Dems find that Bush Broke 26 Statutes

rom TPM Muckracker

The Bush administration may have broken over two dozen federal laws and regulations -- some of them multiple times -- according to an unreleased report from the House Judiciary Committee Democrats.

"The misconduct I have found is not only serious, but widespread," reads a draft summary of the report by Ranking Member John Conyers (D-MI):

From the Report:

The laws implicated by the Administration's actions include federal laws against making false statements to congress [sic]; federal laws and international treaties prohibiting torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment; federal laws concerning retaliating against witnesses and other government employees; Executive Orders concerning leaking and other misuse of intelligence; federal regulations and ethical requirements governing conflicts of interest; the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act; communications privacy laws; the National Security Act; and the Fourth Amendment.

TPM goes on to point out that a report of this type may have been ignored in the past, but with the rising probability of a Democratic take over of the House this November - accusations such as this coming from a report generated by the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee (aka the Impeachment Committee) could mean a great deal of trouble for the end of the Bush Presidency.

It is fair to note that although Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) has called for the hearings on the Mahar Torture Case, for the GAO to investigate Bush's prepackaged propoganda news, asked Patrick Fitzgerald to subpeona Jeff Gannon/Guckert's notes on Valerie Plame's ID and sought a full investigation of the Downing Street Minutes, but he has not yet called for the impeachment of George W. Bush

Some may feel that making the statement that Bush may have broken over 26 Federal Laws, but not calling for his immediate impeachment is a mistake.

But there are certainly realities we need to face not just as Democrats, but as Americans. The last thing we can afford to do, is to create the feeling of a purely partisan witch-hunt against at sitting President. I believe strongly that the many and numerous illegal activities of this administration - from 750 quasi-legal signing statements to War Crimes - need to be addressed forcifully and seriously or else the likelyhood of future Presidents repeating or even surpassing the totalitarian bent of this Admnistration will remain a sword dangling precariously over the tender vulerable neck of our Democracy.

Something has to be done - soon - but it has to be handled in the correct manner. Republicans and Conservatives - even some of the 23 Percenters - may have to be brought kicking and screaming back into the Reality Based World, but there's no other way to begin truly healing this nation from the damage George W. Bush has wrought unless it is done in a bi-partisan manner.

Now is not the time to call for Impeachment formally, now is the time to gather the documentation, gather the evidence -- but that time coming, and it won't be long now.

Vyan