On Wednesday, January 4, 2006, the Arcata City Council passed a resolution demanding the impeachment or resignation of Bush and Cheney for crimes against the Constitution.

The Arcata City Council last night adopted a resolution demanding the impeachment or resignation of George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney for violations of Constitutional and International law. The resolution charges Bush and Cheney with the following impeachable offenses:

• (1) The crime of misleading the American people and Congress into waging an unnecessary and brutal war in Iraq, in violation of the US Constitution and International Law;
• (2) The criminal failure of the President to respond adequately to the Hurricane Katrina disaster;
• (3) The crime of ordering the secret surveillance of American citizens by the NSA, without any court warrant; and
• (4) The crime of torturing human beings, in violation of the Geneva Conventions and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

The Resolution was written and brought before the council by Arcata City Councilmembers Dave Meserve and Harmony Groves. The vote was 3-2 on the council, with Councilmember Paul Pitino joining the majority and Councilmembers Wheetley and Machi dissenting. Tonight's resolution reaffirms an earlier demand for impeachment, passed by the Arcata City Council on October 6, 2004.

In her comments, Councilmember Groves stated that the resolution could help encourage North Coast Congressman, Mike Thompson, to support impeachment. She added that, "It is important to put the present situation into historical context and let our elected officials know that we demand action in regards to human torture, unfounded war, tax dollars spent inappropriately, and a lack of swift and efficient action to deal with a major disaster on U.S. soil."

The resolution requests that Thompson (D-CA) join with others in Congress to introduce Articles of Impeachment against George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney. Copies of the adopted resolution will be sent to Congressman Thompson, Senators Feinstein and Boxer and all members of the House Judiciary Committee.

In appealing for the votes of fellow Councilmembers, Meserve stated that, "All elected officials swear to 'uphold, and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.' This obligates us to act when the President violates the Constitution. We hope that other cities will join us in demanding the impeachment of Bush and Cheney"

RESOLUTION NO. 056-34
A 2006 NEW YEARS RESOLUTION OF
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCATA
DEMANDING THE IMPEACHMENT OR RESIGNATION OF
GEORGE W. BUSH AND RICHARD B. CHENEY

Whereas, on October 15, 2003, the Arcata City Council unanimously approved a letter to the House Judiciary Committee, requesting an investigation into whether George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney committed impeachable offences in the lead-up to the Iraq War, and

Whereas, on October 6, 2004, the Arcata City Council adopted a resolution demanding the impeachment of George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney, and

Whereas, the Presidential crimes of misleading the American people and Congress into waging an unnecessary war in Iraq, in violation of the US Constitution and International Law, have been further confirmed in the past sixteen months, and

Whereas, George W. Bush let the citizens of the United States of America down when he and his appointed head of FEMA failed to quickly and adequately respond to a major disaster on US soil, Hurricane Katrina, which killed at least 1,383 people in the gulf coast region and left over 78,000 people homeless, and

Whereas, George W. Bush recently admitted to and defended his practice of ordering the secret surveillance of American citizens by the NSA, without any court warrant, and

Whereas, our nation, under commander in chief of the military George W. Bush, has conducted acts of torture against human beings, in violation of the Geneva Conventions and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and

Whereas, Richard B. Cheney has defended the war on Iraq, the practice of warrant-less domestic surveillance and the use of torture.

Therefore be it resolved, that the City Council of the City of Arcata reaffirms its demand for the impeachment, or resignation, of George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney.

Be It further resolved, that we request that our Representative, Mike Thompson join with others in Congress to introduce Articles of Impeachment against George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney, and that copies of this resolution be sent to Representative Thompson, Senators Boxer and Feinstein and all members of the House Judiciary Committee.

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