Blago Impeached, What happens to Burris Now?

[Charlie P]

Illinois House impeaches Gov. Blagojevich
Governor compares situation to l'oneliness of the long-distance runner'[/align]
BREAKING NEWS[/align]The Associated Press[/align]updated 12:34 p.m. ET, Fri., Jan. 9, 2009[/align]
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[/align]SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The Illinois House voted overwhelmingly Friday to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich, an unprecedented action that sets up a Senate trial on whether he should be thrown out for abuse of power, including allegations that he tried to sell President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat.
Impeachment required just 60 votes. The final result was 114-1.
Legislators accused the second-term Democratic governor of letting down the people of Illinois by letting ego and ambition drive his decisions.
"It's our duty to clean up the mess and stop the freak show that's become Illinois government," said Rep. Jack D. Franks, a Democrat.
Blagojevich was out jogging in his Chicago neighborhood when the vote came down. His office declined to comment, but said he would issue a statement Friday afternoon. The Associated Press reports the governor compares his impeachment situation to the "loneliness of the long-distance runner."
During the House's 90-minute debate on impeachment, no one spoke up to defend the governor. But Rep. Milton Patterson, a Chicago Democrat, made the sole vote against impeaching Blagojevich.
Patterson said he read the impeachment committee's report and wasn't comfortable voting against the governor. "I have no firsthand knowledge of any of the evidence," he said.
"I went by my own gut feeling, it's as simple as that," he said. "I read the report. If the government is going to indict him, let them go ahead and do that. That's their job and I'm doing my job."
Rep. Elga Jefferies, another Chicago Democrat, voted "present."
Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9 on federal charges that include allegations he schemed to profit from his power to name Obama's replacement in the Senate. The criminal complaint included an FBI agent's sworn affidavit describing wiretaps that caught Blagojevich allegedly talking about what he could get for the seat, how to pressure people into making campaign contributions and more.

That arrest triggered impeachment hearings by a special House committee.
The committee on Thursday unanimously recommended impeachment based on the criminal charges but other allegations as well "” that Blagojevich expanded a health care program without proper authority, that he circumvented hiring laws to give jobs to political allies, that he spent millions of dollars on foreign flu vaccine that he knew wasn't needed and couldn't be brought into the country.
"The citizens of this state must have confidence that their governor will faithfully serve the people and put their interests before his own," the committee's report said. "It is with profound regret that the committee finds that our current governor has not done so."

Blagojevich has denied the criminal charges. He criticized the House impeachment process as biased and said a Senate trial would produce a different result.
But he didn't testify before the House impeachment committee and hasn't offered an explanation for the federal charges.
"His silence in this great matter is deafening," said House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, a Chicago Democrat.

[Fieldmouse]

Nothing, he's the junior Senator and there is nothing anyone except for him can do about it.

[sachiko]

Blago still has to be tried by the Illinois Senate. If they convict him, he will be removed from office. But I don't think that will nullify any of his official acts done before he was removed.

Anyway, it looks like folks are seeing Burris as a good guy and I don't think there is going to be any movement to overturn the appointment even if they could.

[Lanse couche couche]

I love the way that Blago keeps coming up with these cliches to characterize his situation. Sounds like something out of a Harlequin novel or something. Would be nice to hear someone in a situation like that just come out and say, "I screwed up bad and got caught and now I have to pay the piper."

[Korak]

ORIGINAL: Lanse couche couche

I love the way that Blago keeps coming up with these cliches to characterize his situation. Sounds like something out of a Harlequin novel or something. Would be nice to hear someone in a situation like that just come out and say, "I screwed up bad and got caught and now I have to pay the piper."

It WOULD be refreshing for someone to do that but I just don't think it's ever gonna happen,I could be wrong but............I doubt it.

[buttonbuckmaster]

Watch for the name Kurt Granberg to come up soon.

[Alsatian]

ORIGINAL: Lanse couche couche

I love the way that Blago keeps coming up with these cliches to characterize his situation. Sounds like something out of a Harlequin novel or something. Would be nice to hear someone in a situation like that just come out and say, "I screwed up bad and got caught and now I have to pay the piper."

I don't know what Blago is saying. It is worth observing, however, that he who controls the language of public discourse . . . controls. While this phenomenon can be employed by cads and heels for nefarious purposes(read Blagojivitch), all of us need to know this and take pains to control the terms of discourse. Does a doctor spank a new born or does he administer a self-breathing trigger impulse to the baby's derriere?

This reminds me of Dennis Hoffman in Tootsie. As the fake woman Tootsie, Hoffman hears the nubile blonde say she just wishes a man would be frank and just say he would like to drop the games and role plaing and just say he would like to make lover to her. When Hoffman, out of the role as the fake woman Tootsie and being himself plays this script back to the nubile blonde, the reward for his boldness is a face full of Chardonnay. It is impracticable to speak frankly in adult life, and woe betide he who boldly chooses to speak frankly.

Not that I don't appreciate your comments and feel the same way. I would like to see a jerk just once drop the mask and admit they are a jerk.

[Lanse couche couche]

Would be nice if there was someone there to throw a glass of Chardonnay in his face every time he triesinsincere eloquence. Would take a lot of Chard, though.