Originally published Saturday, January 10, 2009 at 12:00 AM
Comments (9)
E-mail article
Print view
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich impeached
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was impeached by state lawmakers in Springfield on Friday, setting the stage for a trial in the state Senate...
The New York Times
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was impeached by state lawmakers in Springfield on Friday, setting the stage for a trial in the state Senate, where the governor vowed he will prove his righteousness.
"I am confident that at the end of the day I will be properly exonerated," Blagojevich, 52, said in Chicago.
The 114-1 vote in the Illinois House came after deliberating less than 90 minutes and exactly a month after Blagojevich's arrest on charges that included trying to sell President-elect Obama's vacant Senate seat. No other Illinois governor has been impeached.
A 21-member bipartisan House investigative committee Thursday unanimously recommended impeachment, citing an abuse of power in the ordinary work of government.
In the Senate, where the trial is expected to begin Jan. 26, lawmakers will face the task of separating the political theatrics of the governor's problems from the legal accusations against him, which have yet to be proved in court or brought in a formal indictment.
It is unclear whether the case against Blagojevich, a two-term Democrat, will be grounds enough for senators to convict him. The state Constitution does not define a standard for what is an impeachable offense. For the governor to be removed from office, a two-thirds majority of the Senate — 40 of the 59 members — must vote to convict him.
"This is an extraordinary step to take when you're doing something like impeachment, which is in effect reversing the will of the voters in the last election," said State Sen. Kwame Raoul, a Chicago Democrat. "You want to set the bar high."
During the House debate, lawmakers complained that Blagojevich had made a laughingstock of the state.
"It's our duty to clean up the mess and stop the freak show that's become Illinois government," said Democratic Rep. Jack Franks.
No one — not even State Rep. Milton Patterson, who voted against impeachment, saying he needed more information — defended Blagojevich.
The governor was denounced on various fronts, including for his arrest in December on the federal corruption charges.
"This governor has breached the public trust," said State Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, a Democrat who was chairwoman of the impeachment committee.
![]()
Several hours after the vote, Blagojevich denounced the Legislature, quoted inspirational poetry and recited a litany of accomplishments at a news conference.
He said the impeachment was a "foregone conclusion," and suggested lawmakers were less concerned with the criminal allegations against him than with his policies, which, as he described them, were driven by the "Golden Rule" of helping children get health care, providing cheaper medicines from Canada to those in need and pressing for property-tax relief.
Impeachments of governors are rare; the last governor to be impeached was Evan Mecham of Arizona, in 1988.
In the meantime, Blagojevich's pick to replace Obama in the Senate, Roland Burris, 71, was moving closer — maybe — to taking the seat he has been denied since Tuesday, when new members were sworn into Congress.
Blagojevich appointed Burris, a former Illinois attorney general, over the protests of those who said any appointment of his would carry a taint of corruption.
On Friday, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that Burris' paperwork was valid and that Illinois' secretary of state did not have to sign his appointment.
Timothy Wright, Burris' attorney, said later that the secretary of state had signed a document certifying the appointment, a claim disputed by Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White's legal adviser. Nathan Maddox said the letter "is not the official Senate appointment document."
The Senate's second-ranking Democrat, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, said the Senate would not accept Burris without the official signature and therefore efforts to seat Burris should stop "until that impeachment trial in the Illinois Senate is concluded."
Information from The Associated Press is included in this report.
Copyright © 2009 The Seattle Times Company
Snowstorms force U.S. House to scrap workweek
Two names dominate as Seattle begins police-chief search
Alabama senator releases holds on Obama nominees
First lady begins fight against childhood obesity
State Senate votes to clear way for tax increases

nwautos
Associated Press Study: Fatal crashes down in Washington Last year Washington's roads were the scene of the fewest fatal crashes since 1955. According...
Post a comment
nwjobs
Post a comment
Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
Five reasons to stick with a job you hate -- for now
Post a comment
- Alaska Air dropping Jones Soda beverages, going back to Coca-Cola
- Man found shot dead in pickup truck in Seattle
- Seattle is first U.S. stop for Picasso exhibit
- Husky Football Blog | Pac-10 expansion to get consideration over next year
- State Senate votes to clear way for tax increases
- Idol Confessions | "American Idol" hopeful from Seattle didn't make it to Hollywood afterall
- Belltown boulevard could be completed by early next year
- Nicole Brodeur | Chrisceda Clemmons' house wasn't the only casualty
- Brier Dudley's Blog | Google rolls its own Facebook & Twitter with Gmail "Buzz"
- Sex, drug rumors swirl about N.Y. Gov. Paterson
- Republicans may be no-shows at health-plan summit
278 - State Senate votes to clear way for tax increases
250 - Pac-10 expansion to get consideration over next year
249 - Lee undergoes foot surgery
231 - Obama: GOP and Dems together can spur job growth
210 - Fort Lewis soldier charged with abusing 4-year-old, holding her head in water
193 - Rivals names Martin one of Pac-10's best recruiters
143 - Belltown boulevard could be completed by early next year
128 - Bus-tunnel attack while guards watched prompts review of Metro security
120 - White House mocks Sarah Palin from podium
92
- Seattle is first U.S. stop for Picasso exhibit
- Belltown boulevard could be completed by early next year
- 747-8 soars smoothly on first outing
- Wine Adviser | Oregon's quality pinots join the bargain ranks
- Alaska Air dropping Jones Soda beverages, going back to Coca-Cola
- Snap out of your photo funk: How to make sense of all those piles of images
- How clean are those pre-washed salad greens?
- Answers to biggest Olympic TV questions
- Brier Dudley's Blog | Google rolls its own Facebook & Twitter with Gmail "Buzz"
- Jerry Brewer | Huskies softball pitcher Danielle Lawrie: A star on the field, not in her mind










