‘The ordeal is over’: Senate votes 59-0 to remove Blagojevich

Friday, January 30, 2009 3:35 PM CST
By Kurt Erickson and Jason Nevel
kurt.erickson@lee.net | jason.nevel@lee.net

SPRINGFIELD — Illinoisans sat down to supper Thursday evening with a new governor at the helm of state government.

In an unprecedented but not unexpected move, the Illinois Senate voted 59-0 Thursday to strip Rod Blagojevich of his powers as chief executive. They also voted unanimously to ban a man with presidential ambitions from holding public office in the future.

The 4:50 p.m. vote automatically elevated Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn to the state’s top office, making him the state’s 41st governor. He will serve out the remaining two years of Blagojevich’s second term.

“The ordeal is over,” Quinn said.

The dramatic transfer of power could signal a new era in the Democrat-controlled Statehouse, which has been mired in gridlock for more than a year because of conflicts between the legislative and executive branches.

“We must lift this heavy, dark cloud over our state. The only way this cloud can be gone is when Gov. Blagojevich is no longer the governor,” said state Sen. Dan Rutherford, R-Chenoa.

Blagojevich, accused of abusing his power, was not in the Capitol to hear the bell toll on his political career. He appeared in the Senate earlier in the day and delivered a 50-minute speech, saying the allegations against him didn’t merit his ouster.

“I never, ever intended to violate any law,” said Blagojevich, who ran for the office in 2002 on the promise of fighting the kind of corruption that sent his predecessor, Republican George Ryan, to prison.

Blagojevich, 52, became the first Illinois governor to be booted out of office. Although he’d had a troubled relationship with lawmakers for years, his problems snowballed Dec. 9 when he was arrested at his Chicago home on federal corruption charges.

He was in Chicago when the vote was taken, choosing to fly in and out of Springfield on Thursday — a practice he often was criticized about.

Blagojevich had shunned the impeachment proceedings, instead taking to the airwaves earlier this week for a marathon series of television interviews in the national media in hopes of showing the trial rules were unfair.

Impeachment prosecutor David Ellis called those claims unfounded and told senators to focus instead on Blagojevich’s alleged attempt to sell the state’s then-vacant U.S. Senate seat.

“It’s an f-ing valuable thing,” Ellis said, quoting the governor as alleged by federal prosecutors.

Senators said they convicted Blagojevich because of the criminal proceedings under way against him and his failure to abide by the rules and laws of the state.

“He’s trampled on our constitution with his behavior,” said state Sen. Tim Bivins, R-Dixon.

State Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, called Blagojevich a “devious, cynical, crass and corrupt politician.”

State Sen. Frank Watson, R-Greenville, said Blagojevich would have been better served if his aides had sometimes told him “no.”

“Who was there to say, ‘Whoa, wait a minute,’” Watson said.

State Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline, had expressed some doubt about the evidence in the early going of the trial. But he joined his colleagues in voting to get rid of the governor.

“The one thing that made me vote ‘yes’ was that the governor was not to be trusted and didn’t seem to be able to move Illinois forward,” Jacobs said.

State Sen. Bill Brady, a potential candidate for governor, said Blagojevich’s ouster is yet another sign that corruption remains a problem in Illinois.

“Although we’re closing this chapter today, our work is not done,” said Brady, R-Bloomington.

Blagojevich acknowledged he’d had a rocky relationship with the Legislature.

“I know sometimes I push too much and prod too much. I confess, maybe I fight too much,” Blagojevich said.

But, he said his efforts were aimed at helping people.

“I believe in all of the evidence that has been presented to you … you haven’t proved a crime. How can you throw a governor out of office with insufficient and incomplete evidence?” Blagojevich said.

Senators said Blagojevich’s speech was masterful, but it didn’t alter the outcome.

“Obviously he’s somewhat disillusioned,” Brady said.

“Much like his entertainment hero Elvis Presley, this governor puts on a good show,” said Righter.

Quinn, a 60-year-old attorney, said he’s ready to assume the duties of governor. Along with serving as lieutenant governor for six years under Blagojevich, the Chicago Democrat was state treasurer from 1991 to 1995.

Quinn takes over at a time when the state faces a massive backlog of bills, as well as a slew of policies and initiatives imposed by Blagojevich, but reviled by lawmakers.

Analysts say he will have his work cut out for him.

“You can’t overstate the problems we have,” said University of Illinois-Springfield political scientist Kent Redfield. “It’s a terrible time to become governor.”

Copyright © 2009, Pantagraph Publishing Co. All rights reserved.

Our work is not done.

Today was a critical and historic first step toward returning trust, integrity and honor to Illinois.  But our work has just begun.  We must begin rebuilding today, working together with new leadership to repair the harm that has been done to our state and our citizens.

I was pleased to be in the House chambers this evening and be part of Governor Quinn’s inauguration.  I’m certainly hopeful that Governor Quinn takes the charge to move our state in the right direction.
There are serious issues facing the State of Illinois.

