Illinois Senate unanimously removes Blagojevich

[Rogue 9]

This is CNN.

Illinois senators vote to oust Blagojevich

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois (CNN) -- The Illinois Senate has voted unanimously to remove Gov. Rod Blagojevich from office.

Earlier Thursday, Illinois state senators made final deliberations in Blagojevich's impeachment trial.

"Honest and competent governors don't act like Rod Blagojevich," Republican Sen. Kirk Dillard said. "Rod Blagojevich needs to be removed from office."

Sen. Kwame Raul, a Democrat, said the governor had not presented any evidence in his defense and had not called any witnesses.

"He had the opportunity, and it's a lie for him to say that he did not have an opportunity," he said. "The governor presented absolutely no evidence in this case. All of the House prosecutor's evidence went unrebutted."

Earlier Thursday, Blagojevich appeared before the senators at the trial, saying he had done "absolutely nothing wrong."

"I'm here to appeal to you, to your sense of fairness, your sense of responsibility and to the truth," he said in a closing address that lasted less than an hour. It was the first time he had appeared at the impeachment trial, which began Monday.

"I'm asking you to acquit me and give me a chance to show my innocence," he said. "And if you're not comfortable with an acquittal, then extend this process and get more evidence, if you can get it, to show that I did something wrong or give me a chance to bring my evidence in."
Don't Miss

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* Blagojevich takes case to TV circuit
* TIME.com: Blagojevich circus comes to state Senate

Blagojevich, a two-term Democratic governor, was arrested on federal corruption charges in December.

Federal authorities allege he was trying to sell or trade the Senate seat that became vacant after Barack Obama was elected president. After the governor's arrest, the state House voted overwhelmingly to impeach him.

The governor firmly denied wrongdoing Thursday, as he has all week on television talk shows.

"If I felt I did something wrong, I would have resigned in December," he said. "If I felt I violated a law, I would meet my responsibility, I would have resigned in December.

"I wouldn't put my family through this, I wouldn't put you through this, and most importantly, I wouldn't put the people of Illinois through this.

"But I didn't resign then, and I'm not resigning now, because I have done nothing wrong."

The governor, who did not use notes during his remarks, said the allegations against him were unproven.

"There hasn't been a single piece of information that proves any wrongdoing," he said. "You haven't proved a crime, and you can't, because it hasn't happened.

"How can you throw a governor out of office with insufficient and incomplete evidence?"

As he did in his television interviews, Blagojevich railed against Senate trial rules that he said unfairly prevented him from presenting witnesses or evidence.

After the governor's address, the Senate recessed for an hour before House prosecutor David Ellis gave a rebuttal to the governor's remarks.

"He could have put himself under oath and faced my questions," Ellis said. "More importantly, much more importantly, faced your questions. But he didn't do that, did he?"

"He talked more about the evidence with Barbara Walters on 'The View' than he did in this chamber today, where he's facing impeachment and removal from office," he said.

Earlier, in his closing argument, Ellis said the governor had demonstrated an "abuse of power" throughout his tenure as Illinois' chief executive.

"In this trial, we have laid out a pattern of abuse of power by Gov. Rod Blagojevich that culminated in his arrest on December 9, 2008," he said.

Speaking beforehand outside the state Senate to reporters, Blagojevich said he wanted to "clear my name and restore the public trust."

"I feel confident. I know the truth of things. I hope I get a fair shot today," he said. "Of course there is [sadness]. That's life. There's moments of triumph and moments of disappointment. I'm not giving up hope."

On Wednesday, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton said Blagojevich had asked to be allowed to speak before the chamber.

The chamber is also deciding whether to bar Blagojevich from holding future office.
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Blagojevich railed against the trial on talk shows this week, calling it unfair and saying it sets a dangerous precedent. He has ignored trial deadlines and presented no evidence in his defense.

He told CNN's Larry King earlier this week that attending the trial "would dignify an impeachment process that's wrong and contrary to every fundamental civil liberty that we as Americans enjoy."

Good riddance to bad fucking rubbish. May the rest of the Chicago machine swiftly follow.

[Mr Bean]

You won't have this Amazing Disease fighting Civil Rights Leading, Savor of the people of India, Cowboy to kick around anymore

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SPRINGFIELD, Illinois (CNN) -- The Illinois Senate on Thursday voted unanimously to remove impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich from office.
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich delivers a closing argument at his impeachment trial Thursday.

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich delivers a closing argument at his impeachment trial Thursday.

Blagojevich was arrested on federal corruption charges in December. Federal authorities allege, among other things, that he was trying to sell or trade the Senate seat that became vacant after Barack Obama was elected president. After the governor's arrest, the state House voted overwhelmingly to impeach him.

