters to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco office. Pro-democracy activists will also be on hand to deliver thousands of petition signatures urging Cheney's impeachment. Right now, your additional calls and faxes to Nancy Pelosi's local office (see Pelosi's contact info, below) sent in conjunction with activist efforts taking place early this week could have an even greater impact.

These days, we activists have to lobby the mainstream media as well as government representatives. It's easy, in a very short time, to send dozens of emails to key media outlets urging greater coverage of the impeachment issue and particular attention to Wexler's upcoming presentation to congress using the letter template you created (in step 3, above) and the live email links provided on this blog's media contact page.

Finally, a call and/or fax to Congressman Wexler thanking him for his principled, patriotic stand in support of impeachment is certainly appropriate and always greatly appreciated.

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The "Ninny Nine:"

Hon. Howard Berman
2221 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: 202-225-4695
Fax: 202-225-3196

Hon. Frederick Boucher
2187 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-3861
Fax: 202-225-0442

Hon. Artur Davis
208 Cannon H.O.B.
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: 202-225-2665
Fax: 202-226-9567

Hon. William Delahunt
2454 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-3111
Fax: 202-225-5658

Hon. Zoe Lofgren
102 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: 202-225-3072
Fax: 202-225-3336

Hon. Jerrold Nadler
2334 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-5635
Fax: 202-225-6923

Hon. Linda Sanchez
1007 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-6676
Fax: 202-226-1012

Hon. Debbie Wasserman Schultz
118 Cannon H.O.B
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-7931
Fax: 202-226-2052

Hon. Adam B. Schiff
326 Cannon House Office Building
Washington D.C. 20515
Phone: 202-225-4176
Fax: 202-225-5828

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Hon. Robert Wexler
213 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-3001
Fax: 202-225-5974

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Chairman John Conyers, Jr.
House Judiciary Committee
2426 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-5126
Fax: 202-225-0072

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Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Office of the Speaker
H-232, US Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-4965
Fax: 202-225-4188

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To find your own congressional representative (on any other congressperson), click here.

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Okay, now ... let's get moving!

Make those calls! Send those faxes! Distribute this info!

Thank you.

Pass it on.
The Democratic Activist