Illinois Senate Votes to Oust Governor Blagojevich

[Ptah]

Source: ABC.com

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Illinois state senate on Thursday convicted Governor Rod Blagojevich of abuse of power, removing him from office amid charges that he tried to sell the U.S. Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama.

More than two-thirds of the 59 senators, acting as a jury following the two-term Democrat's impeachment on January 9, voted to find him guilty, effectively ousting him from office.

The vote was televised live from the state capitol building in Springfield, Illinois. Blagojevich is the first governor in Illinois history to be impeached and removed from office.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=6764215

[derby378]

1. Take it away, Vera!!

We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when
But I know we'll meet again some sunny day
Keep smiling through, just like you always do
Till the blue skies chase the dark clouds far away

So will you please say "Hello" to the folks that I know
Tell them I won't be long
They'll be happy to know that as you saw me go
I was singing this song

We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when
But I know we'll meet again some sunny day

Yes, we'll meet again. Darlin', I don't know where and I don't know when. But I know we'll meet again one of these good ol' sunshiny days. Ya know, darlin', all ya gotta do is just keep on smilin' through you know just like you always do, until the blue skies chase the dark clouds far, far, far away. I wantcha to do me a favor, please say "Hello" to all the folks that I know. Well, just tell 'em it won't be long. They'd be happy to know that when you saw me go, I was standin' right here, singin' this song.

We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when
But I know we'll meet again some sunny day

[John Kerry VonErich]

8. Has anybody here remember Vera Lynn?

nt

[ozymandius]

9. Oh I certainly do.

That sultry voice was like a four course dessert.

[denem]

29. Bring the boys back home!

... does any body else here feel the way I do.

[John Kerry VonErich]

33. You got it!!!

[Robbien]

2. Great! Gov. Quinn is going to be a big break from the corrupt

long line of Governors we have had in this state. We get rid of Ryan and his filth and just replaced it with Blago and his dirty political games. And before those two, we had two other very very corrupt governors.

Quinn hopefully will break the trend.

[liberalhistorian]

15. What the hell is the deal with Illinois

governors? I'm not trying to be snarky or nasty, I genuinely want to know. I'm certainly not saying that all other governors are perfect, by no means, but it seems that Ill, in particular, has a problem with corruption in the governor's office.

[Robbien]

20. I expect it is due to the political machine here

Patronage rules the state.

While the Democratic party's machine is powerful, the GOP's is no slouch.

[Critters2]

37. The first thing you need to realize is that downstate Illinois is basically

disenfranchise. ALL political decisions are made in Chicago by Chicagoans. In fact, Blago refused to even live in Springfield, the state capitol.

The next thing you need to understand is that Chicago is run by a corrupt political machine. There are a few honest politicians in Chicago, but they stand little chance of being elected to much beyond very local offices. Blago ran against one such politician, Edwin Eisendrath, in he 2006 primary. Eisendrath, who was my alderman when I lived in Chicago, would have been a vastly better choice as the Dem candidate, not to mention as governor. But Blago was the machine candidate, with money and other corrupt Chicago politicians behind him. Chicago sent Blago back to Springfield (well, not literally, of course), and the rest is history.

[AZ Criminal JD]

17. He will be taken out by Lisa Madigan in the primary.

He should enjoy his very short time in office.

[Robbien]

21. Sad to say, you are probably right

Lisa isn't as bad as some, but Quinn I believe would be much better for the citizens of Illinois.

But Lisa has the machine behind her.

[Critters2]

35. If Illinoisans keep voting for machine politicians, they deserve what they get.

This is why I opposed the recall. People need to carefully consider who they vote for BEFORE they vote! Voting for corrupt politicians and then hoping you can remove them later could end up being chaotic.

[barb162]

3. ADIOS Rod n/t

[rangersmith82]

4. Don't let the door hit you...

on the way out.

[bemildred]

5. See, they can move fast when they want to.

[Number_Six]

6. And take that bad hair with you!!!

I mean it. Hasta lumbago, Blago!

[IsItJustMe]

7. Maybe this will satisfy the lynch mob for a while. Now Illinoisians can get their taxes raised and

do without free child health care.

[Robbien]

12. Blago already has raised the sales tax to the highest in the nation

and this free child health care you talk about isn't so freely given and is so very very hard to find.

Someone has been blowing smoke your way.

[liberalhistorian]

16. You've got to be kidding me. Blago was corrupt

and illegally abused his power, he deserved every vote against him. And his ego and arrogance and comparing himself to Nelson Mandela and MLK and his arrest to Pearl Harbor was far beyond the pale of sanity. He didn't even show up at the impeachment trial to defend himself, yet had the nerve, in his bloviating, self-serving speech before the vote, to claim that he didn't have an opportunity to defend himself. That is pure bullshit, he should have attended the trial and answered questions in his defense. I don't give a fuck WHAT party you're from, or what good you've done, if you're corrupt and abuse your power, your ass should be thrown the hell out.

