Dear Madame Speaker, Impeachment has Returned to the Table
From left to right: Daniel Ellsberg(Pentagon papers), World Can't Wait's Sunsara Taylor, Micheal Ratner Center for Constitutional Rights and John Nichols -The Nation Also speaking were Cindy Sheehan and by video message, Gore Vidal (Click any photo to enlarge)
"Voices for Impeachment" Thursday at the National Press Club rocked the ball room with a packed house. Funny how the NPC folks seemed to be around when we got there, cause the place was empty as folks were leaving after the talks. Prissy is sure they didn't expect to see so many and wait until you see what a non-radical crowd this was. 
The very busy David Swanson of After Downing Street.org. David has given much of his personal time to do everything possible to end the war and stop the assault to the Constitution and Bill of Rights-even when most of the public didn't think that was really happening...Prissy can relate.
EVERYBODY was represented, even the lady who yelled out "abortion is killing", when Sunsara mentioned it. (We can worry about that later, dear, the constitution itself has been endangered.)
Raw Story already reported Sunsara's interaction earlier with Bill (Loofah man) O'Reilly's driver at FOX. After the as always angry interaction anyone ever has with Bill, her driver asked what they spoke about. She said "impeachment of Bush and Cheney." He said "Impeached? I think they should be indicted."
Hmm, yes, seems to be the prevailing attitude now throughout the country, regardless of party...
Prissy should have counted how many people, but didn't-it was too interesting. There were blacks, whites, Latino, old, young, middle age. Suits, jeans, flannel shirts, goth kids to ladies in linen. 
Daniel Ellsberg and Cindy Sheehan-NPC
If these folks call the people to the streets like they say they will Jan 27, in Washington, the world will know the reign of terror we have known from the Bush regime is concluded to a peaceful end. They want at least a million. They may get their wish.
Some folks at the National Press Club who want Bush and Cheney impeached.
The event was sponsored by World Can't Wait. Now you might think these kids are radicals. Depending on your definition. They are not violent, they are social change revolutionaries-and let's face it-desperate times call for desperate measures, as Granny says.
Next week they will begin acts of civil disobedience. Don't hurt them DC cops-haven't you all had your fair share too?
Its important officers remember our police dept is the last line of defense in the protection of persons civil rights and there is no room to be a weak link in the chain. Nor is it now the time to call names...Prissy challenges them to "find the hippies" in the crowd above.
Hot Links Update
Email Madame Pelosi tell her no more $ for war and we want our constitution back too.
Pictures of 1,000 protesters spelling out IMPEACH 1,000 PEOPLE SPELL OUT "IMPEACH!" IN PELOSI'S DISTRICT
- Over 1000 people gathered in Nancy Pelosi's district, on Ocean Beach in San Francisco, to spell out the message "IMPEACH!" "America is a great country," said event organizer Brad Newsham, a local cab driver and author. "But President Bush has betrayed our faith. He mislead us into a disastrous war, and is trampling on our Constitution. He has to go. Now. I hope Nancy Pelosi is listening today."
Middle East online Report: Israel planning tactical nuclear strike on Iran
The atomic weapons would explode deep underground to minimise the risk of radioactive fall-out, it added.
Israel had refused to rule out pre-emptive military action against the Islamic republic. In 1981, it took action against Iraq's nuclear reactor in Osirak.
The Sunday Times said the Israeli plan was designed to prevent them having to live through a "second Holocaust".
US and Israeli officials had met several times to consider military action, it added, saying military analysts assessed that disclosing the plans could put pressure on Iran to halt enrichment.
US military strategists saw the 1981 pre-emptive attack as a failure to attain the intended effects.
Democratic Daily Conservative Bloggers Refuse to Admit They Are Wrong
Media Matters noted today that “Warbloggers refuse to admit their errors in making fraud allegations against AP.” These warbloggers are among some of the same bloggers who perpetuated “The Great ‘Kerry Photo’ Flap.” And in the case of the “right-wing warbloggers, who for six weeks have been accusing the Associated Press of manufacturing a police source in Baghdad in order to spread insurgent-friendly “propaganda,”" they are now, as Media Matters notes “now steadfastly refuse to concede their mistakes in the wake the January 4 news that the police source in question, Jamil Hussein, does exist and has been identified by the Iraqi government.” No small surprise, as many of the same bloggers are refusing to admit the truth about the Kerry photo or take responsibility for their lies.