The Senate vote was 59-0.

Moments after removing him from office, the Illinois Senate also voted unanimously to prevent Blagojevich from ever holding political office in the state again.

Earlier Thursday, Illinois state senators made final deliberations in Blagojevich's impeachment trial.

"Honest and competent governors don't act like Rod Blagojevich," Republican Sen. Kirk Dillard said. "Rod Blagojevich needs to be removed from office."

Sen. Kwame Raul, a Democrat, said the governor had not presented any evidence in his defense and had not called any witnesses.

"He had the opportunity, and it's a lie for him to say that he did not have an opportunity," he said. "The governor presented absolutely no evidence in this case. All of the House prosecutor's evidence went unrebutted."

Blagojevich appeared before the senators at the trial, saying he had done "absolutely nothing wrong." Video Watch Blagojevich make his case »
Don't Miss

* Blagojevich's lead defense attorney to resign
* Blagojevich takes case to TV circuit
* TIME.com: Blagojevich circus comes to state Senate

"I'm here to appeal to you, to your sense of fairness, your sense of responsibility and to the truth," he said in a closing address that lasted less than an hour. It was the first time he had appeared at the impeachment trial, which began Monday.

"I'm asking you to acquit me and give me a chance to show my innocence," he said. "And if you're not comfortable with an acquittal, then extend this process and get more evidence, if you can get it, to show that I did something wrong or give me a chance to bring my evidence in."

Blagojevich, a two-term Democratic governor, was arrested on federal corruption charges in December.

Federal authorities allege he was trying to sell or trade the Senate seat that became vacant after Barack Obama was elected president. After the governor's arrest, the state House voted overwhelmingly to impeach him.

The governor firmly denied wrongdoing Thursday, as he has all week on television talk shows.

"If I felt I did something wrong, I would have resigned in December," he said. "If I felt I violated a law, I would meet my responsibility, I would have resigned in December.

"I wouldn't put my family through this, I wouldn't put you through this, and most importantly, I wouldn't put the people of Illinois through this.

"But I didn't resign then, and I'm not resigning now, because I have done nothing wrong."

The governor, who did not use notes during his remarks, said the allegations against him were unproven.

"There hasn't been a single piece of information that proves any wrongdoing," he said. "You haven't proved a crime, and you can't, because it hasn't happened.

"How can you throw a governor out of office with insufficient and incomplete evidence?"

As he did in his television interviews, Blagojevich railed against Senate trial rules that he said unfairly prevented him from presenting witnesses or evidence.

After the governor's address, the Senate recessed for an hour before House prosecutor David Ellis gave a rebuttal to the governor's remarks.

"He could have put himself under oath and faced my questions," Ellis said. "More importantly, much more importantly, faced your questions. But he didn't do that, did he?"

"He talked more about the evidence with Barbara Walters on 'The View' than he did in this chamber today, where he's facing impeachment and removal from office," he said.

Earlier, in his closing argument, Ellis said the governor had demonstrated an "abuse of power" throughout his tenure as Illinois' chief executive.

"In this trial, we have laid out a pattern of abuse of power by Gov. Rod Blagojevich that culminated in his arrest on December 9, 2008," he said. Video Watch Ellis lay out the charges »

Speaking beforehand outside the state Senate to reporters, Blagojevich said he wanted to "clear my name and restore the public trust."

"I feel confident. I know the truth of things. I hope I get a fair shot today," he said. "Of course there is [sadness]. That's life. There's moments of triumph and moments of disappointment. I'm not giving up hope."

On Wednesday, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton said Blagojevich had asked to be allowed to speak before the chamber.
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Blagojevich railed against the trial on talk shows this week, calling it unfair and saying it sets a dangerous precedent. He has ignored trial deadlines and presented no evidence in his defense.

Truly a sad day across the entire nation. What will the Daily show talk about for the rest of this week?
And why did this take so long?

[Aratech]

Posted already, Sir. Good show, nonetheless. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out, Blago.

[Patrick Degan]

And it's Bye Bye Blago. His rant before the Illinois Senate at a proceeding he initially dismissed as unconstitutional and not worth his attendance clinched the unanimous vote. For sheer arrogant cluelessness, you almost have to reach for comparison with Nicolai Ceauceascu still shouting orders at the line of riflemen just five metres away from the bullet-pocked wall he was put in front of.

[Broomstick]

nah, nah, nah, nah....nah, nah, nah, nah....hey, hey, hey... GOOOOOOOD-BYE!

