Thank you Ken Starr. Can Bush be impeached by being charged with an 'Abuse of Power'?

[ck4829]

Independent Counsel Ken Starr and his staff are considering whether to include a section in Starr's report to Congress about President Bill Clinton's conduct entitled either "Abuse of Power" or "Abuse of Office," sources familiar with the investigation tell CNN.

The sources emphasize that these are merely discussions and no decision has been made. "There is no mention of abuse of power" in the criminal code, said one of the sources. The source said it must be decided whether "abuse of power" or "abuse of office" fit the definition of "high crimes" which are grounds for impeachment.

...

The charges under consideration are similar to language in one of the three Articles of Impeachment the House Judiciary Committee approved against President Richard Nixon in 1974. Article 2, Section 5 reads, "In disregard of the rule of law, he knowingly misused the executive power by interfering with agencies of the executive branch, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Criminal Division and the Office of Watergate Special Prosecution Force, of the Department of Justice..."

http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/08/25/lewinsky/

Ultimately however, the Abuse of Power charge didn't even pass the House when Clinton was impeached.

It may be useful though if we want to impeach Bush.

[saltpoint]

1. Bush couldn't have hit that blue dress if he'd AIMED at it.

The folks at FOX and other places like to remind us that Clinton was impeached; well, the proceeding went forward and Clinton was acquitted. He should not have fibbed about his dalliance but adultery is not illegal in the United States. It isn't usually healthy for relationships or marriages, but it's not illegal. I wish he had lied better than he did. His relationship with Monica Lewinsky was nobody's business but his and his wife's.

On the other hand George W. Bush is surrounded by thugs and fixers, in Hunter S. Thompson's memorable phrase. They protected him for a while, and for a while the 9/11 afterglow of public approval belonged to this administration. But the roof began to leak. By the time Katrina roared into the Gulf coast, and Bush was found to be down at the ranch with this thumb up his ass, people quite legitimately questioned his administration's commitment to public service.

And the incompetence and laziness and cluelessness are the least of it. The argument you make in your post is totally right-on because it rightly nails Bush to his own skullduggery. I'm hearing quite a bit more serious talk about impeachment these days, even more than after the 06 election results began to flood in. Starr's argument could be neatly reapplied in the present case.

And it wouldn't piss me off one bit.

[peacetalksforall]

2. So far, hasn't everything done to allow Starr to investigate and conjur

crimes on behalf of the RIchard Mellon Scaifes and and the Republican Party come up with ways that Bush and future Presidents can be taken down? Don't they hurt their own - the ones who are on record of committing serious crimes (if taken to trial)?

[saltpoint]

4. Possibly. I'm arguing with you on that point, because precedent matters

in law.

But whether we even need it is another question, and god knows I don't have a prediction this evening, but would just say that George McGovern's recent comments on Dubya being more "impeachable" than Nixon predates (and I hope transcends) the Clinton/Lewinsky matter.

I am not exactly what you'd call a Clinton Democrat but when the Far Right (thank you for mentioning Scaife and his ilk...) went after him on the Lewinsky affair, it raised my party hackles and I started growling real loud. You don't impeach presidents over adulterous blowjobs. You do impeach them for the numerous atrocities Dubya and his pack of scheming liars have visited upon the citizens of our country.

[saltpoint]

9. "arguing with you" as opposed to "opposing you."

In agreement w/you.

Poorly worded on my part.

[dsc]

5. actually adultery is illegal in some states

including Georgia where a certain adulterous former House Speaker lived.

[saltpoint]

6. You're right -- it's a misdemeanor in GA though and shouldn't prompt

impeachment of a president in the District of Columbia.

I should have been more clear.

[dsc]

7. I was referring to Newt

I am assuming Newt canoodled with his current wife while married to wife number 2 at least once or twice in his home district.

[saltpoint]

8. Yep. That Newt -- he's a real smoothie.

[peacetalksforall]

3. Was Starr allowed 10 years to file this report? I don't get this.

Is this an news release from CNN? Have we been paying him all this time?

We are fools for letting criminal and private-life ambulance chasers to run wild with our money.