NH Dem Party Votes No on Impeachment

By Barbara G. Hilton

There were about fifteen of us, including Betty, at the NH Democratic Party headquarters in Concord, NH on Tuesday evening to speak to Betty Hall's Resolution on Impeachment before the three Democratic Party Resolutions Committee members, Alexander Lee, Melanie Leveque and Jane Clemons. We had come, seemingly unexpected, on last-minute notice that this was occurring and we were crowded into a very small, hot and uninspired room, crammed for our benefit with as many ugly-looking, much-used chairs as could fit in front of the rickety table set up for the committee members and around the two huge columns that were spaced in the middle of the room equidistant from all four walls. Most of us had only partial views of the committee. Many of us were sitting on tables or standing overflowing out the door and into the hallway.

There were several resolutions brought up before the committee got to Betty's. Interestingly, one from the town of Newport, NH, after a lot of "whereas's" about what the Bush administration had done, resolved that a special truth and accountability committee be formed to investigate. I found out last night that this passed the committee 3-0.

Betty and others spoke passionately and at length about her resolution, but in the end only one committee member, Alex Lee, came out in support. I did use your George Mason speech, excerpting select and tasty morsels for the committee's delectation and I submitted it in its entirety to the committee when I was done speaking, with the stated hope that they would each take the opportunity to read it.

I took a few photos but they don't seem worth uploading. I wish that someone had an audio tape of the proceedings because it was so clear who was on the side of universal moral good. I wish my report were otherwise.