SPRINGFIELD, Ill.–An Illinois impeachment panel started work on an unprecedented impeachment process Tuesday, taking the first steps toward removing Gov. Rod Blagojevich from office. And the embattled Democrat is signaling he isn’t going down
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.–An Illinois impeachment panel started work on an unprecedented impeachment process Tuesday, taking the first steps toward removing Gov. Rod Blagojevich from office. And the embattled Democrat is signaling he isn’t going down without a fight.
Lawmakers Monday quickly 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. The 21-member panel was expected to discuss how the committee will operate and begin reviewing the claims against the disgraced governor.
If the group recommends impeachment, it would be the state’s first such move against a sitting governor.
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.”
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.
One major unanswered question is whether Blagojevich or his representatives will take part in the committee’s work or simply ignore the proceedings. 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 Tuesday as sentencing for convicted political fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko was postponed indefinitely. 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.
Senate Democrats Monday dropped any discussion of a special election, for now leaving any decision about the Senate seat 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 a bulldog defense attorney, Ed Genson, with a history of taking tough cases to trial. Meanwhile, Obama’s team said an internal review showed that Obama’s staff “was not involved in inappropriate discussions” with Blagojevich over the Senate seat. Obama, at a downtown news conference, said details of the review were being withheld at the request of prosecutors so more interviews could be conducted.
Controversy has swirled around Obama and his incoming White House chief of staff, Rep. Rahm Emanuel, following Blagojevich’s arrest. Critics want to know whether Emanuel had spoken with aides to the governor about the seat. Obama said the results of the investigation by his incoming White House counsel would be released “in due course.”
Blagojevich – arrested Dec. 9 after being under federal investigation for three years – appeared to be digging in for the legal and professional battles ahead.
“I think that the case that I’ve seen so far is significantly exaggerated,” said Genson, his new attorney. “It’s not what people think it is.”
Later, Genson said Blagojevich would not step down. “He hasn’t done anything wrong,” his attorney said Monday night.
At the Capitol Monday, House Speaker Michael Madigan–a Chicago Democrat and former cochairman of Blagojevich’s re-election campaign who has become one of the governor’s fiercest critics – canceled plans to consider a special election to fill Obama’s seat.
Madigan said Democrats are split over the best way to fill the vacancy, but the move sparked harsh criticism from Republicans.
“Why is it, when the whole world is watching, you can’t change your ways at least for one day and let democracy rule?” asked Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Greenville.
Madigan 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 holiday season, but it’s not clear how long it will take to produce a recommendation.
AP
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