An Open Letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Dear Speaker Pelosi,

I was extremely disappointed that you announced, even before taking over as Speaker of the House (congratulations), that "impeachment was off the table." This was wrong of you to do. Impeachment is part of our constitutional process, and the only means we have to remove from office those who abuse their powers. It is your constitutional obligation, as part of your oath of office, to not only put it back on the table, but to order up several servings.

You should start with Attorney General Alberto Gonzeles. He has abused his office and violated the oath he took on numerous occasions, as we learned from Congressman John Conyer's and Senator Pat Leahy's hearings. The evidence is quite clear that General Gonzales has not faithfully executed his office. His conversation with Monica Goodling about her "recollection" of events is a clear case of both witness tampering and obstruction of justice. He cannot be allowed to continue in that office, and since he refuses to do the honroable thing and resign, you must begin proceedings to remove him from that vey important office.

Vice President Dick Cheney is even worse. Is it even necessary to list the myriad of constitutional violations for which he is guilty? He has had a long history of snubbing his nose at the law both in the public and private sector. (As CEO of Halliburton, his company did business in nations where it was prohibited for US companies to do so. Doing it through a subsidiary is not a loophole.) He is a staunch defender of the unconstitutional thoery of the "Unitary Executive". But more than that, he has implemented it throughout his terms of office. (Remember, he thought that Nixon got a bum rap.) He has, through his actions, assumed the role of president when it was inappropriate to do so. He, too, must be impeached and removed from office.

And then there's perhaps the worst one of all, President George W. Bush. This is a man with a well-documented history of breaking the law and using his positions and family connections to avoid being held accountable. His signing statements are proof enough that he has violated not only his oath to "support and defend the constitution", but Article II, Sec 3 where it says that he shall "take care that the laws be faithfully executed." Are you going to try to tell me that when he issues a signing statement saying that he won't obey certain parts of the laws Congress has passed, that this is within his constitutional rights? I don't, and a large part of the American population doesn't think so either.

I understand that at the time you said that, there wasn't enough evidence gathered to prove these charges, thanks in large part to a Republican-controlled Congress that put loyalty to a person ahead of loyalty to their country. (Don't deny that was, and for some of them still is, the case.) But now that there have finally been oversight hearings, the truth and the evidence is beginning to emerge. Your duty is clear, Speaker pelosi. You must set into motion impeachment proceedings against, at the very least, these three people. President Bush, Vice President Cheney, and Attorney General Gonzales MUST be held accountable for their egregious behavior.

Thank you for taking to time to read this. I look forward to seeing the impeachment hearings on C-SPAN. Start with AG Gonzales, as he is "an enabler" of the president.

Sincerely,
Wayne A. Schneider