Illinois House impeaches Gov. Rod Blagojevich

[NickD 202]

"

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois House voted overwhelmingly Friday to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich, an unprecedented action that sets up a Senate trial on whether he should be thrown out for abuse of power, including allegations that he tried to sell President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat.

Impeachment required just 60 votes. The final result was 114-1.

Legislators accused the second-term Democratic governor of letting down the people of Illinois by letting ego and ambition drive his decisions.

"It's our duty to clean up the mess and stop the freak show that's become Illinois government," said Rep. Jack D. Franks, a Democrat.

Blagojevich was out jogging in his Chicago neighborhood when the vote came down.

Blagojevich refused to answer any specific questions about the vote, but upon returning from his jog, he likened his situation to long-distance running.

"Let me simply say I feel like the old Alan Sillitoe short story 'The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner.' ... And that's what this is by the way, a long-distance run," he said.

He then promised to say more at an afternoon news conference.

During the House's 90-minute debate on impeachment, no one spoke up to defend the governor. But Rep. Milton Patterson, a Chicago Democrat, made the sole vote against impeaching Blagojevich.

Patterson said he read the impeachment committee's report and wasn't comfortable voting against the governor. "I have no firsthand knowledge of any of the evidence," he said.

"I went by my own gut feeling, it's as simple as that," he said. "I read the report. If the government is going to indict him, let them go ahead and do that. That's their job and I'm doing my job."

Rep. Elga Jefferies, another Chicago Democrat, voted "present."

Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9 on federal charges that include allegations he schemed to profit from his power to name Obama's replacement in the Senate. The criminal complaint included an FBI agent's sworn affidavit describing wiretaps that caught Blagojevich allegedly talking about what he could get for the seat, how to pressure people into making campaign contributions and more.

That arrest triggered impeachment hearings by a special House committee.

The committee on Thursday unanimously recommended impeachment based on the criminal charges but other allegations as well — that Blagojevich expanded a health care program without proper authority, that he circumvented hiring laws to give jobs to political allies, that he spent millions of dollars on foreign flu vaccine that he knew wasn't needed and couldn't be brought into the country.

"The citizens of this state must have confidence that their governor will faithfully serve the people and put their interests before his own," the committee's report said. "It is with profound regret that the committee finds that our current governor has not done so."

Blagojevich has denied the criminal charges. He criticized the House impeachment process as biased and said a Senate trial would produce a different result.

But he didn't testify before the House impeachment committee and hasn't offered an explanation for the federal charges.

"His silence in this great matter is deafening," said House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, a Chicago Democrat."

Am I suppose to post the link in case you don't trust me?

[Nagishkaw 510]

Good.

[almaty 19]

also..............

State court rebuffs Burris on Senate signature

The Illinois Supreme Court today rejected Roland Burris' effort to get the signature he needs to complete his appointment to the U.S. Senate.

The court's unanimous ruling tosses the issue back to Washington. Democratic U.S. Senate leaders, including Sen. ####### Durbin of Illinois, now will have to decide whether to hold firm to their insistence that Burris get a signature on his appointment form from Illinois Secy. of State Jesse White before gaining admittance.

President-elect Barack Obama told Senate leadership earlier this week that he wanted the Burris issue resolved quickly, putting pressure on Durbin and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). The two senators offered no immediate reaction today, but Durbin has scheduled a 3:30 p.m. news conference.

Burris was asking the state's high court to force White to sign the certification of appointment naming Burris to the seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama. Gov. Rod Blagojevich named Burris to the Senate seat last week, but White refused to sign the required paperwork because the governor has been charged with crimes that include trying to sell the Senate seat. When Burris tried to get sworn in Tuesday, the Senate refused, citing the lack of White's signature.

The ruling left it up to the U.S. Senate to seat Burris, even though Senate Democratic leaders in Washington had cited a Senate rule (known as Rule II) that required the signature of the governor and the secretary of state to validate an appointment. Senate Democrats had said no one had been admitted without following the rule since the mid-1800s and listed it as one of two conditions--the other being Burris's testimony yesterday before the Illinois House impeachment panel, as pre-cursors to being admitted to the Senate.

But Illinois Supreme Court Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier said White's signature was not needed for Burris to be seated in the Senate.

"We note...that nothing in the published rules of the Senate, including Rule II, appears to require that Senate appointments made by state executives pursuant to the 17th amendment must be signed and sealed by the state's secretary of state. Moreover, no explanation has been given as to how any rule of the Senate, whether it be formal or merely a matter of tradition, could supersede the authority to fill vacancies conferred on the states by the federal constitution. Under these circumstances, the Senate's actions cannot serve as the predicate for a mandamus action against the Secretary of State. The only issue before us is whether the Secretary of State, an official of this state, failed to perform an act required of him by the law of Illinois. He did not."

[Saddle Bronc 124]

For those who want the link, they can do with this one.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/7821006.stm

[Jasman0717 9]

What are they going to do if they find that the FBI made a mistake

[EstebanTrabajos 7]

Where is AJ?

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Good and Good.

AJ is MIA

[EstebanTrabajos 7]

banned?

[Chica Yeyé 41]

banned?

I don't think so

[EstebanTrabajos 7]

banned?

I don't think so

[Jasman0717 9]

banned?

Doctor ordered finger rest

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Good riddance...what a nutcase.

[Amby 490]

AJ may actually be working

[one...two...tree 2,762]

AJ may actually be working

Just to be clear, I was saying good riddance to the Illinois Gov. and not A.J., even though we have our differences - he being the Zionist and me being a terrorist apologist who hates America but loves fags.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

AJ may actually be working

Just to be clear, I was saying good riddance to the Illinois Gov. and not A.J., even though we have our differences - he being the Zionist and me being a terrorist apologist who hates America but loves fags.

AJ is a Zionist? Brother Steven loves the gheyzzz??? OMG what is this world coming to