Illinois Gov. Impeachment Set In Motion

House Panel To Decide Whether To Oust Embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich

(AP)  Illinois lawmakers launched an unprecedented impeachment inquiry Tuesday against embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who showed no sign of going down without a fight.

An impeachment panel met briefly and then adjourned until Wednesday, giving Blagojevich time to send a representative to the hearings, which may last into January.

Lawmakers on Monday shelved the idea of setting a special election where voters would fill the vacant Senate seat of President-elect Barack Obama — the seat the governor is accused of trying to sell before his arrest last week on federal corruption charges.

But the House also voted 113-0 to create a bipartisan committee that will recommend whether Blagojevich should be impeached. That 21-member panel met for about an hour Tuesday, with members making speeches about the gravity of the scandal.

Committee chairwoman Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago, began the meeting by saying the Blagojevich scandal had created a "crisis of confidence" in state government. But she cautioned panel members against moving too fast.

"Let us remember that we're not Alice in Wonderland. We're not the Red Queen. We do not sentence first and then do the verdict," she said.

"Frontier justice will not prevail in this proceeding. A rush to judgment does not serve the people of the state well."

Currie agreed to resume the hearing Wednesday so Blagojevich's Chicago attorney, Ed Genson, could attend. The governor was invited to the hearing but didn't reply personally to the panel, choosing instead to send Genson.

Currie also says she's awaiting a response from U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald about whether the panel will be allowed to hear testimony from certain witnesses without compromising Fitzgerald's case against Blagojevich. Currie said she has no idea when Fitzgerald will reply.

The House committee will eventually make a recommendation on whether to impeach to the full House, which would then decide whether to file charges against the governor. Then the Senate would hold hearings and ultimately make a ruling.

If the panel recommends impeachment, it would be the state's first such move against a sitting governor.

Blagojevich ignored reporters' questions as he left his Chicago residence before 9 a.m. Tuesday, carrying a briefcase and gym bag.

His legal woes were expected to grow as sentencing for convicted political fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko was postponed indefinitely Tuesday. Court-watchers say the delay will give Rezko more time to talk to prosecutors about Blagojevich or other lawmakers.

Rezko, who raised more than $1 million for Blagojevich's campaign fund, was convicted of shaking down businesses seeking state business for campaign contributions. Witnesses at his trial testified that Blagojevich was aware of some of the incidents.

Also Tuesday, a spokesman for U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. confirmed to The Associated Press the congressman has been talking to federal investigators about his dealings with Blagojevich since the summer.

Citing sources it didn't identify, television station WLS-TV in Chicago reported Monday that Jackson has told investigators Blagojevich wouldn't appoint Jackson's wife as state lottery director because Jackson refused to donate $25,000 to the governor's campaign fund.

Jackson has acknowledged being the "Senate Candidate 5" referenced in the federal complaint against Blagojevich, but he has denied initiating or authorizing anyone to promise anything Blagojevich on his behalf.

Senate Democrats on Monday dropped any discussion of a special election to fill Obama's Senate seat, for now leaving any decision about it in Blagojevich's hands.

Blagojevich, who has ignored strident calls to resign from Obama and virtually every lawmaker in the state, defiantly signed 11 bills into law Monday — including one mentioned in the 76-page FBI complaint against him. And he hired Genson, a bulldog defense attorney with a history of taking tough cases to trial.

Genson said Blagojevich would not step down. "He hasn't done anything wrong," the attorney said Monday night.

At the Capitol on Monday, House Speaker Michael Madigan — a Chicago Democrat and former co-chairman of Blagojevich's re-election campaign who has become one of the governor's fiercest critics — said the committee's review will include the criminal charges against Blagojevich as well as a long list of other possible wrongdoing during his six years in office: abuse of power, taking action without legal authority, ignoring state laws and defying lawful requests for information from the General Assembly.

The committee may well work through the holidays, but it's not clear how long it will take to produce a recommendation. That depends partly on whether the governor's legal team takes part by questioning witnesses and presenting evidence, which would significantly lengthen the process.

Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero said he didn't know how Blagojevich will respond to the committee.

[misha128-2009]

By Democrats which is more than you can say for the Republicans.

Posted by misha128

... you and your "party" of corruption.

Posted by TheMajority1 at 12:28 PM : Dec 17, 2008

The Democrats are leading this impeachment effort to clean up the problem. When is the last time the Republicans lead an impeachment effort against another Republican? I cannot recall one but I have not researched it. They (the Republicans) did have a discussion and eventually support (not drive the process) with Nixon to secure his resignation and prevent his removal from office by the Senate.

[misha128-2009]

there is an impeachment after all..

a democrat..imagine that

Posted by LordSunTzu at 01:42 AM : Dec 17, 2008

By Democrats which is more than you can say for the Republicans.

[valhalla14]

"Obama better get rid of Rahm Emanuel, he is a discredit to the new administration. "

We need to get rid of Obama, he''s a discredit to democracy. Obongo the fraud.

[valhalla14]

"The reason I said that 90% of American sheeple don''''t care is that they did not rise up to impeach the worst pResident in history, and a purveyor of terror, murder, torture and illegal spying. As well as appointing corporations to turn the country into a fascist nation."

O give it a rest already. And yet your the bleeding heart who voted for your poster boy, "The Messiah", because he is going to solve the worlds woes. Socialism at its finest. Lol, hey you have wool covering your eyes.

[boandco]

Lets hope that Blagojevich fights to the bitter end and takes down all those other slime balls with him, including Rahm Emanuel.

[downsteamjim]

In keeping with CBS [& mainstream media] standards, Blago''s party affiliation is not mentioned. When a Repub gets in trouble CBS [& mainstream media] puts the party affiliation in the title and or 1st paragraph.

[assemblyofso]

This may not be as simple a process as it sounds. Depends on how many people he plans to take down with him. There are a lot of Chicago politicians and slimeballs hoping they can get him declared insane so they don''t wind up in the pokey with him.

Odds are the majority of the political machine have a lot to worry about.

[noloyalisti]

The reason I said that 90% of American sheeple don''t care is that they did not rise up to impeach the worst pResident in history, and a purveyor of terror, murder, torture and illegal spying. As well as appointing corporations to turn the country into a fascist nation.

[noloyalisti]

Is it time for massive boycotts or GENERAL STRIKES yet? Or are we going to let the fascist corporations continue to govern until we have nothing left?

[noloyalisti]

What you are saying is that any one candidate can do pretty much anything they want and 90% of the people would not car.

I myself voted Dem but I am an issue person. If Obama won''t do anything to stop the occupations, break up the media and health insurance company monopolies and help the middle class, I will simply change the names on my impeach signs.

[antoniof123]

What I have a hard time with is why We the People let this go on.
Posted by noloyalisti at 02:33 PM : Dec 16, 2008

The reason is simple, who would you want in power. If you are part of the base for the Democrats you want them if you are part of the base for the Republicans you want them.

Remember they beleive that their party can do no wrong and even if Jack the Ripper were running in their party name they would vote for him.

That is about 90 percent of America the other 10 percent have to keep the two sides from killing each other and try to balance between Right and Left wing nut jobs.

So that is why we have to put up with it because the swing voters or middle of the road while they have the power to change elections in time they can''t change brain dead peoples minds.

[inketolstoy]

"The committee may well work through the holidays, but it''s not clear how long it will take to produce a recommendation"

It depends on when the bids for the Gov''s old job come in and how much the committee can run them up. While the rest of the nation wallows in depression, I mean recessioan, Illinois politicians celebrate the opening up of two lucritive posts for bid right before Christmas.

[consciousnes]

What is the question? If he tried to use his political position for personal gain he should be sent up the river.
But than so should half of congress.

[intheshade-2009]

Obama better get rid of Rahm Emanuel, he is a discredit to the new administration.