‘IMPEACH NOW!’ DO-IT-YOURSELF IMPEACHMENT ACTION, by ImpeachForPeace.org

September 4th, 2006

DO-IT-YOURSELF

IMPEACHMENT

Impeach for Peace, a Minnesota-based impeachment group, has researched a method for impeaching the president using a little known and rarely used part of the Rules of the House of Representatives ("Jefferson’s Manual"). This document actually empowers individual citizens to initiate the impeachment process themselves.

"Jefferson’s Manual" is an interpretive guide to parliamentary procedure, and is included (along with the Constitution) in the bound volumes of the Rules of the House of Representatives. The section covering impeachment lists the acceptable vehicles for bringing impeachment motions to the floor of the House.

Before the House Judiciary Committee can put together the Articles of Impeachment, someone must initiate the impeachment procedure. Most often, this occurs when members of the House pass a resolution. Another method outlined in the manual, however, is for individual citizens to submit a memorial for impeachment.

After learning this information, Minnesotan and Impeach for Peace member (Jodin Morey) found precedent in an 1826 memorial by Luke Edward Lawless which had been successful in initiating the impeachment of Federal Judge James H. Peck. Impeach for Peace then used this as a template for their "Do-It-Yourself Impeachment." Now any citizen can download the DIY Impeachment Memorial and submit it, making it possible for Americans to do what our representatives have been unwilling to do. The idea is for so many people to submit the Memorial that it cannot be ignored.

Feel free to download it, print out TWO copies, fill in your relevant information in the blanks (name, State, etc.), and send in two letters today (One to the head of the Judiciary, and the other to John Conyers lead Democrat in the House Judiciary). There’s also extra credit for sending a DIY Impeachment to your own representative.

Hold on to the other copy of the two letters until October 12th when we’re having everyone send them in.

That’s right — to make a big impact, we’re having everyone send it in on the same date (Over 30,000 downloads so far). We hope to flood the Judiciary Committee and John Conyers office with sacks of mail and cause a newsworthy event to further pressure the Congress to act on the memorials. Although, it’s important to keep in mind that in the 1826 precedent, impeachment resulted as a result of a single memorial. Yours might be the one.

Get the (form) to send in, and DIRECTLY initiate the impeachment of Bush:

•Regular Version [pdf] •(html version)

•Extra Credit (your representative) [pdf] •(html version)

•For folks in District of Columbia [pdf] •(html version)

•District of Columbia Extra Credit!! [pdf] •(html version)

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Impeach Bush Yourself!

Questions from a supporter:

"Why are you waiting until October 12th? That’s too late to force an impeachment before the elections."

Actually, we’re asking people to send in the Do-It-Yourself Impeachment Memorials twice — once immediately, and again in October. Originally we were asking people to send the petitions in October only, but we realized that the situation is just too urgent to wait. We also wanted the time to get the word out about DIY Impeachment, however, so we thought this was the best compromise.

"Why did you choose October?"

October was chosen because of its potential effect on the elections. With a Republican Congress, impeachment seems unlikely, so we’re hoping to influence the vote. If we have sacks of mail all arriving at once, we hope it will hit the news in a big way, reminding people of all the corruption and crime in Bush’s administration and the rest of the Republican Party. We want people walking into the polls with these facts on their minds. This also is a few days after an October 5th national protest across the nation. We’re planning on marketing this idea during those protests to get hoards more people to send it in.

"Won’t the new irradiation process (due to the anthrax scare) delay your mailings past election time?"

According to the USPS’s website, “U. S. Mail is still being irradiated, [causing] a two day delay [in] the process from start to finish. The mail is irradiated for all government mail for zip codes in 202- 205 areas." This covers the zip code for Conyers and Sensenbrenner listed on the Memorial.

We also called Betty McCullum (one of our organizer’s Representatives), and she told us it takes 1-2 weeks for her to receive U.S. Mail.

"Why didn’t you include Cheney and Rice? They’ll become president if Bush is found guilty?"

Cheney and Rice were deliberately not included because we need a focused message. Adding more people to the initiation of the impeachment process complicates the issue. Some people may not agree on impeaching Cheney or Rice because their crimes are less reported than Bush’s, but we want all the help we can get. However, Cheney and Rice will be impeached along with Bush when the investigation reveals their crimes.

"Who finances Impeach For Peace?"

We receive donations from our organizers, and from our supportive friends. We also receive some online donations.

"Why did you change the address to which we’re sending the memorials?"

We discovered some potential procedural problems with having the memorial(s) go exclusively to Conyers. While we haven’t yet completely cleared this up, our current system of sending it to both Sensenbrenner and to Conyers will solve the issue one way or the other. We don’t wish to send it exclusively to Sensenbrenner, as his agenda opposes ours, and he may never even acknowledge having received them. Conyers, however, is actively pursuing impeachment, and he’s a member of the Judiciary (the body which will need to eventually act on impeachment). It’s important that he know how many letters have been sent so that he can fight for us.

"I find no mention — or means of locating — the form for requesting a waiver so that I may file in forma pauperis."

"IN FORMA PAUPERIS — Someone who is without the funds to pursue the normal costs of a lawsuit or criminal defense (and the process by which they request a waiver of court fees and costs). Upon the court’s granting of this status the person is entitled to waiver of normal (court fees and) costs, and/or appointment of counsel [but (the latter) seldom in other than a criminal case]."

(The) impeachment process isn’t carried out in a normal court room, indeed, it is not even a legal indictment, but a political process. The "trial," if you will, would be carried out in the Senate. The memorialist (i.e., you and me), would not be prosecuting a "case." Rather, we are "praying" that our representatives take up the matter on our behalf on the floor of the House and Senate. Feel free to read the precedents on the "DIY Impeachment" page (etc.) for historical examples. The costs for the running of the House of Representatives, and any matter they wish to discuss/act upon are taken from our taxes.

We are petitioning our government, we can not be sued or fined for this. This is not the same process (requiring the same expense) as suing the government.

"Is there a way to gather signatures and have a single filing done in the names of ALL of the signatories?"

Maybe. Feel free to research it and start one. However we are having each citizen do it individually. Why? Merely because that is the historical precedent, and therefore we know this method has been effective in the past. It is also more empowering.

"On a federal form with a place for a notary’s signature, why do you emphasize that it isn’t necessary? Surely you realize that ANY excuse will be used here, or could be (to not process these memorials accordingly). I would think that any base(s) that can be covered should be."

The form is not a "federal form." It is one we developed based upon another individual citizen’s memorial to congress. That historical memorial was not notarized. The inclusion of the notary section was initially placed there over confusion as to whether it was necessary due to more recent developments. According to the lead parliamentarian of the House of Representatives, there is no such need for the notary. However, we still think it’s a good idea. So, we left it on and encourage people to do it. However, we wish for people to send their memorial in even if they’re not going to go to that effort.

(Do you have additional) concerns over the strategy of pushing for impeachment in this way? See the ‘Arguments Against Impeachment’ at the bottom of the main page.

Audio, provided with permission from the “Mike Malloy Show“.

EMAIL ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THIS!!

We would especially like to thank ImpeachBush.tv for their support, and whose charges related to impeachment we used in the creation of this document.

Also, if you’re interested:

Information regarding the Impeachment procedure.

Precedent: Judge Peck’s Impeachment supplied by the U.S. House of Representatives and PolicyReview.org.

House rules that allow for the submission of the memorial.

Commentary

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