[Peace-discussion] Ellsberg Explains How Bush Cannot Stop People From Testifying If It's Impeachment
Jim Dorenkott
jimdorenkott3@yahoo.com
Fri, 11 Jul 2008 19:24:48 -0700 (PDT)
--0-1368283081-1215829488=:46014
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Hi=20
=A0
here is a link to the audio almost 3mb of Ellsberg talking about how Bush c=
an not stop people from testifying if it's an impeachment hearing
=A0
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/07/11/18515385.php
Here is the transcript of his remarks to the question.
In terms of hearings for impeachment, I have heard that when a hearing is h=
eld in congress for impeachment that the president cannot claim executive p=
rivilege, and that people have to testify. Is this true?
=A0
As far as I understand it that is true and it is an advantage over a simple=
investigative hearing, (video starts) and of course they are not supposed =
to perjure themselves. That doesn=92t mean that the witnesses who come forw=
ard =96 who are subpoenaed and come forward - will tell the truth. It does =
mean that they are subject in theory to perjury charges. But it does mean t=
hat the administration cannot order people not to come. That=92s very impor=
tant.=20
=A0
Because the purpose of whether it=92s impeachment hearings or investigative=
hearings into crimes of the government which John Conyers has talked about=
. Right? I was in a meeting where he talked about that - having them;=A0 sa=
id he would have them, but, haven=92t happened yet. Investigative hearings =
on crimes that may have been committed, fine; and that -=A0 would almost in=
evitably point to impeachment and that will make them just as leery of hold=
ing those hearings as they are of impeachment hearings.
=A0
But, if you did hold the impeachment hearings you could get these people; a=
nd he could not order people, as Bush has done, not to appear.
=A0
The importance of that is that there are people who would love to tell the =
truth if they are subpoenaed, and, if they can=92t be fired for appearing. =
And those are the people to get.
=A0
=A0A friend of mine is very anxious to see Cheney under oath. I said, I wou=
ldn=92t give a dime for that. The chance of getting the truth out of Cheney=
under oath, you know, is just negligible.
=A0
But there are a lot of people who would be happy to tell if they were press=
ed to do it.
=A0
San Francisco | U.S. | Anti-War | Government & Elections
Ellsberg: NO Executive Privilege in Impeachment Hearnings; Bush Can Not Sto=
p Testimony mp3
by This Can Happen=20
Friday Jul 11th, 2008 7:11 PM=20
Daniel Ellsberg spoke at the Unitarian Universalist Church on Sunday March =
30. His talk, "Must America Remain an Outlaw State?" was on the occasion of=
War and Law League (WALL), tenth birthday. http://www.warandlaw.org/files/=
index.html=20
WALL, founded in March 1998, is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, San Francisco=96b=
ased group that wants the U.S. to follow its Constitution, its treaties, an=
d customary international law insofar as they concern war and peace.=20
audio: impeachquestion_ellsberg_r8b.mp3
MPEG audio at 2.6 MB
=0A=0A=0A
--0-1368283081-1215829488=:46014
Content-Type: text/html; charset=windows-1252
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<table cellspacing=3D'0' cellpadding=3D'0' border=3D'0' ><tr><td valign=3D'=
top' style=3D'font: inherit;'><TABLE cellSpacing=3D0 cellPadding=3D0 border=
=3D0>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=3Dtop>
<P>Hi </P>
<P> </P>
<P>here is a link to the audio almost 3mb of Ellsberg talking about how Bus=
h can not stop people from testifying if it's an impeachment hearing</P>
<P> </P>
<P><A href=3D"http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/07/11/18515385.php" tar=
get=3D_blank rel=3Dnofollow><STRONG><FONT color=3D#003399>http://www.indyba=
y.org/newsitems/2008/07/11/18515385.php</FONT></STRONG></A><BR><BR>Here is =
the transcript of his remarks to the question.</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times New =
Roman" size=3D3>In terms of hearings for impeachment, I have heard that whe=
n a hearing is held in congress for impeachment that the president cannot c=
laim executive privilege, and that people have to testify. Is this true?</F=
ONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT fac=
e=3D"Times New Roman"> </FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times New =
Roman" size=3D3>As far as I understand it that is true and it is an advanta=
