We've gone beyond the impeachment demands from activists and progressive groups, and beyond demands from former attorney general Ramsey Clark , now mainstream journalists, and members of the house and senate using the 'I' word,

but Government documents and investigations serve as a nice reinforcement. here's the logical first step.


Congressman John Conyers is the ranking member of the house Judiciary Committee, (that's the committee in which impeachment hearings would begin). his office just completed a report entitled "The Constitution in Crisis: The Downing Street Minutes and Deception, Manipulation, Torture, Retributions and Cover-ups in the Iraq War."



This report finds that:

"In brief, we have found that there is substantial evidence the President, the Vice-President and other high ranking members of the Bush Administration misled Congress and the American people regarding the decision to go to war in Iraq; misstated and manipulated intelligence information regarding the justification for such war; countenanced torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in Iraq; and permitted inappropriate retaliation against critics of their Administration. There is at least a prima facie case that these actions that federal laws have been violated � from false statements to Congress to retaliating against Administration critics."

"In response to the Report, I have already taken several initial steps. First, I have introduced a resolution (H. Res. 635) creating a Select Committee with subpoena authority to investigate the misconduct of the Bush Administration with regard to the Iraq war and report on possible impeachable offenses. In addition, I have introduced Resolutions regarding both President Bush (H. Res. 636) and Vice-President Cheney (H. Res. 637) proposing that they be censured by Congress based on indisputable evidence of unaccounted for misstatements and abuse of power in the public record. There are a number of additional recommendations in the Report that I expect to be taking up in the coming weeks and months."


Check out the intro, it's serious stuff...


If we hope to have any Allies left in this world, we had better impeach the president.

Just got the Rolling Stones new album, and it's actually realy good. then I got to song 13 and now I love the album. ( I swear one of these days I'll post something that's not about politics ) song 13 is called "Sweet Neo Con" here's the lyrics:

---

THE ROLLING STONES - "Sweet Neo Con"

You call yourself a Christian
I think that you're a hypocrite
You say you are a patriot
I think that you're a crock of shit

And listen now, the gasoline
I drink it every day
But it's getting very pricey
And who is going to pay

How come you're so wrong
My sweet neo con.... Yeah

It's liberty for all
'Cause democracy's our style
Unless you are against us
Then it's prison without trial

But one thing that is certain
Life is good at Haliburton
If you're really so astute
You should invest at Brown & Root.... Yeah

How come you're so wrong
My sweet neo con
If you turn out right
I'll eat my hat tonight

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah....

It's getting very scary
Yes, I'm frightened out of my wits
There's bombers in my bedroom
Yeah and it's giving me the shits

We must have lots more bases
To protect us from our foes
Who needs these foolish friendships
We're going it alone

How come you're so wrong
My sweet neo con
Where's the money gone
In the Pentagon

Yeah ha ha ha
Yeah, well, well

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah...
Neo con

---

Stones website, nicely done

in case you guys havn't picked up this weeks BEAST here's a great cartoon that they included.

Full Size Version here



You Probibly can't read that..


and if you are wondering, I'm not a Democrat, I'm a member of the Green Party.

since the announcement of the lawsuit against the Senecas on Tuesday there's been a renewed discussion in the press.
if you're interested in the casino topic these articles stuck out to me.

for an overview of the the lawsuit and recent events check out this article from Business First
"Lawsuit filed against Buffalo casino"
Archived here

Don Esmonde wrote a great piece explaining the perspective of people against the casino.
"Casino suit tries to save us from ourselves"
Archived Here

Buffalo Rising has a great article too, with Links
"Obstructionist or Visionary?"



OH and don't forget to check out the pro casino argument and the debate going on at the SpeakupWNY discussion board. "Obstructionists run Amok"


Enjoy

[size=m]Suit readied to halt casino in Buffalo
[/size]
Wendt Foundation is financing effort

By MARK SOMMER
News Staff Reporter
12/30/2005

A team of Buffalo attorneys backed by a prominent foundation will file a lawsuit in federal court Tuesday to stop the proposed Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino.

The lawsuit will charge that the federal government did not properly apply three laws that govern the approval process for gambling activities on Indian lands and its responsibility to consider a casino's impact on the community.

"The casino is not a done thing. It's illegal in the City of Buffalo, and we're prepared to get a judge to rule to that effect," said Robert J. Kresse, a trustee with the Wendt Foundation, which will largely finance the effort that also includes significant contributions from other foundations and individuals.

"I think it will suck all the life out of Buffalo, and it just appalls me," said Diane Bennett, a former managing partner of Hodgson Russ. Bennett is one of a number of prominent Buffalonians backing the lawsuit as a member of the newly formed Citizens for a Better Buffalo. Members met with The Buffalo News' editorial board Thursday.

Several religious leaders are expected to confirm their opposition to the casino at a news conference at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the law offices of Stenger & Finnerty.

The lawsuit will name various federal officials and agencies as defendants, including the U.S. Department of the Interior, Interior Secretary Gail Norton and the U.S. National Indian Gaming Commission.

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit include Citizens Against Casino Gambling in Erie County, Assemblyman Sam Hoyt and preservation organizations.

Joseph M. Finnerty of Stenger & Finnerty said more lawsuits may be filed.

Seneca Nation of Indians officials could not be reached to comment Thursday.

The Senecas had a groundbreaking on their 9-acre downtown site near the Cobblestone District on Dec. 8. Seneca leaders said they wanted to begin construction this spring and open a 100,000-square-foot casino complex on New Year's Eve 2006.

The Senecas claim the Seneca Nation Settlement Act offers legal justification for building a casino in Buffalo. The act was cited by Norton when she allowed the Niagara Falls and Buffalo casinos to go forward.

The lawsuit will argue the act does not apply to Buffalo, and that the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act should have been implemented instead. That act requires an examination of the possible effects of a casino on a community.

Former Rep. John J. LaFalce, a co-sponsor of the Settlement Act, has written Norton claiming it was never intended to be used for purchasing casinos.

The lawsuit will also charge an environmental assessment required by the National Environmental Policy Act, which was conducted in Niagara Falls before the Seneca Niagara Casino opened there, should have been conducted in Buffalo.

And it will claim the federal government failed to follow the Historic Preservation Act, which requires consultation between federal and state preservation officials for properties on or eligible for placement on the National Register of Historic Places.

The site's H-O Oats grain elevator is eligible for inclusion in the historic register, and there are other historic sites in the district that could be affected by the casino.

"Anyone of these [violations], we think, would void the action of [Norton] to allow the casino to be built," said attorney Richard Lippes. "The issues we are raising are very important and solid issues, which I think the court has to consider very seriously."

Finnerty said a lawsuit wasn't filed earlier because of the uncertainty over whether the Senecas would choose land in Buffalo for a casino, and where it would be. He said a restraining order will be sought to prevent construction while the lawsuit winds through the courts.



Check out the No Casino Erie Website if you hate the idea of a Casino in Downtown Buffalo..

[size=m]see my previous posts on the issue:
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The Casino is Undemocratic [inlink]dcoffee,28[/inlink]

Casino in Buffalo.. Why? [inlink]dcoffee,27[/inlink]

My Article posted at WNY Media

Good WNY Media Video of anti-Casino protest