what did rob blagojevich do to violate the trust of the people
Ill. House Votes To Impeach Blagojevich The Illinois Business firm has voted 114-1 to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The activity sets up a country Senate trial to determine whether Blagojevich, the kickoff Illinois governor to be impeached, should be thrown out of office for abuse of power.
Ill. Firm Votes To Impeach Blagojevich
Ill. House Votes To Impeach Blagojevich
The Illinois House has voted 114-1 to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The activeness sets upwardly a land Senate trial to decide whether Blagojevich, the outset Illinois governor to be impeached, should exist thrown out of function for abuse of power.
MICHELE NORRIS, host:
This is All Things Considered from NPR News. I'm Michele Norris.
MELISSA Block, host:
And I'chiliad Melissa Cake. In Illinois today, lawmakers impeached the Governor Rod Blagojevich. The celebrated vote was nearly unanimous. The Democratic governor was arrested last month on political corruption charges, including allegations that he tried to sale off the country's vacant U.S. Senate seat for personal gain. The governor volition at present exist tried by the Illinois Country Senate; if convicted, he will be removed from office. Again, this afternoon, Blagojevich insisted he has done nothing incorrect. NPR's David Schaper reports from the state capital, Springfield.
DAVID SCHAPER: In a state notorious for its political corruption, with one old governor currently sitting in federal prison, this is the kickoff time in Illinois history land lawmakers voted to impeach a sitting governor.
State Representative MICHAEL MADIGAN (Democrat, Chicago, Illinois; Speaker of the State House): On this question there are 114 people voting yep, one person voting no. The House does prefer House Resolution 1671, and Governor Blagojevich is hereby impeached.
SCHAPER: Earlier the vote announced by House Speaker Michael Madigan, lawmakers said Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich has betrayed the public trust and violated his oath of office. The article of impeachment canonical by the House isn't express to the federal criminal charges that alleged Blagojevich endeavour to sell or merchandise official duties of his part. Chicago Democrat Barbara Flynn Currie, who chaired a special commission to make the case for impeachment, says Blagojevich is not fit to govern.
State Representative BARBARA FLYNN CURRIE (Democrat, Chicago, Illinois; State House Bulk Leader): The bear witness we gathered makes it clear that this governor tramples on the legislative prerogative. He breaks state and federal laws. In his ain words, he expresses a willingness to barter state official acts and land taxpayer money for personal and political gain.
SCHAPER: While many legislators rose to declare this a distressing day for Illinois, Republican Minority Leader Tom Cross told his colleagues they shouldn't only exist disappointed.
State Representative TOM CROSS (Republican, Plainfield, Illinois): When we get the laughing stock of the state, and in fact the world, and people joke nigh the state of Illinois on "Saturday Night Live" or on late-dark TV, I'g not lamentable; I'g not disappointed. I'm mad; I'm angry. This is an embarrassment.
SCHAPER: And Democrat Jack Franks calls his vote to impeach Blagojevich his proudest moment equally a legislator, because he says lawmakers are finally continuing up to greed and graft in Illinois politics.
Country Representative JACK FRANKS (Democrat, Woodstock, Illinois): It's our duty to make clean up the mess and to stop the freak show which has get the Illinois regime.
SCHAPER: But as angry every bit state lawmakers are with the governor, Blagojevich appears just equally angry with them, and he tried to plough the tables in an afternoon news conference in Chicago. He surrounded himself with some of the families the governor says he is trying to serve with the programs House lawmakers accused him of creating illegally.
(Soundbite of press conference)
Governor ROD BLAGOJEVICH (Democrat, Illinois): I took actions with the advice of lawyers and experts to find ways, creative ways, to use the executive potency of a governor to become real things done for people who rely on us, and in many cases, the things nosotros did for people have literally saved lives. I don't believe those are impeachable offenses.
SCHAPER: Blagojevich reasserted his innocence, saying he'south confident he volition exist exonerated both in the impeachment trial that will have place in the Illinois Senate peradventure afterwards this month and in the criminal case that has made headlines around the world. On some other front end, the Illinois Supreme Court today ruled in that location is no law that requires Illinois Secretary of State Jessie White to certify Blagojevich's appointment of Roland Burris to the U.Due south. Senate and that that engagement is legal. Burris says the ruling means he has at present met all of the Senate's conditions, and he expects to be seated soon. David Schaper, NPR News in Springfield, Illinois.
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Illinois House Votes To Impeach Governor
Speaker Michael Madigan presides over the Illinois House of Representatives as lawmakers discuss a resolution to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Scott Olson/Getty Images hide caption
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Scott Olson/Getty Images
Speaker Michael Madigan presides over the Illinois House of Representatives as lawmakers discuss a resolution to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
The Illinois Business firm voted Friday to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich, making him the commencement master executive in the land's history to face the ignominy of a trial before the state Senate.
Blagojevich, who is looking at criminal abuse charges for allegedly using his office in a scheme that included trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat to the highest bidder, was impeached past a 114-1 vote. The conclusion came exactly ane month later federal prosecutors unveiled corruption charges against the governor.
Blagojevich has denied the criminal charges. He criticized the House impeachment process equally biased and said a Senate trial would produce a unlike result.
At a brief advent before reporters Friday, Blagojevich characterized the impeachment as a political vendetta executed against him by the House.
"The House'south activity today and the causes of the impeachment are considering I've done things to fight for families that are with me here today," said Blagojevich, flanked by people he said represented the issues facing Illinois. He did non take questions from reporters.
The governor said he would exist "properly exonerated."
Democratic Rep. Jack Franks was 1 of many who urged his colleagues to vote in favor of impeachment. Franks called his role in the process his proudest moment as a legislator.
"It's our duty to clean upwards the mess and to stop the freak show that has become Illinois government," he said.
Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9 on federal charges that he schemed to profit from his position as governor. The criminal complaint included an FBI agent'southward sworn affidavit describing wiretaps that defenseless Blagojevich allegedly talking nearly what he could get in commutation for appointing someone to Obama's seat.
A Business firm commission on Thursday had unanimously recommended impeachment. The vote was based in role on the criminal charges merely also other allegations equally well — that Blagojevich expanded a health care program without proper authority, that he circumvented hiring laws to give jobs to political allies and that he spent millions of dollars on strange flu vaccine that he knew wasn't needed and couldn't be brought into the country.
Democratic Rep. Suzanna Mendoza said Blagojevich's legacy would exist "cloaked in shame and darkness."
"It's been an ugly and shameful spectacle," she said.
The commission'south written report said citizens of Illinois "must take conviction that their governor will faithfully serve the people and put their interests before his own. It is with profound regret that the committee finds that our current governor has not done so."
Blagojevich chose non to testify before the Firm panel that recommended his impeachment. "His silence in this cracking thing is deafening," said House Democratic Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie.
From NPR staff and wire reports
Source: https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99175046
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