(Host) Voters in Newfane face some weighty deliberations in addition to the usual local matters this year.
An article on the Town Meeting warning asks whether the town wants to impeach the president.
VPR’s Susan Keese reports:
(Keese) The article asks if the town should direct its Congressman to file articles of impeachment to remove George W. Bush from office.
It accuses the President of illegal use of torture and domestic spying. It charges that he misled U.S. citizens about Iraq’s ties to Al Quaeda and about weapons of mass destruction.
Newfane Selectboard member Dan DeWalt circulated the petition to get it on the warning.
(DeWalt) “It’s unlikely that Newfane’s little declaration is going to get the president impeached. But if we don’t do anything then we’re complicit in his action as far as I’m concerned. So by calling for impeachment — if it’s voted in Town Meeting — at least the town of Newfane is making a statement that we do not agree and that you are not doing this in our name.”
(Keese) DeWalt says he’s not aware of any other towns considering impeachment on Town Meeting Day.
But a Rockingham woman is gathering signatures for a special town meeting there to consider a similar resolution.
Meanwhile a spokesman for Representative Bernard Sanders says the Congressman has been trying to get the House to investigate administration policies.
Jeff Weaver is Sanders’ Washington Chief of Staff.
He says impeachment doesn’t make sense at this point.
(Weaver) “We haven’t done the investigations that we need to do to ascertain the facts that would support such a move… In addition to that, the Republicans who control the House and Senate also control that process, and if they’re not even willing to have a thorough and serious investigation into the administration’s conduct before and during the war, they’re certainly also not going to support articles of impeachment, so from that standpoint it’s not a very practical approach.”
(Keese) The Newfane resolution will be discussed at Town Meeting, prior to a floor vote.
For Vermont Public Radio, I’m Susan Keese.