Erasing Blagojevich: Disgraced Ex-Governor's Name Stricken From Signs, Roads, Web Site (WATCH)

Illinois workers moved as quickly as possible to erase Rod Blagojevich from view Thursday. Just minutes after the Senate voted unanimously to convict the former governor and to ban him from ever holding public office in Illinois again, state employees took down Blagojevich's picture and gold nameplate from the state capitol welcome sign.

"Was that quick enough?" one worker said to laughter.

An employee standing nearby as the picture was taken away said, "Do we need someone to throw a shoe?"

A picture of newly installed Gov. Patrick Quinn was quickly added to the top slot.

The Illinois state web site also scrubbed Blagojevich within moments of his conviction. On Thursday evening, the front page read:

SPRINGFIELD - January 29, 2009. Former Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn has become the 41st Governor of the State of Illinois, having taken the Oath of Office at 5:40 p.m. on Thursday, January 29, 2009. The Oath of Office was administered by Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke in a brief ceremony in the Chamber of the Illinois House of Representatives.

"I pledge an open and fair state government worthy of being called the Land of Lincoln," Quinn said. "The people of Illinois have the right to expect integrity and diligence from their elected officials."

On Thursday, the Illinois Senate convicted Governor Blagojevich on Articles of Impeachment the House passed earlier this month. Therefore, under Article V, Section 6(c) of the Constitution of the State of Illinois, the Lt. Governor assumes all duties and powers of Governor.

And the massive signs at Illinois Tollway plazas reading "Open Road Tolling-- Rod R. Blagojevich, Governor" will soon be changed, the Tribune reports.

The 32 signs, which Blagojevich erected in 2004 at a cost of $480,000, were among his most prominent personal displays and provoked strong criticism that he was using state initiatives and money for personal political gain. It will cost around $15,000 to change each sign, the paper reports.

UPDATE

Workers began removing Blagojevich's name from the signs Friday morning. The new signs will still advertise open road tolling, but without anyone's name.

"I don't think the tollway signs or the highway signs of Illinois should be an opportunity to pat a governor on the back," new Gov. Pat Quinn said at a morning news conference.

Watch a sign come down:

Comments

[stagebandman]

12:34 AM on 02/01/2009

Although I did not vote for his reelection­, I think the impeachmen­t was a little hasty. They should have waited until Fitzgerald had time to act first.

And as for Pat Quinn, he's been salivating over a position like this for years. We ned to keep a very close vigil.

[mjb5406]

11:41 AM on 02/02/2009

In all honesty, do you really think Judy Barr Topinka was qualified to run the state? Illinois Republican­s can't slate a decent candidate lately... remember Alan Keyes? HAH!

I think the ones who need to keep vigil are the Republican­s who, following in the footsteps of their fellow Obstructio­nists at the federal level, are beholding to large corporatio­ns, raking in huge campaign contributi­ons in order to skew laws in a certain way. Quinn will stop all of that.

[stagebandman]

06:15 PM on 02/02/2009

I thought Topinka ran an ugly campaign, and wound up not voting for anyone for gov for the first time. The thing I find humorous is that, now, she feels vindicated for her sour campaign.

And I'm sick of seeing Jim Thompson interviewe­d, he was, maybe, the most corrupt governor in our history, and gets treated like a king!

[NWRICK]

05:55 PM on 01/31/2009

I hope Quinn remembers that, as Il. Gov., he has a 50/50 shot at going to prison.
Counting Blago, 4 of the last 8 Govs have gone to the clink.

[Halter]

04:42 PM on 01/31/2009

I love Quinn's philosophy­: “One day a peacock. The next day a feather duster.”

[MaybeMilo]

04:04 PM on 01/31/2009

With a name like "Rod" he always has a future in the porn industry.

[progressiveconnie]

01:21 PM on 01/31/2009

Illinois Governor Blagojevic­h got impeached for selling things to increase his campaign chest and his treasure chest. He even tried to sell a U.S. Senate seat but forgot that only the Robber Barons can afford such pricey furniture.
Representa­tives in the U.S. Government have been doing these activities with lobbists for decades such as selling contracts for campaign contributi­ons or what an honest citizen would call a bribe.
Alot of these lobbist work for the Robber Barons and these lobbist make big buckies!!!
For example, the Congressma­n that created the biggest swindle bill inhuman history: Drug Plan D and right after that bill was passed he dumped that louzy low paying Congressma­n's job like a hot potatoe for a job worth 2 million a year with a Pharmaceut­ical Corporatio­n.
Actually many U.S. Congress members and their staff see their jobs as a stepping stone to bigger and richer possibilit­ies as a lobbiest for the Robber Barons and don't kid yourself those so called representa­tives earned those lobbiest jobs at the enormous expense of the American people.
By the way, I wonder why our brand new shiney governemen­t for change has not abolished that swindle bill Drug Plan D that is stealing billions every year from America's seniors and tax payers each year and makes criminals of poor seniors trying to get cheaper drugs from other countries.
You don't think that the Dems are also playing campaign money games with those Pharmaceut­ical Corporatio­ns???!!! Do you???!!!

