Wexler: McClellan's Testimony Justifies Cheney's Impeachment

By John Bresnahan

(The Politico)  Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla.), one of the most vocal opponents of the Bush administration on Capitol Hill, said Scott McClellan's book and testimony justify the beginning of impeachment hearings against Vice President Dick Cheney.

During questioning of McClellan, Wexler asked the former White House press secretary if he believed Bush authorized the leaking of Valerie Plame Wilson's name. When McClellan said no, Wexler said this meant that Cheney must have been the source of the leak, meaning Cheney was seeking to retaliate against the wife of an administration critic. In Wexler's view, this would be enough to support the initation of impeachment hearings against Cheney immediately.

Wexler also suggested that Congress should use its authority under the inherent contempt statute to arrest Andrew Card and Karl Rove if they don't respond to Judiciary Committee subpoenas.

"We have the power of inherent contempt, and need be, we should use it," Wexler thundered.