Phone: (202) 225-5614 . Fax: (202) 225-1168
January 18, 2007
Gillibrand to speak w/Conyers & Nadler re: Impeachment Hearings
Rep. Gillibrand then gave her thoughts on impeachment, very similar to what I heard her say on the campaign trail in 2005-2006.
"The American people," she said, "elected a new Congress to do oversight of the administration. There's so much power in the executive branch that we were losing [democracy]."
Such grounds for impeachment as reasons for waging war and wiretapping need to go through the committee on government reform, she said.
"You need a chain of evidence," she said, adding that the hearings on the firings of U.S. attorneys for political reasons could lead to impeachable offenses.
But, she said, "'He lied to us about the war,' - you have to prove it. Do investigations: If the laws are broken there are consequences."
Jim McCabe then pointed out there was an effort underway to start impeachment hearings now.
Kirsten then responded as she has all along, that hearings need to be had so that investigations take place and that this is the way that the truth will come out.
"The administration has stifled all discussion," the congresswoman said. "What has to happen are contempt hearings. Investigations take time. I have no doubt the chairmen will pursue these investigations. Some resolutions are not worded well and I don't support them. There need to be contempt hearings because there's resistance to producing evidence."
The chairmen she was referring to were U.S. Rep. John Conyers of Michigan , chair of the House Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, chair of the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Subcommittee, both Democrats. Neither has allowed H Res 799 or H Res 333, the articles of impeachment against Cheney, to be discussed.
Following the meeting, Gillibrand told McCabe she was "shocked" that Nadler, who she considers "very progressive," was blocking this, and promised to talk to both him and Conyers about the issue.