U.S. Congress

Will the new Congress try to impeach President Bush? Could a state?

After decisive Democratic victories in the recent congressional elections, some speculated that the party may seek to impeach President Bush from office, as the Republican Congress did to Bill Clinton in 1998. After all, Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), the incoming chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, introduced a resolution late in 2005 (which now has 38 co-sponsors) authorizing a special House committee to investigate the administration on a number of matters and possibly make a recommendation for impeachment. Following the elections, however, Conyers echoed the sentiments of Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), insisting that impeachment is now “off the table” in the 110th Congress. Conyers' office has separately confirmed to Congresspedia that he has no intention to reintroduce his bill in the new session of Congress.

Specifically, Conyers' resolution would have investigated the administration's:

Prospects for Ethics Reform in the 110th Congress

Guest poster: Paul Blumenthal of the Sunlight Foundation

Exit polls show that the 109th Congress severely misread the American voters and believed that passing lobbying and ethics reforms was unnecessary, despite the parade of FBI raids, criminal indictments, and jailed lawmakers and lobbyists. The leaders of the new Democratic majority have promised to enact the reforms the previous Congress shied away from.

Oiling The Wheels For the New Congress

The American Petroleum Institute (API) is planning to launch a major "educational advocacy" program in January 2007 to influence the incoming Congress. The API represents 400 major oil and gas producers. According to PR Week, the program will include increased television advertising, speeches by economists and industry executives and tours of oil and gas operations for think tank staff and politicians.

No

Lantos Set for Promotion Despite Role in Incubator Scandal

California Democrat Tom Lantos is reportedly the frontrunner to chair the House International Relations Committee in the next Congress. In 1990 a Hill & Knowlton created front group, Citizens for a Free Kuwait, lobbied Congress for military action after Iraq's invasion.

No

And Then There Were Seven: Dems Hold on to Georgia Seat

Wiki the VoteThe Georgia secretary of state today certified the final results of the Georgia congressional elections and Democratic Rep. John Barrow squeaked by Republican challenger Max Burns with less than one percent of the vote to hold on to the Georgia 12th seat. According to the AP story, the Republican-controlled Georgia Legislature redrew the 12th district in 2005 to exclude Barrow's house and many of his constituents, but Barrow moved back into the district and prevailed anyway.

There are still seven races left to be called. Check back with Congresspedia and our Election 2006 homepage for details, updates and analysis.

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