Now if we can only finish taking out the rest of the political rubbish from the Chicago area...

My dad heard about this on the news tonight, looked at me, and said "Wow that guy REALLY pissed a lot of people off!" Yep, he did.

[Dave]

The chamber is also deciding whether to bar Blagojevich from holding future office.

How do they do that? Are they passing a law that says "Mr. Milorad R. Blagojevich is not allowed to run for public office in the state of Illinois."?

Is that legal? I mean, doctors and lawyers can be disbarred from practice and stripped of their license, but I wasn't aware that could be done to politicians.

[The Original Nex]

The chamber is also deciding whether to bar Blagojevich from holding future office.

How do they do that? Are they passing a law that says "Mr. Milorad R. Blagojevich is not allowed to run for public office in the state of Illinois."?

Is that legal? I mean, doctors and lawyers can be disbarred from practice and stripped of their license, but I wasn't aware that could be done to politicians.

I'm no expert on IL law, but given the lack of attention this has gotten, and the ease with which this passed, suggests that it is. Why would they bother if it wasn't a constitutional statute?

Maybe someone more versed than I in IL law could clear it up.

[Uraniun235]

Good. When's the criminal trial?

[Broomstick]

The chamber is also deciding whether to bar Blagojevich from holding future office.

How do they do that? Are they passing a law that says "Mr. Milorad R. Blagojevich is not allowed to run for public office in the state of Illinois."?

Just for the record, Blago really is barred from ever holding public office in Illinois again. I am not up on the specifics for Illinois, but yes, if someone was removed from office for misconduct many places allow for barring that person from future public office. Impeachments aren't very common which is why this isn't terribly well known, but it's not unprecedented and not limited to Illinois

Is that legal? I mean, doctors and lawyers can be disbarred from practice and stripped of their license, but I wasn't aware that could be done to politicians.

Now you are!

[Count Chocula]

You learn something new every day. Unlike doctors and engineers, I didn't know politicians actually had to have any qualifications!

[Sarevok]

Seems like the system in Illinois must really be rotten for someone at the very top to act like a third world member of parliament.

Is this Blago fellow going to be a sacrificial icon of somekind or is there going to be a cleanup of the political system he was involved with ?

[Rogue 9]

Seems like the system in Illinois must really be rotten for someone at the very top to act like a third world member of parliament.

Is this Blago fellow going to be a sacrificial icon of somekind or is there going to be a cleanup of the political system he was involved with ?

The system in Illinois, or at least Chicago, is rotten to the core and has been for damned near a century. To the point where I read a columnist in the Indianapolis Star back when this first started writing about how Illinois had lost its right to claim the title of the Land of Lincoln, and how Indiana, as Abraham Lincoln's boyhood home, should take it over.

But no, it's too firmly entrenched for much outside of a full-blown federal corruption probe (and probably one run by a field office that's not Chicago's if you want it to work properly) to root it out. They're certainly not going to clean themselves up; Blagojevich is going to be sent up the river for being caught, not for being corrupt.

[Broomstick]

You learn something new every day. Unlike doctors and engineers, I didn't know politicians actually had to have any qualifications!

I know you were saying that tongue-in-cheek, but it has nothing to do with qualifications. You really don't need to be qualified for anything to run for public office or get elected. The disbarrment comes only after you not only repeatedly fuck up, but you piss everyone off many multiple times.

[Broomstick]

Seems like the system in Illinois must really be rotten for someone at the very top to act like a third world member of parliament.

Is this Blago fellow going to be a sacrificial icon of somekind or is there going to be a cleanup of the political system he was involved with ?

The system in Illinois, or at least Chicago, is rotten to the core and has been for damned near a century. To the point where I read a columnist in the Indianapolis Star back when this first started writing about how Illinois had lost its right to claim the title of the Land of Lincoln, and how Indiana, as Abraham Lincoln's boyhood home, should take it over.

But no, it's too firmly entrenched for much outside of a full-blown federal corruption probe (and probably one run by a field office that's not Chicago's if you want it to work properly) to root it out. They're certainly not going to clean themselves up; Blagojevich is going to be sent up the river for being caught, not for being corrupt.

For the past several years there HAVE been FBI task-force corruption investigations and a couple DOZEN politicians have been sent to jail, among them Blago's predecessor, former governor George Ryan, the mayor of Cicero, Illinois, and a couple mayors of towns in Northwest Indiana. It remains to be seen if this will make a long-term difference, but the last half-decade has seen an improvement of sorts. The biggest problem is that this has been so entreched for so long that most people I meet who grew up in the area honestly have no idea that it is even possible to do things another way.