One of the first hopes I have is that he will clearly lay out that he will not raise taxes on Illinois families and businesses.  During these difficult economic times the last thing we can afford in the State of Illinois is, if not the fear of a tax increase, an actual tax increase.  Laying this out I think will lay the groundwork for rebuilding Illinois’ economy and helping create an environment for business to want to make an investment in our state.

I also hope he works to trim state spending.  We have had a governor who has balanced the State of Illinois budget with a credit card.  We can no longer afford that.  We have to shore up the systemic problems of state spending and create an environment that the people of Illinois know they can trust.

My Remarks on the Senate Floor to the Impeachment Tribunal, January 29, 2009

“Today we have an opportunity to close a sad chapter in the history book of Illinois.  Today we cannot help but feel embarrassed.  We cannot also help but feel a little sense of pride in this great state, the land which several decades ago brought us a great president, the land which several terms ago brought us another great president, the land which several years ago convicted a former governor, the land which just a week ago inaugurated another president from Illinois, and a land which over the last several hours these past few days will convict and remove a governor from office.

Cycles are a part of life.  Some of them we cannot avoid, others we can.  Corruption in this state is a cycle that we must learn to avoid.  Testimony we have heard today and over the last several days, whether   you be someone who questioned the ethics of this administration, or someone who went along, must indicate to us that things have to change.

Although we’re closing this chapter today, our work is not done.  We know from the evidence we heard that corruption still exists in Illinois and there are people in the state who also need to be removed from their responsibilities.  We know we need whistleblower laws and that we need to increase the standard in this state so that nobody, no legislative body, has to be embarrassed the way we were embarrassed today.

Illinois is a state of great opportunity, and we have given great things to this country and this world.  We need to go back to those reputations.  We will, I believe, do the right thing today.  But our work is not over.  We must work to preserve the integrity of this great state.”

A New Beginning

On Wednesday, I was honored to be sworn in for another term as a state senator representing the people of the 44th District.  With my wife Nancy at my side, I proudly took my oath of office to support the Constitution of the State of Illinois and work for the people of Illinois.

With the outlook of a more civil and cooperative spirit in the Senate with the election of Senator John Cullerton as Senate President, I believe we can accomplish much for the people of Illinois.  But I will stand against proposals to raise taxes or impose other burdens on the citizens of Illinois who today are fearful of the fallouts of a nationwide economic crisis not seen in generations.

It is time for a new beginning in Illinois.  We face serious challenges in resolving a budget deficit, providing an economic climate that supports the creation of jobs, and in restoring the shaken faith of the citizens of Illinois in their government.

Minutes after the swearing-in ceremony, the Senate took up the necessary organizational matters to begin the impeachment trial of Governor Blagojevich.  Many commented that it was the most somber moment they had seen inside the Senate chambers.  I agree, because my colleagues and I who took oaths to serve as jurors take very seriously the responsibility that has been given us.

It was a surreal experience to see a cartful of evidence from the special House investigating committee wheeled into the Senate chambers.  It was also a sobering experience as we were called to answer individually that we understood our grave responsibilities as members of a jury in the impeachment trial.

This is a serious and unfortunate time in Illinois.   We will determine for the first time in the 190-year history of our great state whether to remove a governor from office.  My responsibilities are like those of anyone who sits on jury in any community of this state, and that is the reason I have been unusually quiet on the matter of impeachment.   As a member of the jury, I am duty-bound to consider the evidence before rendering a verdict.  I am honor-bound to refrain from commenting on details of the impeachment charges and the evidence.

Because I have been sworn as a juror to consider the charges against the Governor, I am delaying any formal announcement of my personal political plans until the trial has ended.  My resolve is unwavering, my goal to provide new leadership for our state unchanged.  Many of you know that we had laid the foundation for an announcement in late January, but I believe this unprecedented chapter must be concluded before I make that announcement.  At this time, public responsibilities must come before personal ambitions.

Impeachment is another sad chapter in Illinois history.  Yet I have faith that Illinois will rebound from it, as Illinois always has responded to daunting challenges, and be stronger for it.

Senators aware of gravity of governor’s impeachment trial

By Adriana Colindres
GateHouse News Service
Posted Jan 12, 2009 @ 07:27 PM

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — As the Illinois Senate prepares to conduct an impeachment trial that could remove Gov. Rod Blagojevich from office, central Illinois-area senators say they’re very aware of the gravity of the task awaiting them.

At the end of the trial, each of the Senate’s 59 members will have to decide whether to convict the two-term Democratic governor. If 40 or more senators vote to convict, Blagojevich will be forced out of his job.

“It’s embarrassing for all of Illinois,” said Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington. “I can’t imagine anybody gleefully looking at this as anything but an embarrassment and a very serious and somber occasion.”

Sen. John Sullivan, D-Rushville, added: “Nobody’s very excited about doing it, obviously. But we certainly understand the importance of it and the seriousness of it, and we want to try to do it right.”

Brady acknowledged that Blagojevich isn’t very popular right now, but that shouldn’t matter.

“I hope that popularity doesn’t weigh into anyone’s mind,” he said. “I believe that the framers of the (Illinois) Constitution didn’t think this should have to do with popularity, but with whether you abused your office.

