Subject: corrected copy: What is the Colorado ACLU position on Impeachment and the separation of powers.
To: info@aclu-co.org
From: The Impeach Colorado Coalition - http://ImpeachCO.com
John H Kennedy, Organizer
7755 E Quincy Ave. D1-207
Denver CO 80237
To: Cathryn Hazouri, Executive Director
American Civil Liberties Union Of Colorado
400 Corona Street
Denver CO 80218
It is our belief that when knowledgeable officials and citizens are aware of serious
attacks committed against our Constitution and the separation of powers and do
nothing to make it right, that those citizens become enablers of Bush and Cheney
or perhaps even co-conspirators.
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A bit harsh maybe but the challenges to our constitutional form of government by the
Bush Administration have been serious.
Our group is wondering what is the position of the American Civil Liberties Union Of
Colorado regarding supporting the Impeachment of Vice President Cheney? I checked
your website and did find anything regarding the Colorado ACLU position on Impeachment.
US Rep. Kucinich has a resolution H Res 333 in the US House Judiciary Committee that
proposes to Impeach Vice President Cheney.
Has ACLU-Colorado taken a position on this legislation? Has the national office?
Our group the Impeach Colorado Coalition are advocates for the Impeachment of both Bush
and Cheney, but especially for Impeaching Cheney first. We have held over 60
Impeachment events in Denver since January 2007. To our knowledge no one from
ACLU Of Colorado has ever attended. So we are beginning to wonder about your position
on Impeachment and protecting the separation of powers.
In December 2005, the ACLU took out a full page ad in the NY Times calling for a special
counsel to investigate Bush and the NSA warrant less electronic surveillance.
The ACLU compared Bush to Nixon. The ad is still on the ACLU website and it clearly
threatens impeachment, but that was over 2 years ago!
See ad: http://www.aclu.org/safefree/spying/23271res20051229.html
What has the ACLU done since to advance the Impeachment of Cheney or Bush?
I found an article from February 2006, entitled "ACLU Panel Urges Impeachment over NSA
Spying." (http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200602/POL20060221a.html).
In that article John Dean, a former White House counsel during the Nixon administration,
compared the Bush administration's wiretapping to the Watergate scandal, saying
"There is no question in my mind that this president has already committed one or more
impeachable offenses. This is pretty serious stuff. It's worse than Watergate."
It is now October 2007 and where is the ACLU on Impeachment and protecting the separation
of powers in America? How many citizens donated money to the ACLU then after 2005 ad
ran believing that the ACLU was serious about Impeachment?
Here is a link to an October 24, 1973 brochure by the ACLU http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/aclunixon.html#impeachment2.
in which the ACLU laid the case for Impeachment and the methods and means to do so.
Fabulous then. Needed now.
I bring your attention to paragraphs 15, 16, and 17 of the last part of that document
entitled "Impeachment: What you can do".
”Always keep in mind that the highest order of patriotism is the defense of our
constitutional system, for our selves and for our children.
Your (Congressional) Representative must be made to understand that this is not merely
another "come and go" political question. Only you can make your Representative
understand the importance of the issue and the extent to which he or she will be
held responsible in the 1974 (2008) elections for his or her actions.
It cannot be stressed strongly enough or often enough that Representatives who do not
move to impeach, and who thereby fail to bring President Nixon (Bush/Cheney) to
trial, are accomplices to a cover-up.
They (the Congressmen/women) are either in favor of bringing 100% of the truth to the
American people, or they are helping cover it up. “
The ACLU should by the 34th anniversary of that ad, on October 24 come out for the
Impeachment of Bush and Cheney. This is pretty serious stuff after all.
America needs the ACLU to lead on Impeachment. If not Now, When? The ACLU led in
the effort to Impeach President Nixon for far less serious crimes in the 1970s
and your leadership is way overdue on the Impeachment of Cheney and/or Bush.
Isn’t it time for the ACLU to follow the slogan on your national web page that says
”We must preserve the protections and the checks and balances in the Constitution
against government abuses of power that violate our fundamental values.”
We look forward to hearing from you. Our group looks forward to supporting you in
any way we are able regarding the Impeachment of Cheney. and/or Bush. Please
let us know your position on Impeachment.
Sincerely,
John H Kennedy
Impeach Colorado Coalition - http://ImpeachCO.com
Denver CO
* that part in paras is mine
N WMil I sent to the national ACLU office.
From: "Joel Stedman"
To:
Subject: RE: Fear-Monger
Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2007 22:23:25 +0000
Dear Friend:
Thank you for your email. I appreciate your taking the time to write and
share your concerns, and I am glad to have the opportunity to respond.
I truly appreciate your passion to hold the Administration accountable,
and, of course, the ACLU fervently believes, as you do, that Congress
should uphold the Constitution. Your choice of action to push for
impeachment, however, is not our course of action at this time.
I fully agree with you that the Bush administration has repeatedly overstepped
the limits on executive power, shrouded itself in secrecy, eroded our civil
liberties and violated the Constitution and its Bill of Rights. The extent
of this administration’s contempt for our constitutional freedoms is clear – due
in large part to the ACLU’s work exposing its actions through our Freedom of
Information Act lawsuits on extraordinary rendition, unlawful detention and
the restoration of habeas corpus.
It is Congress’ proper role to exercise oversight of the executive branch.
The issuance of subpoenas for information about warrantless NSA spying were an
important step in the right direction, but we certainly believe—and we will
continue to forcefully argue—that Congress needs to do much more. To that
end, we launched an ad campaign strongly criticizing the Congressional
leadership’s cave-in to the Bush administration. You may view the ad online
here: http://action.aclu.org/site/DocServer/BAAAD_ad.pdf?docID=1541.
The ACLU will continue to aggressively fight unconstitutional laws and government
actions in the courts and document and publicize constitutional violations
and abuses of government power. No other organization is more effective in
that arena than ours. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court responded
to our unprecedented request to make its secret court orders and legal papers
regarding eavesdropping on Americans available to the public by ordering the
government to respond. (Our press release is online
at http://www.aclu.org/safefree/spying/31356prs20070817.html.)
However, given our limited resour ces and the enormous task of restoring
civil liberties where they have been most eroded, the ACLU must focus its staff
and resources where we believe that we can realistically make the greatest
difference at this time.
Thank you again for writing and for your support of the ACLU. Despite what may be
a difference of opinion on this strategy, I hope that the ACLU can continue to
count on your support and your inspiring passion, especially at this critical
time for civil liberties.
Sincerely,
Joel Stedman
ACLU Correspondence
