Posted on 12/15/2008 10:40:14 AM PST by Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid!
They will start Impeachment hearings.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Sounds like fun.
No other details until they re show the breaking video.
Blago, Get in the white government SUV and make a run for it
December 15, 2008
SPRINGFIELD--Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan today said impeachment proceedings will begin immediately against Gov. Rod Blagojevich after allegations he used his office to try to sell the vacant U.S. Senate seat of Barack Obama.
Madigan, a veteran Southwest Side Chicago lawmaker and head of the Democratic Party of Illinois, announced the move against the state's first Democratic governor in more than a quarter-century at a news conference at the state Capitol.
"It is my intention to appoint a special committee to begin immediately an investigation into the governor's conduct in office and to undertake the preparatory work that is a prerequisite to an impeachment proceeding in the Illinois House," Madigan said.
The move by Madigan comes six days after federal agents arrested Blagojevich at his North Side Chicago home on corruption charges. Prosecutors allege the two-term governor thought he could get a Cabinet-level job, an ambassadorship or a high-paying foundation job with help from Obama in exchange for approving a Senate successor that was favored by the president-elect.
Blagojevich also was accused by federal prosecutors of trading campaign donations for state jobs, contracts and board and commission appointments. In an attempt to bolster the prosecution's case, they submitted an affidavit with their criminal complaint in which a profane Blagojevich was repeatedly quoted on transcripts based on secret recordings.
Madigan said he had been reviewing grounds for impeaching Blagojevich "for about year" based on allegations of abuse of power in the governing process and because of actions outlined in recent federal court convictions that included Antoin "Tony" Rezko, a former top fundraiser and adviser to the governor.
"We plan to proceed without delay," Madigan said.
"We will have evidence. We'll ask for the cooperation of the office of the United States attorney," Madigan said. "Our desire would be that office would give us whatever information they deem appropriate to give us for purposes of the committee hearing."
Madigan had been a frequent critic of Blagojevich, but in an attempt to portray Democratic unity agreed to co-chair the governor's re-election bid in 2006 with the governor's chief ally, retiring state Senate President Emil Jones Jr. But after Blagojevich's re-election, relations between the governor and Madigan soured further.
During the most recent elections for the Illinois House--and several months before the governor's arrest--Madigan helped Democratic candidates with a primer on impeachment for those contenders who wanted to campaign on a theme of removing Blagojevich from office.
Madigan's daughter, state Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan, also has been pursuing a legal remedy before the Illinois Supreme Court in trying to force Blagojevich out. She has asked justices to declare him unfit for office.
The Illinois House last considered whether to move forward with impeachment in 1997, when it determined Supreme Court Justice James Heiple was "imperious" and "arrogant" but that his shortcomings did not amount to an impeachable offense.
By an 8-2 vote, the special House committee rejected recommending impeachment for Heiple, the first Illinois judge to be hauled before the legislature since the 1840s. The majority report of the panel called Heiple's conduct "mean-spirited and demeaning to the court." The committee wrote that Heiple had committed "breaches of comity, common sense and collegiality."
The committee investigated at least a half-dozen areas involving Heiple's conduct, including allegations that he tried to stack a disciplinary panel that ruled on charges against him, slashed a state employee's salary out of political spite and failed to disclose bank loans on economic disclosure forms.
Heiple's problems have their roots in four traffic stops, all of which occurred between 1992 and 1996. He was accused of either disobeying police or using his court identification to avoid speeding tickets. After one incident in Pekin, he was arrested for resisting arrest and later pleaded guilty to the petty offenses of disobeying police and speeding.
Before the General Assembly's investigative hearing began, Heiple might have softened some of the hard feelings against him. He stepped down as chief justice two days after he was censured by the Illinois Courts Commission for his behavior during traffic stops.
The only impeachment proceeding ever held in the state was the impeachment of Supreme Court Justice Theophilus Smith that began in 1832 and ended the next year, state researchers said. Smith was charged by the House in seven articles of impeachment, which included allegations that he abused his power and sold county circuit clerk positions.
Despite the articles voted by the House, the Senate failed to convict Smith.
Best of luck with that Mikey.
L
wonder if Al Cowlings is doing anything today
LOL, fer shur. Fitz is gonna say "Oh, here's the full 400 hours of recordings along with 3 years of my work product into Blago". What a stunt. That said, it will be funny if the Legislature is required to actually try him with evidence. Unfortunately, I am sure there is a loophole somewhere where a summary hearing and impeachment is available...
Fitz will not give them the evidence because”the investigation is ongoing” so they will have nothing but rumor for evidence.
Understood. They will probably just rely on the hearsay affidavit, impeach Blago and call it a day...
So Michael Madigan would not be trying to help his daughter move up the IL political latter a couple of rungs, would he??
Stunning conflict of interest on Madigan’s part. and Blago has been convicted of how many more crimes, to date, compared with Charlie Rangel, Chris Dood or Baney Frank??
I wonder if the MSM will report this duly noted fact!
It’s obvious they want to shut this thing up as quickly as possible.
Someday, this country is going to go after the big fish.
Please, Mr. Federal Prosecutor, let us ruin whatever case you have left after the Chicago Tribune zapped it prematurely! We desperately need to bury this in endless hearings and occasional leaks of whatever confidential documents we can get our hands on.
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