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Ill. House Panel Recommends Blagojevich Impeachment

By Jeralyn, Section Corruption Cases
Posted on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 11:50:24 AM EST
Tags: Rod Blagojevich (all tags)
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A panel of the Illinois House has released its report recommending that Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich be impeached. The full report is here.

The report finds "the totality of the evidence" provides cause to impeach the governor.

The panel may vote on whether to approve the report today. If it approves, the full House could vote tomorrow, and then pass it to the Illinois Senate.

The list of exhibits attached to the report, beginning at page 68, is lengthy. Many look quite interesting. They are available here.

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    Ill. House Panel Recommends Blagojevich Impeachment | 29 comments (29 topical)

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    He who is without sin (none / 0) (#1)
    by Saul on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 12:45:37 PM EST
    As I read the committees arguments for impeachment you come away with a summation that Blago is a crooked politician.  Imagine that.  Of course if all the allegations are true then  Blago needs to be impeached and convicted.

    I willing to bet though that what Blago did on a daily routine is probably happening in some capacity in most state capital as we speak.  Blago just happened to be unlucky and  was  caught on tape.

    I'm curious to see how clean the conscience is  of each Il house member is as he or she contemplates  in his mind to vote to  impeach or not.  

    Their conscience just might say to them the following:

    You know now that you mention it, my political conscience is not so clear.  Who am I to judge this man.

    What confuses me... (5.00 / 1) (#17)
    by vml68 on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 02:13:57 PM EST
    Blago was not operating in a vacuum so a few of the other pols had to have aided and abetted him or at least had knowledge and did not report him. Some of these pols are going to be making a decision on impeachment,is that fair?

    Parent
    Heh (none / 0) (#2)
    by Steve M on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 01:01:36 PM EST
    I confess I'll never understand this school of thought which says, "They're probably all corrupt, so let's not get rid of any of them."

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    You think the Burris pick is tianted now? (none / 0) (#3)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 01:03:42 PM EST


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    Well (none / 0) (#6)
    by Steve M on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 01:12:24 PM EST
    I think it's going to be tainted, at least in some people's minds, unless there's some kind of investigation.  But I still disagree with you as to whether the taint can be cleansed by an appropriate investigation that pronounces Burris clean.

    One of the things I read yesterday is that one potential part of a "deal" allowing Burris to be seated would involve him testifying to the impeachment panel about the circumstances of his appointment, etc.  So maybe we'll get there in terms of shedding some light on this process.

    Parent

    See (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 01:22:28 PM EST
    You seem to think there is some way of cleansing the Blago taint. Not possible.

    And Burris will run in 2010.

    The whole thing is disgraceful.

    Parent

    I understand your position (none / 0) (#12)
    by Steve M on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 01:28:11 PM EST
    but on this high holy day, let us not rehash this!

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    What high holy day is this? (none / 0) (#14)
    by ThatOneVoter on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 01:33:37 PM EST


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    Discussed earlier (none / 0) (#16)
    by Steve M on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 01:53:02 PM EST
    LINK

    Parent
    Ah..I'm not Jewish, so I didn't know. (none / 0) (#21)
    by ThatOneVoter on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 03:49:52 PM EST


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    You still think Burris will be seated? (none / 0) (#11)
    by ThatOneVoter on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 01:27:15 PM EST


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    Positive (none / 0) (#13)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 01:30:28 PM EST


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    WELCOME! (5.00 / 1) (#24)
    by jedimom on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 05:18:06 PM EST
    welcome to my view, as it has stood since the beginning of this fiasco...

    Parent
    You said that (none / 0) (#8)
    by Saul on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 01:13:53 PM EST
    You interpret what I said as that.  I say get them all but be consistent in justice otherwise its a double standard.

     As a Il house member if your conscience is bothering you then how can you be the judge if you have  also been corrupt.

    Parent

    It is kind of nostalgic, Steve M (none / 0) (#20)
    by caseyOR on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 03:43:45 PM EST
    Oh how I remember the apologists for Richard Nixon rending their garments while keening and wailing, " It's not fair. Everybody does it. He's only being punished because he got caught."

    Parent
    correction (none / 0) (#4)
    by Saul on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 01:04:33 PM EST
    Of course if all the allegations are true without any reservation then  Blago should be impeached and if tried by the Senate and Blagos looses in his defense then he will be convicted by the Senate. If this occurs then he must be punished as per the Il Senate guidelines. I assume Blago can then appeal his conviction as in a regular court case.

