A number of Veterans for Peace planned to unfurl a giant banner proclaiming “Defend the Constitution Arrest Bush and Cheney” yesterday, Tuesday, in an undisclosed prominent location in Washington, DC.
Among them was Elliot Adams, president of Veterans for Peace and former mayor of Sharon Springs, along with other VFP members Doug Zachery, Allen Barfield, and Diane Wilson, all of whom planned to stand with the banner and refuse to move until arrested.
Mr. Adams was part of a 17-member delegation in June, that delivered some 23,000 petitions to Congressman John Conyers, demanding the impeachment of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney.
As chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Congressman Conyers has the authority to call for impeachment hearings.
Mr. Adams told Congressman Conyers, who is a Korean War veteran, “It’s not just about impeaching a President, it’s about defending democracy. It is about whether we will continue to have a government of the people and for the people.”
He warned against letting Constitutional government slip into the dark waters of a unitary presidency.”
Tuesday’s action is meant to highlight the belief that laws apply to all, even presidents.
“As we learn more and more about the actions of this administration leading up to the invasion of Iraq and the purposeful manipulation of the intelligence that they used to support the attack, the more apparent it is to everyone that they took us into a war based on lies. This is a criminal act for which they should be held to account,” Mr. Adams said.
Mr. Adams was also one of four members of the Saratoga Peace Alliance arrested at Hillary Clinton’s office March 12, 2007, protesting her vote to fund the Iraq war.