Multco Dems endorse impeachment move

The Multnomah County Democratic Central Committee voted Thursday night to endorse a congressional initiative that could result in the impeachment of President George W. Bush. By voice vote, about 60 Democratic precinct leaders supported a resolution recently introduced by Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee. That resolution, which so far has attracted seven co-sponsors, calls for the establishment of a select committee to "investigate the Administration's intent to go to war before congressional authorization, manipulation of pre-war intelligence, encouraging and countenancing torture, retaliating against critics, and to make recommendations regarding grounds for possible impeachment." It is H. Res. 635, referred to the Rules Committee.

Former state senator Vern Cook, a Gresham attorney, originally introduced a more general resolution calling for the impeachment of both Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, but eventually supported the substitute motion offered by Moshe Lenske. After the meeting,attended by about 100 persons, Cook urged Oregon Democratic Representatives Earl Blumenauer and David Wu, who represent Multnomah County, to join their eight colleagues as co-sponsors of the Conyers resolution.

Moves toward impeachment of the President have also recently begun in several other states, including California and Vermont. TV pundits have noted that although the chances of impeachment are slim in a Republican-dominated Congress, if the November elections result in a Democratic majority, Rep. Conyers would become chair of the House Judiciary Committee where the impeachment process must originate.

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