Illinois Panel Calls for Impeachment of Governor Blagojevich

[DeepModem Mom]

Source: New York Times

Members of an investigative committee of the Illinois House of Representatives this morning released a proposed report that recommends the impeachment of the state’s embattled governor, Rod R. Blagojevich.

“The totality of the evidence warrants the impeachment of the Governor for cause,” the report said, characterizing the governor’s actions as “abuse of power.” “The Committee, therefore, recommends that the House consider an Article of Impeachment against the Governor.”

Among the evidence cited in the report is the criminal complaint and affidavit that are part of the federal corruption case against Mr. Blagojevich, a two-term Democrat who was arrested on Dec. 9 and accused of, among other things, trying to sell the former United States Senate seat of President-elect Barack Obama.

The report said lawmakers also considered evidence that the governor “expanded a health care plan without legal authority,” “linked campaign contributions to official actions” and committed a “number of abuses” in his handling of a flu vaccine program....

***

Assuming the committee formally recommends impeachment, the matter would be voted on by the full House, which is scheduled to reconvene Friday morning.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/09/us/09illinois.html?hp

[Lint Head]

1. Bush and Cheney also abused power and nothing was done.

:dem:

[AngryAmish]

2. shocking

[sinkingfeeling]

3. 'an Article of Impeachment'. Just one?

[davsand]

4. It only takes one.

In the Illinois Legislature Blago is SO disliked I honestly think they'd impeach him for jaywalking if they could.

:shrug:


Laura

[rsmith6621]

5. delete

[pointblank]

6. Wow

Man that Illinois congress sure is efficient...promote 'em...send 'em to DC!

Shit, the US congress couldn't pull off an impeachment of the most incompetent, criminal president in recent history...and they had 8 friggin years. They didn't have the gonads to even ATTEMPT it.

Them bad-boys the Illinois congress got the ball rollin' in what, 2 months?

*sigh*

:eyes:

[Robbien]

7. Illinois govt is currently paralyzed by this impeachment. My state is grinding to a halt

Nothing is getting done. Services are not being paid. It is a holy mess.

Blago is a crook who has made sure he got his shady cut from every State contract. Impeach him, jail him or cover him in tar and feathers and ride him out of town. Just get off the dime and do something, and fast.

[rsmith6621]

8. Ill. House panel recommends governor's impeachment

Source: AP


19 mins ago

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – An Illinois House committee has unanimously recommended that Gov. Rod Blagojevich (bluh-GOY'-uh-vich) be impeached for abuse of power.

The decision sets the stage for the full House to take action Friday and make Blagojevich the first governor impeached in Illinois history.

The 21-member committee began studying impeachment after the Democratic governor was arrested on a variety of federal corruption charges.

The panel based its recommendation on those charges and other allegations of misconduct by Blagojevich. They include evidence he circumvented state hiring laws, misspent tax money and expanded programs without proper authority.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090108/ap_on_re_us/illinois_governor

[Tarc]

9. The sooner this moffet-headed clown is out of office, the better.

[MasonJar]

10. This surely makes the US Congress look like very small people.

Compare Blago to Bush and see what one comes up with...impeachment-wise.

[classysassy]

12. Blago vs Bush

Bush wins by a ko in the first round.The gov of il,just stole money,the gov of tx,stole the whitehouse,billions of bucks,was the cause of thousands of deaths.Bush,, will go back to tx(not too soon)Blago,will proberly go to a country club prison,there you have it boys and girls,justice in America.

[dipsydoodle]

11. BBC link

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7819291.stm