Congressman Kucinich to Introduce Impeachment Charges Against Dick Cheney

WASHINGTON – Rep. Dennis Kucinich hasn't yet won any co-sponsors for articles of impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney that he plans to introduce Tuesday, but said he encourages other congressional members to read the charges.

"This is something that members have to consider before they sign on," Kucinich, a 2008 Democratic presidential candidate, told FOX News.

The Ohio congressman has generated interest from at least one potential supporter. Freshman Rep. Keith Ellison confirmed that he will consider joining Kucinich’s effort, however, said he would not sign on to anything until he hears the charges against Cheney.

Ellison, D-Minn., noted that when he served in the state Legislature, he filed articles of impeachment against President Bush. Since that May 2006 action, he has supported the idea of launching "an investigation" into whether Bush should be impeached, he said.

Kucinich's proposal comes ahead of a series of protests this weekend calling for the impeachment of both Bush and Cheney, 66, who on Tuesday briefly returned to George Washington University Medical Center to get his leg "checked out."

This appointment was a late addition to the vice president's schedule, but officials did not say whether he's experiencing discomfort or not. Cheney was diagnosed with deep venous thrombosis (DVT), or a blood clot, in his left lower leg in early March. Doctors have been treating him with blood thinning medication since then.

Kucinich, who had planned to explain the charges early on Tuesday, delayed announcement of the impeachment articles after hearing of Cheney's stop at the doctor's office.

"News reports this morning indicate the vice president was experiencing a medical crisis. Until the vice president's condition is clarified, I am placing any action on hold," Kucinich said in a written statement. He rescheduled the event after Cheney was on Capitol Hill denouncing Democratic plans for a withdrawal timetable from Iraq.

While Kucinich prepares to introduce impeachment articles, hundreds of delegates to this Saturday's California Democratic Convention in San Diego are expected to introduce their own impeachment resolution against the president and vice president, said Jacob Park, national coordinator for the April 28 action.

Park said Democratic activists are bringing up the resolution because they believe Bush and Cheney "misled the nation into war," are violating civil liberties by not getting warrants to eavesdrop on individuals in the United States and are committing torture in violation of the Geneva Conventions.

But Republicans have dismissed impeachment calls as a political stunt and say Kucinich hasn't got a case.

“There are two things that happen in Washington, D.C. — public policy and politics. And for some Democrats to call for the vice president to be impeached, I think is nothing but pure politics. We’ve got serious work to do on behalf of the American people and we ought to get about it,” said House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio.

"This is an ill-conceived attempt to generate publicity for his quixotic presidential bid," House Republican Conference Chairman Adam Putnam of Florida said of Kucinich's plan.

FOX News' Molly Hooper contributed to this report.