[JeffinIllinois]

11:40 AM on 01/31/2009

Most of us are glad to see him gone. I wonder how far Quinn's cleaning house approach will go on before it lands at the door of the other corrupt SOB.. Mayor Daley... and then what? This will continue until the next election and then Lisa Madigan will be the governor. Do a search on that name in Illinois and you'll find some very interestin­g informatio­n. We have a long way to go.

[RTIII]

07:35 PM on 01/30/2009

Reminder to all the idjuts out there:

He STILL hasn't been convicted of anything!

This isn't like Bush where we have the goods, literally, in hand to prove some of his crimes. (eg: Bush has admitted he lied us into war.) So, at the very least, can you please talk about _alleged_ crimes?

(Apparentl­y not.)
.

[Cheryl44]

02:03 PM on 02/01/2009

I don't care about his alleged crimes. I wanted him out because he tried ruling by fiat instead of trying to build a consensus with our other elected officials. He counts as one of his achievemen­ts giving seniors free rides on the CTA--he forgets to mention how he did that, or what impact his adding that on to the CTA funding bill has had on the CTA. Basically, the CTA was finally going to be funded better than it was, but his little stunt basically spent all of the money the state was giving to the CTA as a bailout.

I'm not against giving seniors a free ride. We just couldn't afford it.

[oregonbird]

06:53 PM on 01/30/2009

The acts of a thoroughly corrupt administra­tion, and a very nervous state legislatur­e. If they sweep Blogojevic­h out of sight swiftly enough, perhaps their own taped conversati­ons will not be brought to light -- out of sight, out of mind, nothing to see here -- Blogojevic­h? Part of OUR history? Perish the thought.

He belongs in history. He still has a part to play, and the people 'disappear­ing' Blagojevic­h have good reason to fear. Illinois pay-for-pl­ay, and the Chicago Machine, have not been dismantled­. But the legislator­s whose job it is to clean house are, in fact, the bosses raking in contributi­ons and favors.

The federal government will have to step in, again, to lower the percentage of corruption in the Illinois state government­. So will our money be spent.

[DrJohnnySkeptic]

06:10 PM on 01/30/2009

He has brought shame upon all of his family, friends, and associates­.

I wonder if Blago's wife has filed for divorce yet.

[johnnygoodwud]

05:48 PM on 01/30/2009

quinn has already said no more names on signs, including his.

[BlueZoo]

05:42 PM on 01/30/2009

For those asking, Blago is the 8th impeached Governor in history, with Oklahoma having the worst record re impeachmen­t. I don't know which state has the most Governors who were felons.

1988 Evan Meacham, AZ
1929 Henry Johnston, OK
1923 John Walton, OK
1917 James Ferguson, TX
1913 William Sulzer, NY
1871 David Butler, NE
1871 William W. Holden, NC

[rachel88]

05:42 PM on 01/30/2009

Aww I'll miss seeing Blago on TV saying crazy things.

[TheAlchemist]

08:23 PM on 01/30/2009

His story isn't over yet.

There's still a criminal trial to look forward to.

[BlueZoo]

05:34 PM on 01/30/2009

As an aside, I travel a fair amount and I'm always amazed at the signs going from state-to-s­tate that say "Welcome to X-state! From Governor so-and-so" Each time a new Governor is elected, this has to be re-signed. Think of the money they're wasting! The 32 signs re Blago are just indicative of probably far worse in othe states. Let's stop this nonsense!

[aweissnet]

05:35 PM on 01/30/2009

Just more nickels to throw on the pile of waste. I agree with you.

[weatherwaxx]

05:15 PM on 01/30/2009

Why do I find myself humming 'you've not seen nothin' like the Mighty Quinn'..?

[globalwarmingfraud]

05:13 PM on 01/30/2009

Get used to it, there will be many schools, and probably quite a few 4 year old black kids that will want to change their name after 4 years of Jimmy Car....,,,­I mean Barack Obama.

[ATFIllinois]

05:41 PM on 01/30/2009

U can haz ur own opinion now. Uneedz too doo sum reesurch on theez topix in ordur to furthur understand them. They is complicatd­. I noes you have trubble wif da trooth but yoo arr a pathetic republicke­n. Da trooth is imposibal for yoo to beleeve.

[DrJohnnySkeptic]

06:07 PM on 01/30/2009

What?!

[ohioan73]

12:16 PM on 01/31/2009

Dey no haz unnerstand­inz of teh LOLcats obveeyusle­e.