I spent about six hours at the Capitol yesterday waiting for the New Mexico Senate Judiciary Committee to meet on the issue of impeachment. (If you missed the background on this story, you can read it here.)
During that time I saw the video conference with constitutional scholar, Elizabeth Holtzman, played and replayed time and time again. I also experienced serendipity by running into an avid Blog for America poster, whom I had never met in person. (I recognized her by her “Still in Love with Dean” t-shirt.)
Anyway, at about 6:30pm, it was announced that the Judiciary Committee meeting was cancelled for the day. We thought that either they were messing with the room full of supporters or that they were just too pooped, since the general session had run hours longer than anticipated. It turns out the chair of the committee, and supporter of the bill, had other reasons — two of the Democrats were missing action due to “family emergencies.” Without their presence, the bill would not have passed and that would have been the end of it.
The resolution is now scheduled to be heard some time Monday afternoon. Keep your fingers crossed. If it passes, it will go on to the full state senate for a vote. If it makes through the senate, it will go to the house, where it may or may not be subjected to more committee hearings. The legislature wraps up its work in twelve days, so the heat is definitely on.
If the resolution passes Judiciary on Monday, it is probably going to start generating some media attention – both local and national.
I got there early enough on Saturday to make it on to the speakers list. I don’t know if I’ll be that lucky again.
I’ll keep you all updated. Similar actions are taking place in both Vermont and Washington State, but they are facing various procedural hurdles.
This is nerve-wracking beyond belief. Arrgh.
The one good thing about spending so much time in the Roundhouse is that the state of New Mexico has an awesome art collection.
