GOP lawmaker says impeachment an option for Bush

March 25, 2007
GOP lawmaker says impeachment an option for Bush

WASHINGTON — With his go-it-alone approach on Iraq, President Bush is flouting Congress and the public, so angering lawmakers that some consider impeachment an option over his war policy, a senator from Bush's own party said today.

GOP Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a frequent critic of the war, stopped short of calling for Bush's impeachment. But he made clear that some lawmakers viewed that as an option should Bush choose to push ahead despite public sentiment against the war.

"Any president who says, I don't care, or I will not respond to what the people of this country are saying about Iraq or anything else, or I don't care what the Congress does, I am going to proceed — if a president really believes that, then there are — what I was pointing out, there are ways to deal with that," said Hagel, who is considering a 2008 presidential run.

Sen. Chuck Hagel: before this is over, you might see calls for his impeachment

March 12, 2007
Sen. Chuck Hagel: before this is over, you might see calls for his impeachment

"I believed what the administration said, that war would be a last resort," Hagel told Esquire magazine in an interview. "And the second thing is, at a critical time like this, the president needs a strong hand, and to some extent, you've got to trust him, until he lies or screws up or something."

Hagel also told Esquire that Bush appears to believe he's no longer accountable. "You can impeach him, and before this is over, I don't know. It depends how this goes."

7 GOP Senators Back War Debate

February 8, 2007
7 GOP Senators Back War Debate

Senate Republicans who earlier this week helped block deliberations on a resolution opposing
President Bush's new troop deployments in Iraq changed course yesterday and vowed to use every
tactic at their disposal to ensure a full and open debate.

In a letter distributed yesterday evening to Senate leaders, John W. Warner (Va.), Chuck Hagel
(Neb.) and five other GOP supporters of the resolution threatened to attach their measure to any
bill sent to the floor in the coming weeks. Noting that the war is the "most pressing issue of our
time," the senators declared: "We will explore all of our options under the Senate procedures and
practices to ensure a full and open debate."

Hagel Acquiesces To Block Debate On Non-binding Iraq Resolution

February 6, 2007
Hagel Acquiesces To Block Debate On Non-binding Iraq Resolution

Hagel is a co-sponsor of the non-binding, bipartisan resolution – but he joined every other
GOP senator in voting to avoid debate.

Interestingly, Hagel was still talking last Friday about the absolute need for the debate. That
was the same Friday when the Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky confidently
guaranteed that all of the Republican flock would be in the fold, voting against taking up the
resolution.