(Updated) Hearing Saturday 3/3 on NM Impeachment Resolution

UPDATE 3/2/07: We have learned the bill may bypass the Senate Judicary Committee and go straight to the Senate Floor, probably to be heard there on Saturday morning. Please read this update post. Things can change quickly at this stage of the Legislative Session!
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Here's the latest on the NM Impeachment resolution, SJR 5, which has so far passed both the NM Senate Rules Committee and the Senate Public Affairs Committee. Next up: Senate Judiciary sometime Saturday, March 3. We need to show up en masse for the hearing and contact Judicary members NOW. This email is from a volunteer aide to Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, who sponsored the bill with Sen. John Grubesic:

From: Desi Brown:
Hello to all! (Please forward to others interested in this issue.) I am sorry I was unable to be present for the exciting success of the Public Affairs Committee Hearing last Sunday. On behalf of Senator Ortiz y Pino and the rest of his volunteer staff, I would like to personally thank all of you who could attend, speak up, or help out in the many ways that you have.

We would like to acknowledge that everyone at these hearings really seems to understand the power of the citizenry to affect change within our government and at the same time, you have all honored the wishes of both Senator Ortiz y Pino and Senator Grubesic to stay focused on the language of the Impeachment Resolution. Thank you!

Just a quick update - there will be more to come later this week:

- SJR5 is tentatively scheduled to be heard in the Senate Judiciary committee late Saturday afternoon this weekend. The committee will start meeting after the Senate floor session is done and there will probably be a few bills heard before this one is. This makes the timing a little bit uncertain for all of you who may wish to attend.

- Right now we cannot say whether the bill will be heard at 3 PM or 8 PM, or any time in between. If you do plan to be present on Saturday just be prepared for a potentially long wait as of now. (Note: You can also call the office of Senator Cisco McSorley for updated time information: 505-986-4485.)

- We hope to be able to narrow down the time frame in the next day or two.

- There will be a taped video conference call from former US Congresswoman Elizabeth Holtzman run during this committee hearing.

- There will probably be a limited amount of public debate again - similar to last time - but the more people packed into the room and in the hallways the better! It really helps to create an air of excitement.

- We will try to have both a pre- and post-committee hearing gathering in the Rotunda to share what information we may have with you.

Keep up with your calls, e-mails, radio show call-ins, letters to the editor (I have only seen a couple so far - keep writing!), personal visits with the Senators and Representatives (and their assistants), and just plain old getting the word out to the general public!

Contact Other Senators Too
Please note that if SJR5 passes through Judiciary, it could hit the Senate Floor fairly quickly, so don't ignore other members of the Senate who haven't heard this in committee yet.

Strategy Note: We are currently trying to reinforce the concept to other Senators that this Resolution is mostly focused on encouraging Congress to open congressional investigations into the improper (yes, illegal) actions that have been taken by our leaders. If these investigations pan out (and how couldn?t they?!), then Congress can pursue the avenue of Impeachment.

- So basically, try to put more of an emphasis on the congressional investigations than the impeachment when dealing with any legislators who may be sitting on the fence regarding SJR5.

That's all for now. Thanks again for all of your wonderful support!

Desi Brown, (505)256-0668, desibrown@comcast.net
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Editor's Note: Contact info for Senate Judiciary Committee can be found here. Especially important to contact are:

• Sen. Lidio Rainaldi (D-Gallup), 505-986-4310
• Sen. Michael Sanchez (D-Belen), 505-986-4727
• Richard Martinez (D-Espanola), 505-986-4389

They are most likely the swing votes on the committee. Also, Senator Sanchez is the Senate Floor Leader and has much power in determining what gets heard and when on the Senate Floor should this resolution be passed by Judiciary and be awaiting scheduling for a vote by the full Senate. In other words, he can make sure it gets to the floor, or that delays stop it. He also has significant leverage with House members, so he'll be instrumental in the determination of which House committees will hear the resolution IF it passes the Senate.

**Please speak to the Senator or his staff directly if you can. Be polite, be clear, and stress that we want to convince the U.S. House to open important investigations into the conduct of Bush and Cheney related to the Iraq war.**

Listen: Public radio KUNM's website has an item on last Saturday's Public Affairs Committee hearing of the resolution with short audio clips of Sen. Ortiz y Pino and Albuquerque activist Dallas Timmons. Click here.

Also be sure to check our impeachment post archive for previous posts on this topic plus links to video, audio and media stories about this effort.