ge over a simple investigative hearing, (video starts) and of course they a=
re not supposed to perjure themselves. That doesn=92t mean that the witness=
es who come forward =96 who are subpoenaed and come forward - will tell the=
truth. It does mean that they are subject in theory to perjury charges. Bu=
t it does mean that the administration cannot order people not to come. Tha=
t=92s very important. </FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT fac=
e=3D"Times New Roman"> </FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times New =
Roman" size=3D3>Because the purpose of whether it=92s impeachment hearings =
or investigative hearings into crimes of the government which John Conyers =
has talked about. Right? I was in a meeting where he talked about that - ha=
ving them;<SPAN> </SPAN>said he would have them, but, haven=92t happe=
ned yet. Investigative hearings on crimes that may have been committed, fin=
e; and that -<SPAN> </SPAN>would almost inevitably point to impeachme=
nt and that will make them just as leery of holding those hearings as they =
are of impeachment hearings.</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT fac=
e=3D"Times New Roman"> </FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times New =
Roman" size=3D3>But, if you did hold the impeachment hearings you could get=
these people; and he could not order people, as Bush has done, not to appe=
ar.</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN><FONT face=3D"Time=
s New Roman" size=3D3> </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times New =
Roman" size=3D3>The importance of that is that there are people who would l=
ove to tell the truth if they are subpoenaed, and, if they can=92t be fired=
for appearing. And those are the people to get.</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT fac=
e=3D"Times New Roman"> </FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT fac=
e=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN> </SPAN>A friend of mine is very anxious t=
o see Cheney under oath. I said, I wouldn=92t give a dime for that. The cha=
nce of getting the truth out of Cheney under oath, you know, is just neglig=
ible.</FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT fac=
e=3D"Times New Roman"> </FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times New =
Roman" size=3D3>But there are a lot of people who would be happy to tell if=
they were pressed to do it.</FONT></P>
<P>
<P> </P>
<DIV><STRONG></STRONG></DIV>
<H3><A href=3D"http://www.indybay.org/sf" target=3D_blank rel=3Dnofollow><F=
ONT color=3D#003399>San Francisco</FONT></A> | <A href=3D"http://www.indyba=
y.org/us" target=3D_blank rel=3Dnofollow><FONT color=3D#003399>U.S.</FONT><=
/A> | <A href=3D"http://www.indybay.org/antiwar" target=3D_blank rel=3Dnofo=
llow><FONT color=3D#003399>Anti-War</FONT></A> | <A href=3D"http://www.indy=
bay.org/government" target=3D_blank rel=3Dnofollow><FONT color=3D#003399>Go=
vernment & Elections</FONT></A></H3>
<DIV class=3Dwebcast>
<DIV class=3Dheaders>
<DIV class=3Dheading><STRONG class=3Dheading>Ellsberg: NO Executive Privile=
ge in Impeachment Hearnings; Bush Can Not Stop Testimony mp3</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV class=3Dauthor>by This Can Happen <BR><EM>Friday Jul 11th, 2008 7:11 P=
M </EM></DIV></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=3Dsummary>Daniel Ellsberg spoke at the Unitarian Universa=
list Church on Sunday March 30. His talk, "Must America Remain an Outlaw St=
ate?" was on the occasion of War and Law League (WALL), tenth birthday. <A =
href=3D"http://www.warandlaw.org/files/index.html" target=3D_blank rel=3Dno=
follow><FONT color=3D#003399>http://www.warandlaw.org/files/index.html</FON=
T></A> <BR><BR>WALL, founded in March 1998, is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, Sa=
n Francisco=96based group that wants the U.S. to follow its Constitution, i=
ts treaties, and customary international law insofar as they concern war an=
d peace. <BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<CENTER>
<DIV class=3Dmedia>audio: <A href=3D"http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2008/07=
/11/impeachquestion_ellsberg_r8b.mp3" target=3D_blank rel=3Dnofollow><FONT =
color=3D#003399>impeachquestion_ellsberg_r8b.mp3<BR>MPEG audio at 2.6 MB</F=
ONT></A></DIV></CENTER><BR></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></td></tr></=
table><br>=0A=0A
--0-1368283081-1215829488=:46014--