* 4:44 pm - Let’s start a fresh impeachment thread. The other one was getting too long. The committee is back in session now. Here are a few news updates…
* Burris denies any improper deals for Senate seat
*** RACIAL PUSHBACK *** Well, this is interesting. There’s some pushback on the African-American play by Gov. Blagojevich. Exhibit 70 is written testimony by a former IDOT employee who said she tried to investigate allegations that job applicants were being coached on their employment test. The alleged idea was to get around minority hiring laws. When the employee investigated, she was fired.
*** GENSON/ADAM LEAVE *** Sam Adam and Ed Genson have left the room and won’t be coming back. Rep. Bill Black is now asking whether he can be sworn in to testify before the committee. The view was that Adam was one of the governor’s defense attorneys, but Ed Genson said that was not true and told the committee not to expect any testimony from Adam.
* The committee is now debating the impeachment report. Not sure how long it will be before we get a vote.
* Process debate on why the report was released this morning at 9. Rep. Currie said she was trying for transparency.
*** ROLL CALL *** Beginning now. Each member will have a couple of minutes to explain their votes.
* GOP Rep. Bost points out that all but about three charges in the impeachment report predate his call for Blagojevich’s impeachment in July of 2007, when he was scolded for speaking out. Good point.
* Rep. Mary Flowers: Governor should have stepped aside so we weren’t made the laughing stock of the country.
*** NEW POLL *** I told subscribers about this poll today. There’s a lot more to it than what’s in this story, but it’s a start…
[The Glengariff Group] poll indicates that 52 percent of Illinois voters oppose the [Burris] appointment. Only 32 percent support it and only 21 percent approve of the governor’s decision to exercise his appointment power, while 72 per cent want a special election or an appointment by Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn to fill the Senate seat.
* I never thought having Burris testify was a good idea and I told a GOP member of the committee just that the other day. Burris has the right to crow a little…
Roland Burris, Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s choice as the next U.S. senator from Illinois, says he “passed the test with flying colors” when he appeared today in front of a legislative committee investigating whether to impeach the governor. […]
“I have nothing to hide,” Burris said at a State Capitol news conference immediately after he finished answering questions from committee members. “I am a hard-working public servant.”
The Lon Monk meeting is quite curious, and he should’ve been asked about it far more than he was, but nobody thought to do it. Maybe the papers will pick it up. If not, this was a very good day for Burris.
*** 21 YES, 0 NO, 0 PRESENT. MOTION IS ADOPTED TO SEND THE IMPEACHMENT REPORT TO THE HOUSE *** Committee adjourns.
* It’s time for a little tune. Hit the play button…
*** IMPEACHMENT RESOLUTION MOVED TO HOUSE FLOOR *** With a hat tip to a commenter, the House has filed its impeachment resolution, HR 1671, and the Rules Committee has already sent it to the floor.
When asked “Should the General Assembly remove Gov. Blagojevich?” – 78 percent said “yes”; 12 percent said “no.” […]
Voters were divided along racial lines when asked if they support the embattled governor’s appointment of Roland Burris to the U.S. Senate.
Among all voters, only 32 percent expressed support. Among white voters the margin was just 26 percent. Among African-American voters, 67 percent, or two-thirds, supported Burris’ appointment.
Still, 46 percent of African Americans supported impeaching Blagojevich; 28 percent of black voters favored keeping him as governor.
* 2:52 pm - OK, campers, Roland Burris’ testimony should begin soon. Listen or watch here or click here to watch CBS2’s live feed, or check CNN or the Tribune, etc.
* 3:04 pm - Rollcall
* It’s not up yet, but exhibit 68 will have some details about the governor’s campaign finances since July 1. You’ll eventually be able to find it here.
* Roland Burris is now being given the oath.
* Republican Spokesperson Jim Durkin asked Burris about his thoughts after Blagojevich’s arrest. Burris said “surprised,” and Rep. John Fritchey objected to the line of questioning, saying it seemed irrelevant. “Our role… is to investigate Rod Blagojevich and not Roland Burris.”
* Durkin: Have you read the criminal complaint? Burris: No.
* Durkin: When did you first become interested in the vacant seat? Burris: After Obama won the Democratic primary for president.
Burris said he brought up the vacancy in July of last year with Lon Monk, during a meeting where Burris was trying to get state business. That would be new info, and not so great for Burris. Monk’s cellphone was tapped by the feds and he was this/close to the guv.
[Uh-oh, my site seems to be slowing down. Traffic anyone?]
* Burris says that as of today he’s not a registered lobbyist with the state, county, city, federal, etc.
Before Gov. Rod Blagojevich picked him to fill the state’s empty U.S. Senate seat, Roland Burris called a top Blagojevich staffer to recommend his nephew for a state job, a close Burris aide said today.