I will note that not all conservative bloggers are acting irresponsibly in both of these cases, but some just simply refuse to step up and act responsibly. There is an irony to the fact that these are the same bloggers who claim to be watchdogs on the so called “liberal media,” but when caught in their own web of lies, they blindly defend themselves and each other perpetuating the lies further. There is nothing but glaring hypocritical behavior here, and it’s a long established pattern with many of these bloggers.
Sure is, Prissy was off about Rover's indictment-but everybody was. Besides, its not over for Rover. Special Prosecutor Fitzgerald's case against Scooter Libby will contain a surprise, at least from the view of Scooters attorneys
Wired People Can Cause Earthquakes
More about the leak case by emptywheel at the Next Hurrah Libby's Jury Instructions
Please Don't Mention the Former Hill Staffer This is, IMO, the funniest request. He asks the court to read this instruction: You have heard testimony that Mr. Libby and other witnesses spoke to reporters under various conditions, such as "off the record," on background" and where one's comments are to be attributed to a particular job title. There is nothing improper with a person being interviewed to request, or a reporter agreeing to grant, these interview conditions in order to maintain the confidentiality of the person speaking with the reporter. [my emphasis]
This instruction would effectively bar the jury from considering the fact that Libby asked--and Judy agreed--that their July 8 conversation be attributed to a "former Hill staffer" as evidence of guilt. Because, you know, I should be able to attribute illegal information to whatever attribution I want. Next time I leak highly classified information, I suppose I'll just attribute it to "someone who might be named Scooter Libby." Because Scooter Libby sees no problem with giving misleading attributions to leaks, you know.
All in a days work.
Newsmax Media Seek Audio From 'Scooter' Libby Leak Trial
Fifteen news organizations and five other groups are asking a federal judge to release audio recordings each day in the upcoming criminal trial of Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff.
"If there were ever a case where release of audio recordings is unlikely to have any impact on the proceedings - other than the beneficial one of more fully informing the public - it is this one," lawyers for the news organizations stated.
The organizations are ABC, The Associated Press, Bloomberg News, CNN, CBS, Dow Jones, E.W. Scripps, the Hearst Corp., the Los Angeles Times, the McClatchey Co., NBC, National Public Radio, USA Today, the Washington Post, the American Society of Newspaper Editors, the Newspaper Association of America, the Radio-Television News Directors Association, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and the Society of Professional Journalists.
Prissy wonders what Fitz will think of this suit. And why are they suddenly so interested? Or is that implicated?
AfterDowningStreet.Org Want to End the War? Ask for Investigations! by David Swanson
Polls: majority of public wants investigation of war lies. Ask your Representative and Senators to conduct investigations.
Our top priorities for Congressional investigations:
1-Misuse of intelligence leading up to the war.
2-Waste, fraud, misuse of funds, including in launching the war in secret, including in construction of permanent bases
3-War crimes, extraordinary rendition, torture
Nancy Pelosi has announced the creation of a Select Intelligence Oversight Panel composed of members of the House Intelligence and Appropriations committees and working within the House Appropriations Committee to oversee spending on intelligence.
Go to Downing Street.Org. David Swanson has a list of resources, 1 Page info flyer, 110th Congress address, etc. for you to take action from home, and spread the word. We need every American and our allies to pressure our government to do the right thing!
Congress realized Nixon was done when they received 50,000 telegrams demanding Dick Nixon's impeachment- for far lessor crimes.
USA Today D.C. subway train derails
WASHINGTON (AP) — A subway train derailed Sunday near downtown Washington, sending 16 people to the hospital and prompting the rescue of 60 people from a tunnel, officials said.
The accident happened at about 3:45 p.m. near the underground Mount Vernon Square station, Metro spokeswoman Cathy Asato said. There were about 150 people on the train.
At least one person had a serious but not life-threatening injury, Asato said. The other injuries were mostly "bumps and bruises."
Just the kind of news one likes to hear upon returning from DC.