“My decision will be based on how I interpret the Constitution and the evidence that’s presented by the House.”

The Illinois House of Representatives voted for Blagojevich’s impeachment Friday. The next step is the impeachment trial, scheduled to begin Jan. 26. The Senate has set aside nine trial days so far and will add more as needed.

Brady and Sullivan, like other senators contacted Monday, wouldn’t say if they were leaning one way or the other on whether to convict Blagojevich.

Sen. Dale Risinger, R-Peoria, said that’s because he wants to be fair to the governor.

“My neighbors and different people talk to me about it,” Risinger said. “They don’t quite understand the process. They think we should have gotten rid of him as soon as he got arrested. Well, that doesn’t give you due process, and that would not have been right.”

Senators recognize they’re blazing a trail for any future versions of the General Assembly that decide to impeach an elected official.

“So we do want to try to go through this in a calculated, step-by-step process and not just jump in and … try to get it over with as quickly as possible,” Sullivan said. “Yes, we’d like to get it over with, but we don’t want to rush into it.”

Sen. Gary Dahl, R-Granville, said the impeachment process marks a “sad day for Illinois,” but it’s something that must be done.

“I don’t like being in this position,” he said. “People say, well, you’re going to be part of history. You know what? I’d rather not. We’re not only part of history here, we’re the laughingstock of the country.”

Adriana Colindres can be reached at (217) 782-6292 or adriana.colindres@sj-r.com.

________________________________________
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GOP: Spectacle was unnecessary

By Jason Nevel, The Southern Springfield Bureau
January 8, 2009

SPRINGFIELD – The spectacle of Roland Burris being barred from joining the U.S. Senate could have been avoided, Illinois Republicans said Wednesday after Democratic leaders balked at seating the former Illinois attorney general until the Illinois Supreme Court rules on a procedural matter.

State Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, said the Democratic actions Wednesday reinforce the claim Illinois Republicans were making all along: Illinois should have had a special election to fill President-elect Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat.

“It’s not about Roland Burris,” Brady said. “It’s not about anything other than a scandalous party whose governor has been arrested and continues to give him the power to make this appointment.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Wednesday the Senate will wait and see whether the signature of Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, which White has withheld, is needed for Burris to take the seat. The state high court’s decision could be made by the end of the week.

White told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he is being unfairly blamed by the Senate and his signature is “mostly ceremonial.”

Burris was appointed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich in the midst of scandal surrounding the embattled governor. The 71-year old Democrat was denied a seat by the U.S. Senate on Tuesday but appears to be inching closer to becoming Illinois’ junior senator.

State Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, said he thought Burris would only fill the remaining two years of Obama’s Senate term. He added that everything happening in Washington this week was purely political.
“The political side of it changed and there was a lot of criticism from minority groups and criticism from some senators,” Luechtefeld said.

Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna said a special election would eliminate reservations people might have about a senator appointed by Blagojevich.

“When people hear suggestions of backroom deals, they wonder what is happening,” McKenna said. “We’re saying take all of that away and go to a special election.”

Burris denied there was talk from Democratic leaders on a commitment not to run for a full term in 2010 in exchange for his seating this year.

Prison closure hearing on hold indefinitely

By DAVID MERCER | Monday, January 05, 2009

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – A hearing in a lawsuit that seeks to stop the state from closing the Pontiac Correctional Center has been delayed indefinitely but the central Illinois prison could remain open for some time.

A hearing scheduled for Monday was pointless because an injunction issued in another lawsuit over the plan to close Pontiac is keeping the prison open, said spokesmen for the Illinois Department of Corrections and the union that represents prison workers.

“We are at a standstill,” said Department of Corrections spokesman Derek Schnapp. “I can’t predict on the future as we negotiate with the union.”

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees has filed three lawsuits over the plan to close Pontiac.

The two sides will next try to agree on an arbitrator to consider union grievances, said AFSCME spokesman Anders Lindall.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich targeted the prison in Pontiac, which is about 40 miles northeast of Bloomington, last year and had planned to close it last December. The injunction kept the prison open.

The state would save about $4 million a year by closing Pontiac and moving its roughly 1,600 inmates to a newer, largely empty lockup in Thomson in western Illinois, the Blagojevich administration says.

Local leaders and Pontiac-area politicians say the governor used the prison plan to get even with area Republicans who backed a recall measure aimed at him.

One of those Republicans says that the governor’s arrest on federal corruption charges and the possibility that he will be impeached appear to be helping keep the prison open, too.

Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington sees no signs that anyone from the governor’s office is working on the prison’s closure.

“I think they’re probably focused on other areas and this is just sitting by the wayside,” he said. “It’s government on autopilot right now.”

Brady said Blagojevich should reverse course on the prison, but the senator doesn’t expect that to happen.

A spokesman for Blagojevich didn’t immediately return a call Monday from The Associated Press. But the governor and his spokesmen have insisted that he continues to work on state issues such as the budget as his legal fight gears up.

© Copyright 2009, The Quad-City Times, Davenport, IA