by Scott Creighton
I signed Wexler’s Impeachment ”petition” when I first heard about it. I should be somewhere around 35k or so… but I can’t tell you where, because no-one can see the signatures, like you can on almost every other online petition.
(Take this one for example, that is to replace Pelosi as Speaker because she won’t impeach.)
On that petition site, you can read its full version (so that it can’t be changed later) and read the people who signed it and the comments they have left (I recommend doing that because they are quite moving). You can also see the number who have signed, and even count them, if you don’t trust the little clicker.
Everything is out in the open. Wexler’s? Well…
Wexler’s is a little different. His site for the petition is teamed with a contribute link where you can contribute to his upcoming re-election bid. In fact, signing the petition also signs you up to support his re-election. And you can’t see the actual petition, except for those three sentences; once you sign it takes you to a thank you page and offers you a chance to contribute.
Actually it takes you to the “Join” page of his campaign website where they ask you questions like whether or not you voted in 2006 and whether or not you would like to volunteer for his campaign staff.
Did I sign up to remove this criminal administration, or to help Wexler get re-elected?
You know, the fact that they have it automatically linked up with a campaign contribution button and the fact that you can’t read the signatures and the fact that it sets you up to be a supporter of his campaign for re-election…
ALL OF THAT MIGHT BE OVERLOOKED…. If…
…he was a co-sponsor of HR 333 (You know, the thingy that says Cheney should be Impeached?). But, of course…. he ISN”T.
(this lovily table is from the WIKI HR 333 page, here.)
I’m not jumping to conclusions here. I would just like to see what it is I have signed, because, quite frankly, this is not really adding up right now.
***UPDATE*** Rep. Wexler’s Chief of Staff, Eric Johnson, has left a comment on this post clearing up some of the questions I had. I am putting his comment up as an update. You can read the exchange below.
In all fairness, it should be pointed out that Rep. Wexler voted NOT to table the question of privilege when Kucinich brought it forward on Nov. 7th 2007. To his credit, he was one of only 86 Democrats that voted to keep the resolution from being tabled, as Steny Hoyer was attempting to do. The vote talley’s are here.
“Eric Johnson Says:
December 19, 2007 at 4:46 pm e
Hi everyone, my name is Eric Johnson and I am Rep. Wexler’s Chief of Staff. First, thank you for adding your name to our call! To answer your questions: People are adding their names to the call for impeachment hearings which is briefly stated in the 3 sentences above but is detailed in the oped the Congressman penned which is linked to the page. We have not made a decision about posting the names online, many people have written us with privacy concerns, but we are now considering our next steps – entering the names in the congressional record? giving them to the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee? Many ideas are being discussed. The truth is this site was put up VERY quickly when Rep. Wexler realized that no paper in the MSM was running this very important op ed. So he released it on the web to all of you and threw up a page on his campaign site so people could add their names to the call. He wanted to show his colleagues in the House how much support their is for this. As you can imagine, we had no idea that we would have 100,000 people respond so quickly so we are making decisions on how to proceed now. Lastly, the fact that Congressman Wexler and Rep. Guiterrez (who also wrote the Op Ed) are not sponsors of the legislation is precisely why this should have been a big story in the MSM. They are members of the committee saying, “look we have not prejudged the outcome, but if the House is going to send this bill (HR 333) to the committee then we damn well better have the hearings on it!”. Now obviously Rep. Wexler believes these guys have seriously abused their office and that the it is likely high crimes have been committed. But their point is that you do not have to be a sponsor of the bill to want hearings to start immediately! Let’s get the evidence on the table in the record (and I think we all know where that is likely to lead.) Hope I have helped with your questions and thanks again for your help!
Filed under: activism | Tagged: wexler's impeachment petition
I wondered about that when I signed the thing, Willy. I support the VP being impeached, but why no actual text to the petition? I didn’t know that he wasn’t a co-sponsor or HR 333. Is that something he can join later? And if so, why hasn’t he?
Interesting.
I was surprised to find out he wasn’t a co-sponsor. and you know that little comment on the page about Cheney’s actions require hearings… that IS the petition. 3 sentences.
