Eight Who Dared: A (Short) Congressional Honor Roll

By DAVE LINDORFF, www.counterpunch.org

Many readers have responded to my last article about the media blackout of Rep. John Conyers' (D-Mich.) introduction of two bills to censure George Bush and Dick Cheney, and a third bill that would create a Select Committee to investigate impeachable crimes by the administration, saying I should let people know who the other seven members of Congress are who have agreed to co-sponsor the call.

That certainly seems like a good idea to me. In a legislature full of gutless cowards and corporate bootlickers, that handfull of people of courage who genuinely care that the White House is sucking the life out of the Constitution like a bloated leech should be held up to public acclaim.

So here they are:

On House Resolution 635, calling for formation of a Select Committee, the co-sponsors are Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), Rep. Shiela Jackson Lee (D-TX), Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA), Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ) and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA).

On H.R. 636, calling for censure of President Bush, the co-sponsors are Rep. Waters, Rep. Woollsey, Rep. Rangel, and Rep. Lofgren.

On H.R. 637, calling for censure of Cheney, the same four co-sponsors of H.R. 636 are joined by Rep. Jackson Lee.

For those who want more information about the bills, I suggest going to CensureBush.org

While we're talking about genuine congressional heroes, I would also suggest visiting the Nation to read a new article on impeaching the president written by Elizabeth Holtzman, a former member of Congress from New York and a member of the House Judiciary panel that voted out the three articles of impeachment that led to the resignation of Richard M. Nixon.

Holtzman's argument for impeachment is the most persuasive and legally compelling that I have read.

Dave Lindorff is the author of Killing Time: an Investigation into the Death Row Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal. His new book of CounterPunch columns titled "This Can't be Happening!" is published by Common Courage Press. Information about both books and other work by Lindorff can be found at www.thiscantbehappening.net.

He can be reached at: dlindorff@yahoo.com