I just got off the phone with my friend, Barbara Cummings, who along with 50 other activists, including Cindy Sheehan, Ann Wright, Rev. Yearwood, David Swanson and Ray McGovern, was arrested for not leaving Congressman John Conyer’s office today.
Just three days ago, in San Diego, Conyers met with a group of progressive leaders, including myself. He asked if there was even one timid voice who would plead for caution – to defer impeachment if it meant a different result down further. To our unanimous call to begin impeachment proceeding immediately, Conyers said that if we brought him 3 more Congress members, he could begin an investigation. Someone asked him, "What about Kucinich’s bill, H Res 333? It has 13 co-sponsors!" Conyers replied, "This is something different."
I didn’t know what to make of it, so I called Dennis Kucinich. He didn’t know what Conyers was talking about either, but reassured me that I could definitely tell Conyers that he would back him on impeachment. But of course Conyers already knew that.
John Conyers was very receptive to me when he heard that I’d run against Darrell Issa. He told me that he was meeting with Cindy Sheehan on Monday and he seemed sincerely pleased with the idea. I called my friend Barbara in Washington to reassure her that the meeting on Monday was going to be positive...
But I was wrong. Just released from jail, Rev. Yearwood told me on the phone that the decision to arrest the 50 people in Conyer’s office after their disappointing meeting with him, came from Conyers himself. Close to 400 people had been crowding the hall outside his office and it was learned that six members of Congress had requested that the Capitol police disburse them. "We can’t rely on the politicians," Yearwood said, sounding weary. "But today I saw the people rising up."
So what are we supposed to make of it when someone we held in such high esteem, who is probably the only one in a position to put the brakes on this out-of-control administration, betrays us?
During her birthday celebration at Camp Casey two weeks ago, Cindy Sheehan told us that Conyers personally told her that it was more important to get a Democrat in office in 2008 than to end the war in Iraq. Today, according to Barbara Cummings, he said, "So I’m supposed to risk my reputation for Cindy and this CIA guy?" (reference to Ray McGovern).
Last April, Dennis Kucinich introduced H. Res. 333 - Impeaching Richard B. Cheney, Vice President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. With 13 co-sponsors, the resolution has been referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. But without a positive referral from the Judiciary Committee, which is chaired by John Conyers, the only way the resolution can reach the floor of the House is with the approval of the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
Based on Conyers’ actions today, the Kucinich resolution is doomed to remain in committee indefinitely. Meanwhile, Rome burns...