Lawmakers say they sought guidance from the impeachment trials of President Bill Clinton in 1999 and Gov. Evan Mecham of Arizona in 1988, and the Senate procedures will be largely modeled on those used in Mr. Clinton’s trial. Chief Justice Thomas R. Fitzgerald of the State Supreme Court will preside, though senators, serving as judges and jurors, can choose to vote down rulings they disagree with. Hearsay is allowed. The standard of proof is essentially up to each senator to decide....
Among those scheduled to appear as witnesses for the prosecution next week are state representatives who were members of the impeachment committee.....
“I found it stunning,” said Ann M. Lousin, a law professor at the John Marshall Law School and an expert on the Illinois Constitution. “What are the legislators from the House going to say they know personally?”
Complicating the impeachment trial is the ongoing investigation of federal prosecutors here. At least one federal agent is expected to testify at the trial, but others connected to the criminal accusations are not. One Senate rule bars witnesses from being subpoenaed if federal prosecutors believe it might compromise their case, a fact Mr. Blagojevich complained bitterly about to reporters on Friday.
Though he has filed no request for witnesses, the governor said he wished to call a long list of people who were not permitted to be called by the rules, including Rahm Emanuel, the president’s chief of staff; Valerie Jarrett, an Obama senior adviser; and governors of other states who would testify, he said, to his upstanding behavior.
January 24, 2009
Blagojevich: "They’re just hanging me. They’re hanging the 12 million people of Illinois who twice have elected a governor."
Are the impeachment proceedings fair?
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"They’re just hanging me. They’re hanging the 12 million people of Illinois who twice have elected a governor."
Having spent most of my life in Illinois, All 12 million of them need hanged for voting for the dumb ass.
What's fair is for him not be impeached and for everyone involved, including the people of Illinois, to be negatively impacted. Ultimately all Americans need to learn that electing and re-electing crooks comes with a cost we can't afford and that we deserve to suffer for our blindness.
Maybe then we'd see Change.
Translation:
Me me me. Me me me me me. All about me, and nothing else matters.
Blago must be impeached. Something needs to puncture that self-centered, overly narcisstic bubble.
As President Andrew Johnson must have said,"What have facts got to do with the political decision made by a legislative body?" Poor Blago is about as lame a duck as ever waddled. I predict that his Impeachment, as a political mercy killing, will be done quickly, and I doubt the Ill. Supreme court will rescue this loser. And the games go on.
Blago is a loon. I really think he has some sort of mental illness and thinks that since no money changed hands he's done nothing wrong. Or he just assumes the Chicago way works in the whole state.
The longer he hangs on the better the chances of having a Republican governor next time around. Assuming the Illinois GOP can remove their head from their ass.
"They’re just hanging me. They’re hanging the 12 million people of Illinois who twice have elected a governor."
No - not true, he's inflated the number of votes for both elections by a factor of four, but as Buford suggested, something must befall the 1.7 million who re-elected him in 2006.
Buford,
Not all 12 million of us. But I'll tell you, my vote for Judy Barr-Topinka has been validated, several times over...
"Blagojevich: "They’re just hanging me. They’re hanging the 12 million people of Illinois who twice have elected a governor.""
No, they're "hanging" the idiot who thought he could get away with his schemes. Now, if you're so benighted as to think that corruption and open bribery solicitation was what the voters' wanted, Mr. Governor, then feel free and enjoy your delusions. But the rest of us will understand that the impeachment is separate from the popular vote, and is being taken for acts that have nothing to do with democratic government but rather with violations of law.
Cripes... I hate it when self-centered idiots like Blago want to spin things like he has. As if any voter in their right mind would intentionally vote for corruption. The public's mandate did not cover bribery! Does he think we're so stupid that we'll actually buy his line of reasoning?
Blago's fellow pols may be playing a dangerous game. Once Blago has nothing to lose he may take down every one he can in a plea bargain on the federal charges and for spite.
I'm taking the Blago side on this one. He should have the same right to call and examine witnesses, the same discovery, etc. as anyone else charged with an offense.
It's going to be a really fun show.
Lawmakers say they sought guidance from the impeachment trials of President Bill Clinton in 1999
The Clinton impeachment trial was a joke and a sham, and purposely so. Idiots like Trent Lott didn't want to deal with it, period, and they were determined not to address the matter seriously, so they intentionally devised procedures that were not anything like a trial.
As for Blagojevitch -- no, it will not be a fair trial. It will not be a trial at all.
You know, I've not seen nor heard even a sliver of evidence against Blagojevitch. There has not been presented even the slightest bit of actual proof. There has only been the allegations of a prosecutor who has a history of overzealousness and prosecutorial abuse.
Meanwhile, we all have abundant and conclusive proof of the wrongful and unlawful acts of a tyrannical Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, and his gang, acts of unlawful power grabs witnessed before our own eyes. And now we are witnessing another group of politicians, the Illinois legislature, who believe that the law does not apply to them, that they can simply do whatever they damn well please, with all concepts of fairness, justice, and the rule of law being thrown out the window.
In short, even if he is guilty, it appears that Blagojevitch is the only one that will not be allowed to get away with it. They're all guilty, but only he will pay.
Play the tape. Have him refute it. If this works like Clinton's impeachment, then the crime is what the Senate says it is.
"In short, even if he is guilty, it appears that Blagojevitch is the only one that will not be allowed to get away with it. They're all guilty, but only he will pay."
Well......ok. Clearly the attention should be focused on making the others pay, not doing a catch and release because everybody does it.
"Blagojevich: "They’re just hanging me. They’re hanging the 12 million people of Illinois who twice have elected a governor.""
He's from Illinois. So why is he trying to get Ohio on his side with those coded comments?
Interesting that they bring up Evan Mecham of Arizona. I lived there during his election and impeachment. The man was a complete asshole and guilty as hell, but the impeachment proceedings were a farce and a travesty of justice. People in power wanted him gone and made him gone, fairness and objectivity be damned.
I think the same will happen to Blagovich. I wouldn't trust this guy with a penny, but I also know his impeachment trial is going to be a show trial of the worse sort.
What I find interesting about this is that the same people who complain about the "show trials" of the Gitmo prisoners are the ones who want to hand Blago out to dry. The Gitmo people are entitled to all our civil trial rights but Blago is not. Double standard, anyone?
What I find interesting about this is that the same people who complain about the "show trials" of the Gitmo prisoners are the ones who want to hand Blago out to dry. The Gitmo people are entitled to all our civil trial rights but Blago is not. Double standard, anyone?
Dick,
This is a political action, not a legal action.
Trying to sell the Senate seat was the final straw. If you read the House's impeachment document you'll see that there were many legitimate reasons to impeach Blago and to remove him from office.
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