Adventures in Blago-sitting: Trials and Tribune-lations

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Jan 27, 2009 5:05PM

We've been keeping track of the Blagojevich impeachment trial and while it hasn't made for compelling viewing (how can they make such comedic transcripts boring?) we did get a kick out of the prosecution's cue cards for the transcripts. Such prudes, the government. Meanwhile, while the prosecution is currently reading off the transcripts and confirming with agents that it was, indeed, Blago on the tapes, it appears as if the Blago Tapes will actually be played for the Senate today and, we hope, for the rest of the world, too. It'll be the first chance for the public to hear the governor discuss certain pay-for-play schemes.

Meanwhile, at least one state senator is having qualms with the way things are being handled with the impeachment trial. Senator Rickey Hendon, from Chicago's West Side, had an issue with the impeachment charges dealing with Blago's "implementing" certain programs over objections of the Illinois House even though many members of the state senate had previously supported those same programs. Hendon said, "Is giving health care to children an impeachable offense, or does it fall under executive privilege?" He later told the Sun-Times, "How can I kick the governor out of office over that when we supported it?" While not the most heinous of the charges against Blago, they have been lumped together as examples showing how the Governor "abused the power of his office." Hendon insisted his questions weren't a defense of the Governor but rather a call to make sure he received a fair trial. As for public perception, Hendon also told the S-T: "I listen to WVON. The black community is in support of the governor. I listen to WLS. The white community is against the governor."