Impeach Bush, Senators Urge; N.M. Lawmakers To Introduce Plan

BY JEFF JONES, Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE - Two Democratic state senators are hoping to make a
national splash with a resolution calling on Congress to commence
impeachment proceedings against President Bush and Vice President
Dick Cheney.

Sens. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, DAlbuquerque, and John Grubesic, D-Santa
Fe, are planning today to introduce their measure accusing Bush and
Cheney of wrongdoings - including "intentionally misleading Congress
and the public" in the buildup to the Iraq war - and calling for
impeachment proceedings.

Senate Minority Leader Stuart Ingle, R-Portales, called the proposal
a publicity stunt and said he doubts it will pass the New Mexico
Legislature, even though Democrats are in the majority.

"I don't think there will be anything in the way of impeachment
proceedings brought against the president of the United States,"
Ingle said.

A draft version of the proposed resolution says, in part: "Be it
resolved by the Legislature of the state of New Mexico that George W.
Bush and Richard B. Cheney, by such conduct, warrant impeachment and
trial and removal from office."

New Mexico would be the first state to sign off on such a measure if
the state Senate and House approve, Grubesic and Ortiz y Pino said
Monday.

"Everyone says, 'This is symbolic.' So was dumping tea in Boston
Harbor," Grubesic said. "We need to send a clear message to the rest
of the world that we're not as insane as our administration is."

Ingle said he believes all 18 Republicans in the 42-member Senate
would oppose it. Bush has "made some mistakes, that's for sure,"
Ingle said, but "so have other presidents."

Grubesic and Ortiz y Pino said eight of the state Senate's 24
Democratic members have signaled support for the proposed resolution.

Possible impeachment has been a hard sell on Capitol Hill, where even
a vocal Bush administration critic - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi - has
said it was not an option in the Democratic-controlled House.