A Blagojevich Impeachment Deadline: Lincoln's B-day Bicentennial?
The refusal of Senate Democratic leaders today to seat Roland Burris (D) as the new junior Senator from Illinois raises an interesting question. Will Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) be impeached any time soon, thereby opening the door for an "untainted" candidate to be appointed by a new governor?
IL Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn (D), who would become governor should Blagojevich resign or be removed from office, has predicted that his boss will be impeached "swiftly." During a recent appearance on CBS's "Face the Nation," Quinn cited Abraham Lincoln's upcoming bicentennial birthday celebration -- 2/12 -- as a deadline for the Legislature to complete the impeachment process which started 12/15.
Shortly after Quinn made his bold claim, IL House Speaker Michael Madigan (D) summoned lawmakers back to Springfield, saying he expects them to be available to work fulltime on the impeachment matter until the new session of the Legislature begins. That happens 1/14, which is also the deadline for the House impeachment committee to submit its report on Blagojevich. Although the committee is still waiting for court decisions about whether it can use Blagojevich's wiretapped conversation in its investigation, members say they can proceed with the evidence they already have. Madigan's spokesman today declined to speculate about whether an impeachment vote could take place before the new session is sworn in, noting only that the report was due by 1/14, at 11:59 a.m.
Should the House vote two-thirds in favor of impeaching Blagojevich -- there are 65 Democrats, 51 Republicans, and two vacancies -- the matter would move to the 59-member Senate for a trial. Incoming state Senate President John Cullerton (D) has set aside the last week of January for hearings, but it's unclear whether that process would be completed in time to meet Quinn's deadline. Recent history offers no comparison. The last time Illinois lawmakers impeached a state official was 175 years ago.
(SEAN J. MILLER)
I keep reading that removing Blagojevich would allow a new governor to appoint a new senator. How? Even if Blagojevich were removed, laws he signed would not become unsigned; laws he vetoed would not become unvetoed; and senators he appointed would not become unappointed. Burris is eligible, he was duly appointed, and he is the new senator. The clock does not run backwards. There is no vacancy for a new governor to fill.
Illinois didn't impeach a governor in 1833. We impeached a judge.
Also, the Senate is looking at a nine-day process. Quinn's deadline should be easily met.
tkd, I think that if the U.S. Senate refused to seat Burris the governor would have to choose a new appointee. So, the U.S. Senate could synchronize their refusal with the impeachment and conviction thus transferring the appointment power to the new gov--Quinn. I am not positive but I beleive this is the case.
None of you see this as a conflict of interest. If you Blago is so tainted shouldn't we be investigating all those in that political scene. How do we know that Quinn is not just as corrupt or trying to overthrow Blago for his own chance to get the job using his connections with both Father and daughter Madigan and some others in that area.
None of you see this as a conflict of interest. If Blago is so tainted shouldn't we be investigating all those in that political scene. How do we know that Quinn is not just as corrupt or trying to overthrow Blago for his own chance to get the job using his connections with both Father and daughter Madigan and some others in that area.
You don't fool me for one minute! I salute Mr. Blagojevich for standing by his convictions and for having the backs of the very people whose backs are being tread upon... the little guy! No one else in this country seems to! He refused to continue doing business with Big of America(Bank of America) because they had reneged on promises to help bailout individuals and smaller business when they received their bailout funds. They sat on those funds and continue to sit on them(except for buying out companies like Merrill-Lynch). Denying people credit,loans, refinancing,etc.. Doesn't anyone else remember or find it highly suspicious that on the very next day after he announced that the state would no longer conduct business with B of A, in support of a sit-down strike by that little factory he stood in front of that fateful Monday, that he was arrested? Then this rush to remove him! You bet they do! Also the rush to jump on the bandwagon and condemn him! Everyone! It's like watching a puppet show! Not one, no I take that back... only one of you had the guts to vote NO on the impeachment! You know, be a leader, not a follower! Is this what we have representing us as our leaders? What has happened to the premise of "innocent until PROVEN guilty"? But I understand it completely! Every day that Rod(the giant dragon-slayer) is in office, is another day that Big of A is OUT OF BUSINESS!