Legal Commentary

Blago Impeached

By Big Tent Democrat

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was impeached today by the Illinois House of Representatives. The vote was 114-1 with one voting present. His impeachment has been referred to the Illinois Senate for trial on removal of Blagojevich from office.

Among the charges brought against Blagojevich was of trying to sell the appointment to the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama and for which Blagojevich has named Roland Burris, whose testimony before the Illinois House Impeachment Committee raised questions regarding his contacts with Blagojevich: [More...]

Appearing before an Illinois House impeachment committee, Burris acknowledged that he had reached out to a close friend and former chief of staff to embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich to discuss the Senate seat. That appears to contradict Burris' statement in a sworn affidavit that he had no contact with any of the governor's "representatives." The former chief of staff, Alonzo Monk, is named as "Lobbyist 1" in the criminal complaint, and ran Blagojevich's most recent reelection campaign.

. . . In a sworn affidavit filed January 5, Burris stated that before he was asked by Blagojevich staff if he was interested in the Senate position, "there was not any contact between myself or any of my representatives with Governor Blagojevich or any of his representatives regarding my appointment to the United States Senate."

The other part that I find strange is this:

Burris emphasiz[ed] that he did not talk to Monk or anyone else on the governor's staff after Blagojevich's arrest.

This seems incredible and even weird. Clearly some type of conversation must have taken place between Blago and Burris - he offered him the Senate post after all. If this means he never spoke to Blago or his reps UNTIL the moment he received a call from Blagojevich, what does that tell you about the process?

It's a done deal now, but Reid blew this not by opposing a Blago appointment, but by capitulating to a Blago appointment.

Speaking for me only

Update (TL): You can find the links to the House Committee report recommending impeachment here.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on January 09, 2009 (boomark / email).