Fred Lebed, who runs a lobbying and consulting firm with Burris, said Burris called Blagojevich’s top financial officer John Filan on behalf of his nephew, Steven Burris, who had applied for a job as a chief financial officer with the Illinois Historical Preservation Agency.
* Burris is being pressed on the dollar level of state contracts received by his lobbying clients. Burris said he didn’t know, but his attorney said he would supply that information.
* Burris: Over an eight-year period of time made just over $11,2000 in campaign contributions to Blagojevich. Individually, he gave $4500. Durkin said, including the law firms, the total was far higher in the past six years.
* Burris seemed to have trouble remembering whom he lobbied for. He listed the mortgage brokers and tobacco interests and then drew a blank.
* Burris said he hasn’t contributed to the Blagojevich campaign since July of 2007. He said he didn’t know if his law firm contributed since he had no control over that. He said he did not bundle nor did he hold a fundraiser for Blagojevich. He attended one funder last year, and held a fundraiser for candidate Blagojevich in 2006.
* Durkin asked whether anyone from Blagojevich’s staff asked him to get involved in the 2002 primary race. Burris consulted with his attorney and said: “The answer is ‘No’ Rep. Durkin.”
* Now we’re getting to Telephone USA Investments, which gave a $1.2 million contribution (via a loan) to Burris in 2002. The only other individual to receive a contribution from the company was Rod Blagojevich in 2006. The idea here is to tie Burris closely to Blagojevich through this company. Burris said he didn’t know what the relationship the company’s owner has or had with Blagojevich.
* Durkin is being asked what, exactly, he’s getting at by Rep. Lou Lang. Durkin then asked Burris if he asked the company owner to contribute to Blagojevich. Burris said he didn’t. Durkin wants to know whether there’s conditions for repayment of the loan. The attorney objects, the chair asks Durkin to finish with the line of questioning.
* Durkin is now quoting from Burris’ claim last month that the governor was incapacitated. Burris said that if he was attorney general at the same time that Lisa Madigan was, he’d have taken the same action she took. “There’s an obligation… to make a determination as to whether or not the statute applied to the governor.”
Burris’ defense of that statement is that since the Supremes kicked out LMadigan’s motion, the governor is essentially not incapacitated.
* Durkin: Should the governor resign? Burris: I have no authority over the governor. That is his decision and he said he would not.
Do you support the impeachment efforts of this committee? I don’t know what the evidence is..
* When asked by Rep. Flowers whether there was any quid pro quo of any kind, Burris replied: “Absolutely, positively not.”
* So far, nothing has really come up except some allusions to other deals. If Durkin has evidence that contradicts Burris’ testimony, then there will be trouble. If Durkin has no such evidence, then these are just questions.
* Oy. Rep. Bill Black is popping off again. Black was asking questions about whether Burris agreed to any deal in Washington, DC about whether Burris would run again. Fritchey interrupted and wondered what, exactly, that has to do with Burris running in 2010 and Gov. Blagojevich.
* Burris denied knowing anything about how Mrs. Blagojevich got a job with the Chicago Christian Industrial League. Burris’ business partner, Fred Lebed, sits on the CCIL board of directors. Lebed has flatly denied that he played a role in the hiring, claiming that Gery Chico was the one who pushed CCIL on Mrs. Blagojevich’s behalf.
*** Ed Genson: Sam Adam, Jr. is not the governor’s criminal defense attorney and will not be. *** Interesting. Adam, of course, approached Burris on Blagojevich’s behalf.
* Burris said Adam did not discuss anything with him about the governor’s criminal case.
* Burris said he didn’t know all the ramifications of the governor being stripped of his federal security clearance, and that he would check with Sen. Durbin on what authority he had before acting.
* Burris: “The governor will have to deal with his problems that he has… but I will in no way be trying to interfere with any legitimate information being brought against the governor. That is not my purview.”
Burris further clarified the purpose of his meeting last year with Lon Monk: He said he was seeing if Monk had “excess clients in the lobbying business.”
* You gotta wonder what the Republicans thought they were gonna accomplish with this. So far, as I’ve noted above, they haven’t looked all that great.
*** Genson told the committee “Don’t count on Mr. Adam answering” questions about his role in the Burris recruitment.***
*** Burris has been excused. *** Burris: “God bless you all, happy new year.” 5 minute recess.
*** 2:09 PM *** If this doesn’t show you how things will go tomorrow in the House and eventually in the Senate, then nothing will…
Illinois state Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Collinsville - a close friend and the arguably top legislative ally to Gov. Rod Blagojevich - confirmed today that he intends to vote for an impeachment resolution expected Friday.