    Parent
    Blago made his own "luck" (none / 0) (#5)
    by Cream City on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 01:06:34 PM EST
    as does every pol.  They don't just get "unlucky" along the way to getting what pols want: power.

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    Frank Herbert ... (5.00 / 3) (#7)
    by Robot Porter on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 01:13:34 PM EST
    the author of DUNE once said that he didn't believe the adage about "power corrupting," rather he argued that "power attracts the corruptible."

    I think there's something to that.

    Parent

    along with being corrupt, (none / 0) (#9)
    by cpinva on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 01:14:12 PM EST
    Blago just happened to be unlucky and  was  caught on tape.

    the man is unutterably stupid. for that alone, he should be impeached.

    i believe i predicted he would be impeached within two weeks of the new year. maybe 3.

    I conclude Burris wins here, Blago will be (none / 0) (#15)
    by thereyougo on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 01:46:20 PM EST
    inundated with legal hassles for a long time and will disappear in obscurity.

    Burris'credentials are in order, absent any unmentioned stain on him, he should have a nice long career in the Senate.

    Having Read the report, I come away convinced (none / 0) (#18)
    by gtesta on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 02:31:17 PM EST
    of two things:
    1.  All elections, at every level, should be publicly-financed.  My concern is that we are quickly approaching a point where only independently wealthy people will have the means to run for any significant office.

    2.  My opinion of impeachment power, recall elections and the like is lower than it was before, and that was pretty low.
    I'm for having well-run regular elections, with the highest possible voter turnout, and then making it practically imposssible to invalidate that.
    I would rather suffer a few scum bags than make it easier to get rid of decent folks (e.g. Grey Davis).
    Just one little question: (none / 0) (#19)
    by JohnRJ08 on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 02:56:02 PM EST
    WHAT THE HELL TOOK SO LONG?

    I m beginning to have my doubts (none / 0) (#22)
    by Saul on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 03:59:43 PM EST
    on whether Blago will be impeached.  Watching the Burris hearing on TV gives me doubt. The committee  are arguing among themselves as they ask question to Burris.   The fact that no Il governor has ever been impeached  makes me believe they won't start now.  Since one of the main reason for the impeachment was to over ride the Blago appointment and since that probably seems moot now I feel the Il house is not as eager or has the same bravado  to continue with impeachment.    I think they probably like to take this decision out of their hands and are probably saying let Fitz indict him if he has a strong legal case.  

    witch hunt (none / 0) (#23)
    by jedimom on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 05:15:28 PM EST
    watching the witch hunt aka questioning of Burris by this Panel, what a disgrace!
    and one GOP member started yelling at another a Dem he doesnt know WHY they released the report when there has been no vote on the panel...

    no wonder PEBO won, this IL legislature wow!they seem to play mean, mean and rude and thick headed, I would say almost...stupid, they keep asking the same questions, Gawd I longed for him to have the protections of the legal system as I watched it.....

    note I say they SEEM to play that way so I am not calling names, a-hem hope that fits...they are just well seemingly rude and abrasive and confrontational, and I thought NY was bad HA!

    Blogo Impeachment (none / 0) (#25)
    by 165 Valley on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 06:39:20 PM EST
    I still don't understand how, with just leaked tapes and inflamatory comments by Fitzgerald, Blago should be impeached, without a trial.

    I wish someone would explain it to me so that it makes sense under the United States of America Constitution.  I'm not trying to be cute.  It sounds like a George Bush conviction of someone without a trial.  Please forgive me if I'm missing something legal.

    Google (none / 0) (#26)
    by squeaky on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 06:43:03 PM EST
    Is your friend.

    Impeachment is not a criminal trial.

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    No Need to be Tacky (none / 0) (#28)
    by 165 Valley on Sun Jan 11, 2009 at 04:29:50 PM EST


    Parent
    OK (none / 0) (#29)
    by squeaky on Sun Jan 11, 2009 at 05:47:01 PM EST
    And no need to act helpless, because obviously you are quite capable. Better to google first, and then join in, with something to add.

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    If the Illinois House (none / 0) (#27)
    by caseyOR on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 07:10:56 PM EST
    votes to impeach, Blago then gets a trial by the Illinois Senate. This is not a criminal court proceeding. It has nothing to do with the American jurisprudence system. And, by the way, I'm pretty sure Blago will have a lawyer, or two or three, representing him should it proceed to the Illinois Senate.

    Parent
    Ill. House Panel Recommends Blagojevich Impeachment | 29 comments (29 topical)

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