Vermonters move towards impeachment.

Published on Sunday, February 5, 2006 by the Brattleboro Reformer (Vermont)
Newfane Resolution Seeks to Impeach President
by Howard Weiss-Tisman


Saturday, February 04, 2006 - NEWFANE -- Among votes to approve the budget and education spending at Town Meeting, residents will wade into national waters and vote from the floor for the impeachment of President George W. Bush.

Selectboard member Dan DeWalt wrote the Town Meeting resolution and gathered enough signatures to get the question on to the ballot.

The vote for impeachment will be taken from the floor.

DeWalt said he was not going to bring any evidence to Newfane's meeting, claiming that the people of the town know enough about Bush's presidency to vote on the resolution.

If voters approve the resolution, DeWalt said he is going to ask U.S. Rep. Bernard Sanders, I-Vt., to file the articles of impeachment to remove the president from office.

"We have an immoral government operating illegally," DeWalt said. "I feel morally compelled to act."

According to the wording of the Town Meeting article President Bush has misled the nation about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, misled the nation about ties between Iraq and al-Qaida, used these falsehoods to lead our nation into a war unsupported by international law, not told the truth about American policy with respect to the use of torture, and has directed the government to engage in domestic spying in direct contravention of U.S. law.

DeWalt said he did not know if other towns in Vermont had such an article on their Town Meeting ballots. He said if the question passes in Newfane, and Bush is not impeached before next year, he will try to have other towns in the state take up the question next year.

"This is just a red flag that says we in Newfane notice," said DeWalt. "All I can do at this moment is do something here in our town."