From Prissy's Inbox: Fellow Workers, the Columbus Chapter of World Can't Wait is proud to announce that we are hosting Dr. James H. Fetzer who will be speaking about '9/11'. The event will be at the main branch of the Columbus Library on Saturday, February 17th, 2007 in the afternoon(exact time to be announced). Dr. Fetzer is the founder and co-chair of Scholars for 9/11 Truth, "a non-partisan association of faculty, students, and scholars dedicated to exposing falsehoods and to revealing truths behind 9/11' Scholars for 911 Truth
This event will be free and open to the public. For more information contact Vargo.che@hotmail.com
Hat tip to Fitz, bringing to his country the luck of the Irish 
Prissy's shamrocks bloomed on Fitz' birthday
The Entitlement Defense Shareholders should have known Conrad Black had a lifestyle to maintain when they bought into his company.
Let me digress. The newspapers tell us that U.S. attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who on March 5 is scheduled to put Black on trial, is interested in Mayor Daley. The mayor's reelection campaign is likely to turn on the unstated proposition that public governance also has its zealots and its tendency to excess, and that if the bathwater is corruption, the baby is a city that works.
Black's problem is that there was no baby. There was only his high life, which he has asked the court to rule inadmissible. One of his recent briefs states, "The government has failed to establish that the references to Mr. Black's membership in the House of Lords, ownership of multiple residences, lavish decorating tastes, hosting of an elaborate surprise party for his wife, and employment of servants and a chauffeur are relevant to any essential element of any charged offense."
It wasn't so long ago that conservatives believed that George Bush's presidency would usher in a political realignment that would last for decades. But as the right looks forward to the next election, something close to panic is setting in. Surveying the leading G.O.P. contenders for 2008, direct-mail guru Richard Viguerie pronounces "not a one of them is worthy of support from conservatives." Says Craig Shirley, a public relations executive who represents many conservative groups and who has written a book on the Reagan revolution: "There's anger, there's angst, there's dismay in the conservative movement." Some activists, Shirley adds, have even begun talking quietly among themselves about forming a third party.
Arab View A Free Press Is an Engine for Economic Growth
A most impressive and enlightening presentation was delivered by Dr. Richard Winfield, chairman of the World Press Freedom Committee and a communications lawyer who teaches at Colombia Law School and Fordham University of Law. Winfield’s paper was about the connection between law, a free press and economic growth in developing countries. He talked about laws that protect a free and independent press, and laws that ensure a sense of transparency that can help the press contribute to a nation’s economic well-being. “A free press is an engine for economic growth. Corruption at the governmental, judicial and corporate levels stands as a major obstacle to economic development,” he said, adding that corruption kills foreign investment and discourages local businesses from growing and becoming prosperous.
Dr. Winfield emphasized the need to have media laws and independent judges that would protect investigation into corruption. Without protection, reporters would be potentially punished, newspapers would be closed down, and TV stations would be pulled off the air. Dr. Winfield stressed the need for the media to contribute toward improving the lives of people and the importance of the law in helping the media perform that role correctly and properly.
During the two-day seminar, prominent international legal advisers and media participants from the Gulf discussed international models and ways to adopt common principles for a new legal framework in the Gulf.
TBR News...very interesting. Prissy has heard similar rumors on the web and stories from military families Voice of the White House
Bush has absolutely no intention of leaving Iraq. Any general officer who disagrees with his stupid “surge” is promptly fired and others warned that Bush will fire them if they open their mouths. The brass at the Pentagon and the troops in the field are approaching open mutiny.
There are very serious rumors that National Guard and reserve units will not show up for shipment to the slaughterhouse. Bush has told Congress that they will do what he tells them and if they do not, he will refuse to sign any of their bills he does not approve of and refuse to implement anything they try to pass over his head.
He has deliberately antagonized the new Congress and when he is told that the people want an end to the Iraq horrors, he claims the public still want him to “stay the course.”
Hate mail and death threats are pouring in here in unprecedented numbers and the Secret Service can’t begin to keep up with them. There is no question that very soon, there will be a major confrontation between Bush on one side and the military and Congress on the other. And be sure Bush will lose.