[IsItJustMe]

23. Well then, maybe it won't satisfy them.

[Trajan]

19. Sorry ...

But that is just plain silly ....

[Critters2]

22. Oh,yeah. Blago was deeply committed to health care for children.

That $50,000 bribe held against a grant to Children's Memorial Hospital...here's some fuller info about it:

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2008/dec/11/local/ch...


The money, however, wasn’t for the hospital but instead a statewide pediatric medical-care initiative to pay hundreds of doctors to treat poor sick children throughout Illinois, a coalition of medical providers said Wednesday.

Children’s Memorial and a group of health facilities and pediatric specialists formed a coalition called We Care for Illinois Kids to advocate for increased state reimbursements to doctors.

The complaint alleged Blagojevich wanted the $50,000 campaign contribution from the chief executive of Children’s Memorial. Although he wasn’t named in the complaint, the executive is Patrick Magoon, the longtime CEO of Children’s Memorial and chairman of the board of the Illinois Hospital Association, a powerful trade group and lobby.

But sources close to We Care for Illinois Kids say Magoon was targeted by the governor because he was a point person for the coalition that includes Children’s Memorial; the University of Chicago Medical Center, which operates Comer Children’s Hospital; La Rabida Children’s Hospital, and groups representing Illinois pediatricians.





Oh, yeah, that Rod! What a fine advocate for children's health care!

[Spazito]

10. LOL, I notice ABC cannot bring itself to state the real numbers...

"More than two-thirds of the 59 senators..."

How about 'the vote was unanimous, 59 - 0'? Those are the REAL numbers.

[IllinoisBirdWatcher]

11. "more than 2/3??" DUH IT WAS UNANIMOUS n/t

[jkappy]

14. more stupid, incompetent reporting n/t

[damntexdem]

13. Hurrah, and good riddance to bad rubbish.

You, go, Blago -- go to perdition!

[Trajan]

18. Yay .....

Not much more to say than that ....

[unkachuck]

24. I love illinois....

....if you're an illinois governor and your political greed results in the death of children, you stay in office until sentencing....if you're governor and you provide children with healthcare, you're impeached then removed from office....

....if you're an illinois lawmaker and your political greed results in taxing old people until they loose their home or freeze to death, you're considered a good corporate team player....if you're a governor and you provide old people a free opportunity to ride public transportation, you're impeached then removed from office....

....the hypocritical stench reeking from greedy illinois lawmakers in both parties is palpable....'if' Blago clears his name, he'll be back, but on the national stage....he's young and a fighter (he gives a good speech and looks great on TV); people love and respect that....he might have been a son-of-a-bitch, but he was our son-of-a-bitch....

[davsand]

34. "...our son-of-a-bitch"???? You gotta be shitting me.

I do not know an Illinois Dem that wants to admit Rod was ever a Dem.

He was a corrupt pussbag that needed to be removed from office before he could hurt the IL Dem party any more than he already has. Take a look at how many have been convicted already from his circle of pals and MAYBE you will start to get a clue about just how f**ked up he really has been. Make no mistake, this is very much like taking the trash to the curb.

Just sayin.


Laura

[Critters2]

36. He gives a good speech?

[snot]

25. Could anyone please explain to me EXACTLY what the evidentiary rules were --

why Blago claims he's been denied any opportunity to present witnesses or evidence, while others contend he had the opportunity but failed to designate them before the applicable deadline had expired.

Every description I've heard has been utterly murky on these points.

[classysassy]

26. Blago vs Bush

Rod and bribery,George,thievery,murder,false statements,Rod removed from office,George returns to his ranch with his billions of stolen bucks,oh yes ,justice in America,

[Critters2]

38. They both deserve to be prosecuted.

Corrupt Dems need to be held accountable, as do Repugs.

[Hannah Bell]

27. railroad

[cali]

30. bullshit. do some research on what the house prosecutor provided

for evidence. but love that little tin foil hat of yours. It's sooo... fitting.

[Hannah Bell]

32. choochookachoo

[No Elephants]

28. People say that ALL Governors do what Blago did. He was just more flat-footed about it. I under-

stand about trying to get something for Obama's Senate seat, but why was Blago under investigation for three years before that?

[marshall]

31. Unfortunately it was for some trumped up pharmaceutical bullshit

They couldn't bring him up on the legitimate reasons because they can't get their hands on the evidence.

He's a rotten apple, but the legislature threw the baby out with the bath water on this one.