Politics

Cheney Impeachment Resolution Roils House

November 6, 2007 / 7:15 PM EST / The Politico

An attempt by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney through introduction of a privileged resolution spun entirely out of control today as Republicans crossed the aisle and tried to force an actual vote on the measure. After a scramble by an visibly irate Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), the Kucinich resolution was referred to the House Judiciary Committee, where it is expected to languish until dead.

Initially, it appeared that the vote was cruising as expected to a wide defeat for Kucinich. As time expired,the motion to table the resolution - meaning cutting off debate - had well over the required 218 votes and was climbing as more came in.

Around then, however, Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) suggested Republicans shift their votes to the 'no' column so that the motion to table would fail, thereby forcing an hour-long debate on the resolution. The 'aye' column gradually fell. In response, Democrats began changing their own votes to counteract the GOP strategy, then decided against that plan, realizing it could actually result in a vote on whether to impeach Cheney, said Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-Md.).

"Both sides were being too clever by half," Gilchrest said.

Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) said the purpose of the GOP maneuver was to highlight the "San Francisco agenda" that Democrats are pursuing, while at the same time accusing Republicans of "wasting precious time," he said. "They've taken all day to move their agenda. The Republican Party is giving them what they want."

Shadegg conceded that the move put some Republicans in the uncomfortable position of voting against Cheney, but that the idea was to expose the division between moderate Democrats and the "far left faction" of the party," a smiling Shadegg told reporters afterward. "Their leadership shouldn't be protecting their members from voting on the issue" of impeaching Cheney since that's what they wanted.

Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) was one of those members uncomfortable voting against Cheney. "I have such high regard for the Vice President, even symbolically, I couldn't," he said.