Illinois court rejects attempt to remove Gov. Rod Blagojevich

[DogPoundPup]

Source: Daily News

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois - A legislative panel deciding whether to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich, accused of trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat, is to hear from its first witnesses Thursday.

The Illinois House impeachment committee faces more pressure now that the state's highest court has blocked an attempt to declare the two-term governor unfit to serve because of his legal and political troubles.

The bipartisan panel planned to hear from its first witnesses Thursday, including state government's top internal watchdog. The chairwoman, Barbara Flynn Currie, said the committee will focus on whether Blagojevich abused his power by defying lawmakers, refusing to release public documents and spending money without authorization.

The governor's lawyer, Ed Genson, appeared before the panel Wednesday and challenged it on multiple fronts. He said three members should be removed for alleged impartiality, the committee's rules should be changed and it should not consider accusations in a criminal complaint against the governor.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/12/18/2008-12-18_illinois_court_rejects_attempt_to_remove.html

[Xipe Totec]

1. Translation: Illinois court tells legislature to do their job.

Nice try to pass the buck to the court system.

[bobd0]

2. According to Blagojevich's attorney

"that he could not find the "basis for impeachment" in state documents."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/12/17/blagojevich-attorney-challenges-impeachment-panel/

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's lawyer on Wednesday openly challenged the authority and actions of the state legislative committee that is reviewing grounds for the governor's impeachment.

Ed Genson, who is defending Blagojevich against charges that he tried to sell off President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat and engaged in other "pay-to-play" schemes, complained before the panel of Illinois lawmakers that he could not find the "basis for impeachment" in state documents.

He also requested the removal of certain panel members who he felt were biased; that the committee grant him subpoena power; and that the committee adjourn to give his team "appropriate time" to prepare.

Proceedings got underway in the state capital one day after the Illinois House panel met briefly and then adjourned so that Genson could attend.

Genson complained that he had not received a list of witnesses or any tapes of wiretapped conversations involving Blagojevich. He said the introduction of any such evidence at this point would be illegal.

"I don't know if they're going to give him a fair shake," Genson said at a press conference later in the day.

The legislature, of course, disagrees. They claim to have extra-judicial powers that don't seem, however, to be delineated anywhere.

A nation of laws my ass. If we were a nation of laws Bush and Cheney, along with MANY others, would be in fucking jail.

[Xipe Totec]

6. So says Faux News

The legislature, of course, is in charge of writing legislation.

So, if they don't have the power to impeach, they can just write a law and give themselves that right.

Right effing now.

:)

[bobd0]

7. Ipso facto?

Sounds like some "banana republic" to me. Not the home of God and democracy, THE USA, USA, USA! :)

The fact that it's from Faux News only stresses my point. We've had Republican criminals committing crimes for the past eight years that make this look like child's play. Suddenly Fitzgerald becomes a prosecutor a month PRIOR TO the election and holds his over-the-top news conference just after the election is over?

For a forum where every other post was, "Be careful, this might be a Rove trick!", people are very trusting of Republican prosecutors going after Democratic politicians.

Shades of Don Siegelman.

[earcandle]

3. Wait!

Didn't Bush and his administration do all of these things? 

How come we are not impeaching him and Cheney? 

[aldo]

4. Investigate Fitzgerald's abuse of prosecutorial powers

Why didn't Putzgerald wait until he had a crime on tape? Come on, really, why not? Maybe because he's a Repuke hit man and fixer.

[rangersmith82]

5. No mater what..

He should get his day in court, then and only then should he be removed, if he is found guilty.

RGR