McKinney's speech on House floor

Here is McKinney's speech upon the introduction of the Impeachment legislation.

December 08, 2006
Articles of Impeachment Against Bush, Cheney, and Rice
The following statement was submitted to the Congressional Record:Congresswoman Cynthia McKinneyFloor StatementDecember 8, 2006Mr. Speaker:I come before this body today as a proud American and as a servant of the American people, sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States.Throughout my tenure, I've always tried to speak the truth. It's that commitment that brings me here today.We have a President who has misgoverned and a Congress that has refused to hold him accountable. It is a grave situation and I believe the stakes for our country are high.No American is above the law, and if we allow a President to violate, at the most basic and fundamental level, the trust of the people and then continue to govern, without a process for holding him accountable—what does that say about our commitment to the truth? To the Constitution? To our democracy?The trust of the American people has been broken. And a process must be undertaken to repair this trust. This process must begin with honesty and accountability.Leading up to our invasion of Iraq, the American people supported this Administration's actions because they believed in our President. They believed he was acting in good faith. They believed that American laws and American values would be respected. That in the weightiness of everything being considered, two values were rock solid—trust and truth.From mushroom clouds to African yellow cake to aluminum tubes, the American people and this Congress were not presented the facts, but rather were presented a string of untruths, to justify the invasion of Iraq.President Bush, along with Vice President Cheney and then-National Security Advisor Rice, portrayed to the Congress and to the American people that Iraq represented an imminent threat, culminating with President Bush's claim that Iraq was six months away from developing a nuclear weapon. Having used false fear to buy consent—the President then took our country to war.This has grave consequences for the health of our democracy, for our standing with our allies, and most of all, for the lives of our men and women in the military and their families—who have been asked to make sacrifices—including the ultimate sacrifice—to keep us safe.Just as we expect our leaders to be truthful, we expect them to abide by the law and respect our courts and judges. Here again, the President failed the American people.When President Bush signed an executive order authorizing unlawful spying on American citizens, he circumvented the courts, the law, and he violated the separation of powers provided by the Constitution. Once the program was revealed, he then tried to hide the scope of his offense from the American people by making contradictory, untrue statements.President George W. Bush has failed to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States; he has failed to ensure that senior members of his administration do the same; and he has betrayed the trust of the American people.With a heavy heart and in the deepest spirit of patriotism, I exercise my duty and responsibility to speak truthfully about what is before us. To shy away from this responsibility would be easier. But I have not been one to travel the easy road. I believe in this country, and in the power of our democracy. I feel the steely conviction of one who will not let the country I love descend into shame; for the fabric of our democracy is at stake.Some will call this a partisan vendetta, others will say this is an unimportant distraction to the plans of the incoming Congress. But this is not about political gamesmanship.I am not willing to put any political party before my principles.This, instead, is about beginning the long road back to regaining the high standards of truth and democracy upon which our great country was founded.Mr. Speaker:Under the standards set by the United States Constitution, President Bush—along with Vice President Cheney, and Secretary of State Rice—should be subject to the process of impeachment, and I have filed H. Res. 1106 in the House of Representatives.To my fellow Americans, as I leave this Congress, it is in your hands—to hold your representatives accountable, and to show those with the courage to stand for what is right, that they do not stand alone.Thank you.

Best news coverage of McKinneys Impeachment bill.

To find the best coverage of McKinneys impeachment bill go to the Guerilla News Networks website, which will soon have an interview with Congresswoman McKinney discussing the Impeachment legislation and what she hopes to achieve with it.
http://www.gnn.tv/articles/2791/BREAKING_Congresswoman_McKinney_Files_Articles_of_Impeachment

Other news agencies such as CNN and FOX are simply using the Associated Press story that is being circulated that seeks to downplay the importance of this bold step.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/12/08/mckinney.impeach.ap/index.html
It is not yet 2 o'clock on December 9th and the story has fallen off the front page.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,235637,00.html

To find more coverage of the Impeachment proceedings do a google news and blog search at http://www.google.com

Important ways to help the case for impeachment

There are several ways in which we can help achieve a swing towards impeachment. The opportunity given to us by Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney is invaluable, this gives us a platform to stand upon and increased media coverage for International Human Rights and Impeachment events. However, after Monday the media will have left events behind them, therefore we must endeavour to ensure continued media coverage of this bill and make it known to other elected representatives that this is the will of their constituents and that going against them will cost them dearly in votes.

Here are a few ways in which we can help.
1. Keep chatter alive on media news websites such as CNN, FOX News, MSNBC etc. Usually they will have a comment option beside articles or else you may be able to contact reporters and political correspondents. Make sure that you contact a few of these people and make it known that this story interests you and that McKinney has the support of many in the activist community.
http://www.cnn.com http://www.foxnews.com http://www.msnbc.com


2. Many people frequent political chatrooms that discuss recent news topics, be sure to inform people in these circles of the situation and that one politician is putting their neck out there to represent their interests. If you are a contributor to forums such as the education forum, democratic underground, democrats.com, or any blogs or bloggers that you are aware of.

3. If you have any videos relevant to impeachment or Bush and Cheney be sure to post them on youtube or google video or create comments on existing ones. See Cynthia McKinneys grilling of Donald Rumsfeld over Dyncorp opeations and over the ineptitude of the Bush administration during the attacks of September 11th.


4. Write letters to the editor of local and national newspapers indicating your support for Congresswoman McKinney's impeachment bill and your hopes for the continuation of the process with the incoming Democratic majority. Alternatively write an article for a local or student newspaper. Call radio talk shows to voice your opinion.

5. Attend marches, demonstrations and panels that support Impeachment held accross the US on Sunday December 10th, which are expected to kick off at 1pm in every city in the US.

6. Most importantly contact your elected representatives in both Houses of Congress. If they receive enough calls and letters they begin to take notice and staffers pass the information onto the Congressmen and women. You may think that constituent mail and phone calls are discarded, but when they come in bulk people sit up and take notice.

Get going, call in favours, talk to friends, spread the world and help Cynthia to Impeach.

I thought Impeachment was 'off the table'?

Despite the fact that 51% of Americans are in favour of some osrt of retribution of accountability for George Bush's misdemeanours during his presidency, future speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi insists that impeachment is not a viable option.
In situations such as this, the spineless flop and the sold out take the cash, however as in recent years one person has broken ranks to give the people what they voted for.

Yes, Cynthia McKinney is back to her best. On Friday 8th December Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney (D.Ga) introduced H.RES.1106 :Articles of Impeachment against George Walker Bush, President of the United States of America, and other officials, for high crimes and misdemeanors.

For many, prayers had been answered, for others (both Republicans and sell-out democrats alike) it was akin to streaking through a church. Some think it is an attention grabbing stunt, others, who know what truly motivates Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, are aware that she is doing what she was elected to do, "speak truth to power".

The timing of McKinney's bill is no accident either, December 10th is International Human Rights Day and many around the country will be making it known that they will not stand for the breaches of human rights imposed by a president representing them (though the real 2000 and 2004 election results say otherwise).

Cynthia McKinney has done her part, she has givn us a catalyst, a focal point around which to unite in our combined goal of relieving the American people and the world of George Bush, Dick Cheney and Condolezza Rice.

So let us not let this opportunity go to waste, let us set about making sure that this act of defiance stays in the media and lets Nancy Pelosi know that others do indeed see the impeachment of George Bush as very definitely 'on the table' and on their Christmas wish list.