Blagojevich Impeachment Vote

January 9, 2009

Is there anyone who thinks the Blagojevich impeachment hearings will be anything different than the Bill Clinton impeachment proceedings? Everyone is entitled to a fair trial and every defensive strategy will be used. Translation: it’s going to take a lot of time!

One such strategy was initiated today.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s defense lawyers Thursday asked a federal judge to toss U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and all his assistants off the fraud and bribery case against him. Chief defense counsel Edward Genson said in a motion that the news conference Fitzgerald held in announcing the charges was so filled with prejudicial publicity that the prosecutor should bow out.

And what’s the next defensive strategy since that won’t work?

Earlier in the day, the Illinois House committee investigating Gov. Rod Blagojevich released a draft report saying the panel believes the Democratic governor has abused his power. It recommended the full chamber vote on impeachment. “The citizens of this state must have confidence that their governor will faithfully serve the people and put their interests before his own,” the report reads. “It is with profound regret that the committee finds that our current governor has not done so.”

Meanwhile, Roland Burris on Thursday denied any quid pro quo with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich for his appointment to the U.S. Senate during testimony before a panel weighing whether to impeach Blajojevich.

In a written affidavit given to the impeachment panel, Burris said he had one limited conversation with the governor about the Senate seat before he was appointed. And that conversation, he said, was initiated by a Blagojevich attorney. But records show that the two men have long ties, including lucrative state contracts, political contributions and even a job for the governor’s wife. Those records are raising thorny questions from state officials, particularly Republicans.

And the beat goes on!