Listen . . . if Cheney resigns, he doesn't have the same legal protection

[Lex]

in place as he does as a sitting VP.

The House has to impeach him, and Fitz can't get to him, if he is the sitting VP.

So why resign?


EDIT: It may be that a sitting VP *can* be indicted, so if that's the case, then that shoots a hole in my post.

[hang a left]

1. I have read that he can be indicted as a sitting VP. The president

is the one that must be impeached. Anyway, that is what I heard. Don't know for sure.

[electropop]

7. Here are the rules, and the regime is not going to like this

if they ever read the Constitution:

The President can be both impeached and indicted. In fact, if the indictment is in regard to the same crime(s) as the impeachment, the impeachment in itself makes pardon impossible.

The same rules apply to all civil offices in the government: Pres, VP, cabinet, and on down the line.

Article I, Section 3, Clause 7:
"Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law."

Article II, Section 2, Clause 1:
"The President ... shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment."

Article II, Section 4:
"The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."

http://www.law.emory.edu/erd/docs/usconser.html

[Walt Starr]

2. Not true, a Veep CAN be indicted

That is the official position of the DOJ.

[Lex]

4. Well, cool. Bring it on, then.

I thought the VP was covered by the same article as a sitting President.

[electropop]

8. The Veep is covered by the same rules. And it's bad news for them.

See my post above.

[Walt Starr]

14. Even indictment of a sitting president is not written in stone

A sitting president can only be removed from office via impeachment, however, there is no ruling from any court as to whether or not a sitting president can be indicted. All that exists is a written opinion by Nixon's Solicitor General stating it was the opinioin of counsel that a sitting president could not be indicted.

That SG was Robert Bork.

[Sanity Claws]

3. Because of coercion

by Bush and other repubs trying to save their own hides. They could make him an offer that he can't refuse.
They could freeze him out of everything so that he would feel too embarrassed to stay on.

[Kierkegaard]

6. They should all be embarrassed as hell already... eom

[Justitia]

5. Anyone who thinks he will resign, doesn't know DICK.

Dick Cheney will NEVER resign.

He will burn the place down around himself before he resigns.

Think of everything you have come to know about Dick Cheney - then ask yourself "Is this a man who would resign?"

Maybe it's all my yrs in Texas, but I would rather bet on LBJ returning to the Oval Office than Dick Cheney resigning from it.

[Imalittleteapot]

9. To protect bush - maybe?

Well not bush - but the PNAC plan.

[Justitia]

15. Nope. Not for Bush or even PNAC. Cheney is for Cheney, over all.

And his own $$$, power and influence.

Cheney is greedy for all the above and is never sated.

I live in Houston and see how their hubris rules the day in this headquarters of Halliburton.

Do you remember the Enron hearings? Specifically Jeff Skillings cocky testimony? The quote widely attributed to him via local legend was "The 5th Amendment is for Pussies". Please forgive me the vulgarity of repeating that, but it highlights the mentality we are dealing with here.

Skilling & Cheney are cut from the same cloth.

Incidentally, those crooks from Enron are still free as birds (less the token Fastow) and living it up quite nicely.

I fully expect Cheney to live like a king for an unfortunately long time after taking down our gov't.

[Generator]

10. In the end, though they cry like babies

Saddam. Cheney. They seem so tough, but really being a dictator is hard work and when they find out they've been brought down by TRAITORS to them, I don't think they can handle it.

[On the Road]

16. I Agree -- Cheney is Like the Robber Baron Jay Gould

who looted the Erie Railroad blind as Chief Financial Officer. When the company was finally taken over by disgruntled shareholders, the police came with a crowd of supporters to serve him papers which would force him out. Gould locked himself himself in the room, and when the police broke down the door, he escaped to another room and locked that door. There were a number of broken doors by the time the police actually caught up with Gould and served him papers.

That's how I picture Cheney leaving office.

[walkon]

11. What about

Resign now. Avoid impeachment. Garner pardon. Sneer, sneer, sneer.

[Neil Lisst]

12. Lex, sweet name. Means LAW YALL!

Indicted or not, the deal would be for Cheney to resign ala Spiro T. Agnew and buy his peace thereby. Don't you think?


Lex - the secret word of a certain legal fraternity, allegedly
http://www.webcomicsnation.com/neillisst

[Rosco T.]

13. You'll see Dimson and CrashCart face off on main street at noon...

.. before either ones resigns.