Blagojevich Could Be Impeached Next Week

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois House could vote as early as next week on whether to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

The Illinois House has bumped up its schedule and will meet several days next week. They had been set to reconvene on Jan. 12.

A spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan says the chamber may vote on a recommendation from the special committee studying whether Blagojevich should be impeached.

It would take a simple majority vote for the House to impeach _ which basically means accusing him of misconduct.

Then the state Senate would hold a trial to determine if the governor is guilty. A conviction there requires a two-thirds majority.

Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9 on charges alleging he schemed to swap President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat for profit.

Comments

[postman606]

If Ill. Dems could move this along so quickly, they should have started the process a month ago.

[Emlyn]

I was quite disappointed when I read the title of this article and saw that it meant to impeach Blago. I thought you meant to impeach BUSH. Both need it!

[samerbayer]

Blagojevich appointment for the senate is among the best appointment in senate history. that does not mean that Rod Blagojevich is a good man. It was Rod Blagojevich interest to make an exceptional appointment because it helps him deflect legal troubles (you can't accuse him of selling senate seat if he didn't sell it). Also it brought him sympathy from blacks and he fulfilled he duty as a governer. In all the open seats for appointment diversity of the senate should have been considered as paramount but it seems the democrats are not interested in real diversity and just pay lip service to diversity to get minority votes. There should have been more affrican american appointed to those open seats why were n't they appointed more is it because democrats believe that they can't find qualified candidates!!!!!!!!!!

[bygollymissmolly]

You need to do something about adjusting your meds. They aren't working very well.

[samerbayer]

your post shows how large your brain is. When you can't argue a case just attack. My meds are adjusted if that gives your little brain satisfaction

[Margary]

He was caught attempting the ACT, before he could follow through with the plan! That still makes him quielty of trying to pull off a crimnal act rather he was caught before or after don't matter!

[samerbayer]

actually he was not attempting the act. he was just blabbing and talking and you need much more to prove that he has the intention to do what he talked about with this appointment. he will claim it is all just talk

[Icantbelieveher]

Your argument might work if Burris was Blago's first choice!

[StillIRise]

Blago is accused of TRYING to sell the senate seat.

Blago THOUGHT this would buy him sympathy from the black community ... it didn't work.

Blago fulfilled his duty as governor by making an appointment that he himself undermined by corrupting the appointment process; therefore, the appointment itself is corrupted.

There should be more African Americans and other minorities appointed to open seats on both sides of the aisle. Racism is party neutral. Democrats are still struggling with it, and Republicans obviously don't care. However, the only two African American elected to the Senate in recent years have been Democratic.

[AnnfromCA]

Too late, actually. Blago checked with his appointment. Illinois can impeach him, of course, but I bet he skates on criminal charges.

[Icantbelieveher]

I think there are other charges besides just the senate seat that he is being charged with. Wasn't there something about refusing funding for a children's hospital because of a refusal to donate to his campaign?

[randyjet]

The best thing to do is to impeach him ASAP. Right now as long as he holds office, he has a BIG bargaining chip with Fitzgerald. He can force a plea deal which would include his leaving office. Once he is impeached, that chip goes away. I will bet that he hold tough, until he is impeached, and then he will go to Fitzgerald and cop a plea agreement.

[eremite]

Dems aren't known for courage. This could be earth shaking. My money's still on Blago. He's got too much on his fellow democrats.

[darker]

Whoa!! Hold yer horses! Blago has to STAND IN LINE.
FIRST it's time to IMPEACH BUSH-CHENEY & gang.

[not going2take it]

Line EM' all up single file, from IL all the way to Washington.

[indy girl]

Let's impeach his ugly-@ss, jiffy-pop hairdo.

[mjb5406]

As an Illinoisan, all I can say is... can't happen fast enough.

[swo68]

I'm interested in his trial. I wonder what will pop out when they start to squeeze him.

[geobushono]

(slaps knee).......Stop it, you're killing me......the horse has already been stolen.

[TheAlchemist]

Throw The Bum Out.

[gi]

PLEASE HURRY UP!

[plzchuteme]

I'll never know what the censors on this site use as a criteria to omit a comment to post. I posted earlier suggesting that there will be little urgency to proceed with impeachment because groups of like people are reluctant to police themselves, simply because, if I watch your back then you will watch mine. Think about it. In the case of politicians, they'd much rather the courts, media, and public opinion to do the dirty work rather than turn on one off their own, since the bright lights just may be focused on themselves one day. Beat your breast, express public indignation, put on a good show and appear to take the high road, and then drag your feet when it comes to a showdown. Think about any organization with power and exclusive membership that claim the right to police themselves, and you'll find lack of policing and less paying of consequences than logic, good sense, justice, and fair play would indicate. I hope that the Illinois Legislature will do the right thing and not let this die from neglect. Either Blagojevich is guilty of impeachable offenses, or he is not. Get on with it.

[RJII]

still not sure what he's being charged with. Dems will impeach their own in a minute, but not Bush.

[hortonhearsawho2]

17 days and counting....

[smag]

I meant for his impeachment.

[smag]

I don't know what kind of watch you have but I think a minute has passed. We will wait for Obama.

[hardlyhikin]

Are there enough Republicans in the Illinois Senate (1/3 of the Senators) to acquit him thereby leaving him in office to further embarrass the Democrats? Think through these things people.

[diogenes1967]

Now THAT is Machiavellian. I like that I had to go check.

37 Democrats, 22 Republicans. Yes there are, but the Repubs here in Illinois won't be that cynical.

The Dems need 4 Republicans to flip. Illinois politics...

[smag]

He is a Dem after all in the mold and I do mean mold of BO and Rham.