A group of more than a 100 activists gathered at First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin Saturday to listen to a panel of journalists and professors call for the impeachment of President George W. Bush.

The Bush administration's "illegal war of aggression against Iraq," authorization of torture of detained captives, domestic wiretapping of phone calls without warrant and negligence in responding to Hurricane Katrina are just some of the alleged offenses that constitute impeachment, speakers at the event said.

David Lindorff, co-author of "The Case for Impeachment: The Legal Argument for Removing President George W. Bush from Office," said the Bush administration's audacity in waging its war on terrorism represents "part of a global effort to create an unchallenged and unchallengeable empire."

Impeachment is urgent, because the prospect of war with Iran is possible, he said.

Dennis Loo, an associate professor of sociology at California State Polytechnic University in Pomona and co-author of "Impeach the President: The Case Against Bush and Cheney," engaged the crowd with the question of whether citizens should even question whether the administration's offenses are impeachable or to proceed with a how-to discussion for removing the two-term president from office. The crowd cheered to the latter suggestion.

Because Democrats were too complicit with the Bush administration's assertions about Iraq in March of 2003 and have failed to arouse opposition against the war even today, Loo said, ordinary citizens need to take the situation into their own hands and create a situation in which lawmakers must respond or lose their jobs.

The activists left wearing orange ribbons, which they said symbolize the growing discontent among Americans about the war and the administration. The speakers encouraged citizens to send handwritten letters to state lawmakers and insist on support for impeachment.

The Austin Impeach Now Forum was sponsored by activist groups World Can't Wait, Code Pink Austin, the Travis County Green Party and the Texas Green Party.

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