Kucinich effort to impeach Bush moved to committee

The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to refer a proposal to impeach President Bush to its Judiciary Committee.

Although the committee could hold hearings and start impeachment proceedings against the lame-duck president, Democratic leaders and others expect the proposal, sponsored by Cleveland Democrat Dennis Kucinich, to merely languish.

Another Kucinich resolution, to impeach Vice President Cheney, has sat in the committee without action since last year.

The House voted 251-166, without debate, for the latest impeachment referral. No Democrats voted against it, while 24 Republicans voted for it, including Steve LaTourette of Concord Township and Mike Turner of Dayton.

LaTourette said he voted that way in order to get the matter off the House floor and let it follow regular order. Turner said he voted to send it to the committee because "the House has more important things to be focused on."

Kucinich's 65-page resolution says Bush should be impeached for reasons that include manufacturing a false case for war in Iraq, invading Iraq to control its oil, attempting to destroy Medicare, botching the nation's response to Hurricane Katrina and undermining efforts to address global warming. - cleaveland