April 28, 2008
Will Blagojevich Face Impeachment?
The pressure on the beleaguered Illinois Governor cranked up a notch this weekend, as State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago) told CBS2 Chicago that the Illinois House should begin preparing for impeachment proceedings. "Creating a committee to decide if impeachment is warranted is such a reasonable premise that there would be overwhelming support in the House," Fritchey said.
Fritchey is concerned that, given recent revelations in Tony Rezko's fraud trial that Ali Ata traded thousands of dollars for a lucrative state job, the governor may soon face his own indictment. Ali testified that he give Blagojevich $25,000 in exchange for $127,000-a-year state job.
Ata said that, in 2002, he met with Blagojevich at Rezko's Chicago offices and gave the governor a $25,000 check for a campaign contribution. Rezko placed the check on a conference table, according to Ata's plea deal. Then, according to Ata, Blagojevich "expressed his pleasure and acknowledged that the defendant had been a good supporter and good friend." The governor, "in the defendant's presence, asked Rezko if he [Rezko] had talked to the defendant about positions in the administration, and Rezko responded that he had."Ata started working as director of the Illinois Finance Authority in 2003 and was formally appointed to the job in 2004.
It appears that contributing that sum of money to Blagojevich in exchange for lucrative favors was more than a one-time deal. The Tribune published an investigation of 235 such $25,000 campaign donations this Sunday, finding that three out of four donors got something from the state in return. "There is no connection between campaign contributions and the awarding of contracts or jobs," Doug Scofield, a Blagojevich campaign adviser told the Tribune. "The amount of the contribution is a decision made by the contributor alone."
The House can't move forward on impeachment without the approval of House Speaker Mike Madigan, who indicated that he would move cautiously. "I don't plan to create a committee for this purpose, today. Every day's a new day. If we have to ... my resolve is to do it appropriately and professionally," Madigan told CBS2. Even if impeachment did move forward in the House, the trial would be held in the Senate, where the governor has more allies.
Photo by ReefRaff
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He'll be indicted by the feds long before the legislature gets around to impeaching him.
Never mind Blago. Obama is about to go down. Watch for Evelyn Pringle's upcoming investigative report at opednews.
@rysk:
If a 10 year investigation into Whitewater didn't bring down the Clinton's, I am sure Obama is fine. Obama has even more dubious ties to Rezko than the Clinton's did with any number of backwoods Arkansasans.
Comments like that are so useless. Either tell us what you know and back it up, or go register voters for Hillary. Jesus.
Oh man, rysk, took a look at that website. If this author really has something worth printing the author should probably take it somewhere with credibility or, failing that, decent design or, failing that, consistent capitalization.
I agree with "No One" and as stange as it is to say this, I just came belive he could be soooooooo stupid? I mean really, I'm shocked and that's not an easy thing to do to me, yer Spook!
Seriously. That website looks like something I designed on Hypercard circa 1996.
The same political hacks (eg., Emil Jones) in the Illinois Senate who are block the Recall legislation will the the hacks to host the impeachment trial.
The senators on the fence could again be bought off by Jones with promises for pork in the respective senators' home districts. Old fashioned horse-trading.
There will be an election for governor in 2010, and there is a long line of candidates waiting to move on up, irrespective of whether Blago runs again or not.
If Blago is removed (or resigns), Pat Quinn will become the governor and it could be years before Lisa Madigan or Dan Hynes (two ostensible governors in waiting) get their chances. Their supporters in the state house don't have any interest in making Pat Quinn the governor now, nor do the Republicans. As such, I'd bet that there will be a lot of talk, but no impeachment in the end.
mss2400 that sounds about right. Jones will keep Quinn out so he can later get Madigan or Hynes in.
Have to agree with Ward and mss2400, it's not really in anyone's interest within the government itself to do anything but use all of this to beat down Blago. Even the Republicans are politically better off with him in office. If Quinn comes in and proves to be a real reformer (and he's been quite independent of Rod), then Republicans lose their best campaign tool.
I'm sure Obama is quaking at the shocking allegations posted on that GeoCities site.
Wow, how did I miss John Fritchey's qoute!
Wow, check out the Rocky Mountain oysters on Fritchey!
But yea still Emile will keep the hammer down on this. But again look how fast these charges are coming. Heck this is moving much quicker than Ryan!
Madigan is going to go slow and let the death from a thousand cuts continue. E.Jones will try and protect blago but when the public demand for blagos head gets to a tipping point Jones will hang blago out to dry. Jones and blago are as thick as thieves but jones will bail out before this is over.
Lisa Madigan for Governor!
This is the first time I've agreed with anything the IL GA has proposed. G-Rod must go. Throw the bum out.