"Voices of impeachment"
Letter from US Congress concerning ‘civilian prisoncamps’(scanned document)
FEMA "concentration camps" or "centers for public safety" There over 800 prison camps in the United States, all fully operational and ready to receive prisoners. They are all staffed and even surrounded by full-time guards, but they are all empty. These camps are to be operated by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) should Martial Law need to be implemented in the United States and all it would take is a presidential signature on a proclamation and the attorney general's signature on a warrant to which a list of names is attached.
Bloomberg Backdating Is Revealed by 28 Companies to Avoid Taxes (Update2)
At least 28 companies now under investigation for stock-options backdating, including Staples Inc. and KLA-Tencor Corp., named executives who received improper grants as part of an effort to shield them from millions of dollars in tax penalties.
The grants, detailed in filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over the past three weeks, show 15 chairmen and chief executive officers, as well as dozens of other senior managers, were awarded options to buy shares at below-market prices. Companies had until Dec. 31 to correct the prices to keep their top brass from paying a 20 percent surtax on potential profits from the options
International Herald Tribune In days before hanging, a push for revenge and a push back from the US
The widespread expectation was that the appeal of the death sentences would run for months, allowing time for the more notorious Anfal case, involving genocide in the killing of 180,000 Kurds, to be completed before Hussein was hanged. American lawyers in the embassy's Regime Crimes Liaison Office, the behind-the-scenes organizer of the trials, predicted Hussein's execution in the spring.
When the tribunal's appeals bench announced that it had upheld the death sentences on Dec. 26, three weeks into the appeal, even prosecutors were stunned. Defense lawyers said Hussein was being railroaded under pressure from Maliki, who told a BBC interviewer shortly after the Dujail verdict that he expected the ousted ruler to be hanged before the end of the year.
The suspicion that the judges had submitted to government pressure was shared by some Americans working with the tribunal, who had stifled their growing disillusionment with the government's interference for months.
The appeals court's apparent eagerness to fast-forward Hussein to the gallows — and the scenes at the execution itself — broke the floodgates of restraint for at least one of the American lawyers. "I am disgusted," said one. "We had thought the court would be a beacon of light in a very dark landscape. But the way it has come out with the hanging, we've substituted one dictatorship for another."
TMP CafeTime For Israel to Free Palestinian Prisoners
Prisoners are important symbols although some, like the Lebanese thug, Samir Kuntar (who wiped out a Jewish family in Nahariyah in 1979) are just monsters who should never see the light of day. Another was Kuntar’s Jewish counterpart, Asher Weisgan, a West Bank settler, who murdered four Palestinian workers in 2005 to protest the Gaza withdrawal. He hung himself (with his tefillin or phylacteries) in prison last month.
But most prisoners are not in that category. Some committed no violent acts. Many haven’t even been charged. The main reason no progress was made on the prisoner issue last month is that Hamas is still holding Corporal Gilad Shalit, who was captured six months ago. Olmert feels he cannot release Palestinian prisoners to Abbas until Shalit is back home or until he at least has both proof that Shalit is alive and a solid commitment that he will be freed.
That is not a commitment Abbas can give Olmert because, according to Israeli sources, President Abbas does not know where Shalit is being held and certainly cannot secure his release. Only Hamas can.
But Israel does not negotiate with Hamas. And Hamas will not free Shalit to its worst enemy, Abbas. The Egyptians -- nobly trying to finesse the various divides and win freedom for Shalit and the Palestinians – seem to be stymied. Meanwhile, Shalit and the Palestinian prisoners who would be freed in exchange for Shalit’s release remain in captivity.
More tomorrow, busy day getting Granny taken care of...
Quotes of the Day
“The word love has by no means the same sense for both sexes, and this is one cause of the serious misunderstandings that divide them”--Simone de Beauvoir quotes (French Writer and feminist, 1908-1986)
“Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.”--Confucius
“A woman in love can't be reasonable--or she probably wouldn't be in love.”--Mae West
“The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.”--Ayn Rand quotes (Russian born American Writer and Novelist, 1905-1982)
“I would rather trust a woman's instinct than a man's reason.”
--Stanley Baldwin(British Politician and Prime Minister. 1867-1947)
