Of Duty and Integrity

Daily Kos reports that Congressman Dennis Kucinich yesterday offered a resolution to impeach George W. Bush. It was an important effort to document the many charges and concerns that Americans have about the integrity of President George W. Bush. While the resolution itself is unlikely to have much affect on the conduct of the President, it will remain as a record of the legitimate concerns, some under investigation by other means, that warrant attention from Congress and the American people.

Moments like these should be recorded and remembered for their value to future generations of citizens. It is instructive to recall the words and actions of Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez, who in 1991 introduced H520-21, a resolution Impeaching George Herbert Walker Bush, President of the United States, of high crimes and misdemeanors.

Representative Gonzalez considered the introduction of this resolution to be nothing less than his sacred duty to the people of the United States and in support of his oath of office wherein he swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America. Gonzalez charged that the President violated the equal protection clause of the Constitution by committing a military force, disproportionately comprised of “poor white, black, and Mexican-American or Hispanic-American” people to war."

Article II charged that the President bribed, intimidated and threatened member states of the U. N. Security Council to support war against Iraq and cited payments, loans, debt forgiveness and threats to withhold aid, as examples of U.S. manipulation of a United Nations process.

Article III charged that the President conspired to war against Iraq employing the use of weapons of mass destruction that would take the lives of tens of thousands of civilians.

Article IV states that the President “embarked on a course of action that systematically eliminated every option for peaceful resolution of the Persian Gulf crisis.”

Finally, Article V charged that the President (George H.W. Bush) “conspired to commit crimes against the peace by leading the United States into aggressive war against Iraq, in violation of article 24 of the U.N. Charter, the Nuremberg Charter, other international instruments and treaties, and the Constitution of the United States.”

Congressman Gonzalez concluded his remarks that day, calling for an opportunity to argue the case before the appropriate committee and in an appropriate manner for the members to decide in their own judgment. He argued that day, as Congressman Kucinich did yesterday, for the rule of law and the preservation of the Constitution of the United States. He argued not out of vanity or for want of power, but for the sake of duty and integrity.