The 'I-word' comes out of the closet

The 'I-word' comes out of the closet
By DOUG THOMPSON
Capitol Hill Blue
Jan 16, 2006, 05:35

Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter, the sometimes-maverick Republican who has been a thorn in more than one GOP President’s side, brought out the word that’s been whispered in the Congressional cloakrooms and behind closed doors by other members of his party for several weeks now.

Impeachment.

Appearing on ABC’s This Week program, Specter, chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, which will open hearings soon on whether or not President George W. Bush broke the law by ordering spying on Americans by the National Security Agency, said impeachment is a possible remedy.

"The remedy could be a variety of things, including impeachment or criminal prosecution, but the principal remedy under our society is to pay a political price," Specter said."

Specter qualified his remarks by also saying “I don't see any talk about impeachment here.”

The Senator from Pennsylvania is lying when he says that. Nervious Republican talk about impeachment has swirled just below the surface in the hallways and byways of the Hill since news of the spying broke. And while Republicans whisper the word in the back alleys, Democrats have already gone public....