Pelosi Now Willing to Consider Impeaching Hearings

[Conspiracy Theorist]

This is from Newsmax, a right-wing rag, but I've heard it from other sources as well. It may seem silly at this point to begin impeachment hearings, since nothing could be gained with the time Bush has left in office, but I think I know the reason it's being considered. According to Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, "The President shall have the power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States except in cases of Impeachment."

Now, one interpretation is that Bush cannot pardon any of his cronies, such as Rove, for any possible crimes committed once hearings have begun. It is feared by Republicans that if Obama is elected and an aggressive attorney general appointed, many of Bush's associates, possibly including Bush himself, will face criminal charges. So, he may issue pardons for all of them before leaving office in January. However, if impeachment hearings begin, this pardoning power is apparently suspended, and he can no longer protect Carl Rove. I'm not sure that's what the article means, since to me, it only means he cannot protect any of his officials from impeachment. But, it is interesting, nonethelss.
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Pelosi OK with Impeachment Review

Friday, July 11, 2008 1:35 PM

By: Jim Meyers Article Font Size




House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has dropped a bombshell by reversing course and suggesting that the Judiciary Committee might take up the issue of impeaching President Bush.

Pelosi’s change of heart comes after Rep. Dennis Kucinich moved a “privileged resolution” to force the House to consider whether Bush should be impeached for, according to the Ohio Democrat, lying to Congress and the American people about the reasons for invading Iraq.

Pelosi had previously declared impeachment to be “off the table” before the 2006 election. But she now believes hearings on the impeachment issue are “a distinct possibility,” according to The Nation magazine.

Pelosi told reporters on Thursday: “My expectation is that there will be some review of that in the committee. This is a Judiciary Committee matter, and I believe we will see some attention being paid to it by the Judiciary Committee.”

Rep. John Conyers, the Michigan Democrat who chairs the committee, has said he is reviewing the articles of impeachment Kucinich has proposed. Previously he had felt constrained by the Speaker’s “off the table” comment.

“Whether her new line opens the door for hearings before the end of the Bush-Cheney presidency remains to be seen,” The Nation observes.

Two members of the Judiciary Committee, Florida Democrat Robert Wexler and Wisconsin Democrat Tammy Baldwin, have co-sponsored Kucinich’s articles of impeachment.

Kucinich told Fox News on Friday: “I think the Republicans were basically daring the Democrats to move forward with it, sensing that there were some in the Democratic leadership who, at the time, had no stomach for a real debate.

“But I think that's changed, and I think it's changed because the war grinds on.”