“The charges are too serious to ignore. There is credible evidence that the Vice President abused the power of his office, and not only brought us into an unneccesary war but violated the civil liberties and privacy of American citizens. It is the constitutional duty of Congress to hold impeachment hearings.”
Hi everyone, my name is Eric Johnson and I am Rep. Wexler’s Chief of Staff. First, thank you for adding your name to our call! To answer your questions: People are adding their names to the call for impeachment hearings which is briefly stated in the 3 sentences above but is detailed in the oped the Congressman penned which is linked to the page. We have not made a decision about posting the names online, many people have written us with privacy concerns, but we are now considering our next steps – entering the names in the congressional record? giving them to the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee? Many ideas are being discussed. The truth is this site was put up VERY quickly when Rep. Wexler realized that no paper in the MSM was running this very important op ed. So he released it on the web to all of you and threw up a page on his campaign site so people could add their names to the call. He wanted to show his colleagues in the House how much support their is for this. As you can imagine, we had no idea that we would have 100,000 people respond so quickly so we are making decisions on how to proceed now. Lastly, the fact that Congressman Wexler and Rep. Guiterrez (who also wrote the Op Ed) are not sponsors of the legislation is precisely why this should have been a big story in the MSM. They are members of the committee saying, “look we have not prejudged the outcome, but if the House is going to send this bill (HR 333) to the committee then we damn well better have the hearings on it!”. Now obviously Rep. Wexler believes these guys have seriously abused their office and that the it is likely high crimes have been committed. But their point is that you do not have to be a sponsor of the bill to want hearings to start immediately! Let’s get the evidence on the table in the record (and I think we all know where that is likely to lead.) Hope I have helped with your questions and thanks again for your help!
Mr. Johnson;
I am proud to have signed Rep. Wexler’s “Call for Impeachment Hearings” petition and I am not surprised in the least about it’s success so far.
There is a growing contingent of citizens who want this administration held to account for their crimes against this country. But I certainly don’t presume to tell you that as I am sure you and Rep. Wexler are fully aware of the mood of the nation these days.
I appreciate your comment and am very glad to get these questions cleared up. I would be glad to add your comments to the text of the post as an update if you wish. Just let me know.
Your point about not being a co-sponsor of HR 333 is well taken. It is true that having two “undeclared” members of the Judiciary Committee calling to begin the stalled impeachment hearings, should have been a MSM darling. But, of course, many things have been swept under the attention rug these days by our “liberal media”. Not the least of which being Presidential candidates denied access to Democratic debates for not having “storefronts” or some other excuse.
You see, that doesn’t surprise me. Unfortunately.
I hope you understand my concern, and the concern of many others. We take the impeachment of these two criminals very seriously. And of course, when I noticed that Wexler wasn’t a co-sponsor of the bill, but he had voted not to table the question of privilege on Nov. 7th, well, let’s just say I was beginning to get a bit confused.
But I agree; we need the hearing to begin. And I think this petition is a fine way to get a feel for just how strongly the people out here feel about this issue.
I think you will be just as surprised to see how fast you reach 250,000. I hope that fact isn’t lost on the other members of the committee.
Thank you for clearing this up, and good luck with your efforts to bring this critical Bill back “to the table”.
sure. be my guest and post it if you wish. thanks for the fast reply!
Rep Wexler is well into this thing now, so I’m thinking he shouldn’t drop the ball on this petition. We won’t be re-elected.
Sorry Mr Johnson, I’m usually suspicious of politicians’ motives.
As promised, the Update is posted (and I cleared up that little snafu about the vote… opps. Waxman…Wexler…it could happen to anyone.) Again I wish you well with your petition. Perhaps you would be so kind as to have a gander at mine?
http://www.petitiononline.com/everyman/petition.html
People,
Please check out this recent post, and feel free to publicize it publicly or privately as you feel appropriate:
—
Support Wexler’s Impeachment Presentation to Congress Tomorrow Evening!
http://thedemocraticactivist.blogspot.com/2008/01/support-wexlers-impeachment.html
—
Thanks.
Chris Borland
The Democratic Activist
http://thedemocraticactivist.blogspot.com/
===