This is an update on the efforts by New Mexico to begin impeachment proceedings, as diaried previously.
(h/t to Digby for discovery)
According to David Swanson at afterdowningstreet.com:
On the same day that Bush delivered his state of the union address, eight state senators in New Mexico introduced a resolution (Senate Joint Resolution 5) that if passed would require their state government to send a petition to the U.S. House of Representatives asking that impeachment proceedings immediately begin against Bush and Cheney.
This is the resolution:
WHEREAS, George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney conspired with others to defraud the United States of America by intentionally misleading congress and the public regarding the threat from Iraq in order to justify a war in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 371; and
WHEREAS, George W. Bush has admitted to ordering the national security agency to conduct electronic surveillance of American civilians without seeking warrants from the foreign intelligence surveillance court of review, duly constituted by congress in 1978, in violation of Title 50 United States Code, Section 1805; and
WHEREAS, George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney conspired to commit the torture of prisoners in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Chapter 113C, the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the Geneva Conventions, which under Article VI of the United States constitution are part of the "supreme Law of the Land"; and
WHEREAS, George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney acted to strip American citizens of their constitutional rights by ordering indefinite detention without access to legal counsel, without charge and without the opportunity to appear before a civil judicial officer to challenge the detention, based solely on the discretionary designation by the president of a United States citizen as an "enemy combatant", all in subversion of law...
It sounds like the resolution goes to three NM Senate committees for hearings, and that committee chairs are among the co-sponsors of the resolution.
This is really good news. So is this.
So what does it mean? If the NM resolution, (or any resolution, for that matter) passes in the state legislature, and is taken up by a member of Congress, then impeachment proceedings can begin.
Go to The Land of Enchantment and Impeachment at impeachpac.org for David Swanson's excellent take on impeachment and the NM resolution's chances.
More info:
impeachpac.org