“I can’t imagine how he can provide the type of leadership that is necessary for us to address the issues” facing the state, Hoffman said in a conversation outside the House chambers this morning. “I’ll be voting tomorrow to move forward with the process and impeach the governor.”
Hoffman, a former Blagojevich roommate and unofficial advisor, has been a vehement supporter, at times shouting down House colleagues in heated floor debate as the only voice in defense of the Democratic governor.
Today, though, Hoffman spoke in somber tones, saying he is “disappointed” at the controversy that has engulfed Illinois since Blagojevich’s Dec. 9 arrest on federal corruption charges, and the resulting impeachment proceedings.
I’ve also been talking to some Senate Democrats off the record in the past few days, including African-American Dems. This thing is on a monorail.
*** 2:46 pm *** The House won’t get the surveillance tapes today. The Senate can always deal with this issue later, if necessary, which it isn’t. From Sun-Times reporter Natasha Korecki…
…a House panel will have to wait for tapes of the governor to be released as defense lawyers try to suppress the recordings. Lawyers will return to discuss the matter Jan. 23.
Gov. Blagojevich is asking a judge to kick U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald off of his corruption case, the governor’s lawyer said today.
Sheldon Sorosky said they’re seeking to have Fitzgerald removed because of remarks he made during a Dec. 9, 2008 news conference announcing charges against the governor.
Fitzgerald at the time called Blagojevich’s conduct — which included allegedly trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat — “appalling.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ed Chang called Blagojevich’s move “meritless.”
Gov. Blagojevich is asking a judge to kick U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald off of his corruption case, the governor’s lawyer said today.
Sheldon Sorosky said they’re seeking to have Fitzgerald removed because of remarks he made during a Dec. 9, 2008 news conference announcing charges against the governor.
Fitzgerald at the time called Blagojevich’s conduct — which included allegedly trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat — “appalling.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ed Chang called Blagojevich’s move “meritless.”
But when Arya’s run with Blagojevich came to an end, he had a story to tell — one of intense jealousies by the governor toward President-elect Barack Obama, House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) and others, a terrorized staff, and emotional instabilities that Arya said demonstrate the need for a psychological evaluation by the legislative panel weighing the governor’s impeachment.
More…
One of the “most disturbing” on-the-job actions by the governor Arya said he saw involved a letter sent to the governor from a Kentucky nurse with Downstate roots who was seeking an expungement so she could obtain an Illinois nursing license. The woman had improperly dispensed medication to a patient in Kentucky but was allowed to retain her license there and couldn’t get a license in Illinois, where she wanted to move to care for her dying father.
In her package to the governor was a letter from Sen. John Jones (R-Mt. Vernon), who had months earlier condemned the Blagojevich administration’s failure to meet with a developer who was considering building a motorcycle plant in his district but later opted instead to build it in Atlanta.
Arya described how Blagojevich came into his office, saw his former chief of staff John Harris reading Jones’ letter on behalf of the woman and took it from him to read. “After realizing it was written by a lawmaker that did not see eye to eye with the governor on some administration priorities, Rod took the letter and said, ‘F— him.’ Then (he) cast the letter aside toward the garbage can.
“That was it. Her life would remain on hold and would not even receive fair consideration simply because Rod had an issue with the senator,” Arya said.
More…
Looking back on his 23 months on the state payroll, which ended last October, Arya described Blagojevich as “a good father and a great guy to go to a ballgame with” but an ineffective, emotionally unstable chief executive.
“I would respectfully suggest this committee seek an independent psychological evaluation of the governor as part of this process,” Arya wrote to the impeachment panel. “I believe Rod, the committee and the people of this great state would benefit from such a move. It is clear to anyone who has been around him that there is ample cause for such an extraordinary request.”
* Andy McKenna, chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, had an op-ed in today’s Sun-Times…
Ever since political cartoonist Thomas Nast first featured it in 1870, the donkey has been the unofficial symbol of the Democratic Party. But for the Illinois Democratic Party, another animal has become far more appropriate: the chameleon. How else to describe a party that gave Rod Blagojevich its full-throated support as little as two years ago, despite well-known corruption investigations, but now is trying to convince the people of Illinois that they bear none of the responsibility for his misdeeds?
No Democrat better exemplifies his party’s transparent attempt to rewrite history than Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn.
Quinn built his reputation in Illinois as a crusader for the people, a virtuous reformer. He led the charge to create the Citizens Utility Board, and he was one of the first to call for the impeachment of George Ryan. But virtue untested is no virtue at all. And when Quinn’s virtue was tested, he couldn’t throw it away fast enough. He stopped being Pat Quinn, the reformer, and became Lt. Gov. Quinn, the Blagojevich lackey.
Quinn ran at Rod Blagojevich’s side, twice. He directly benefited from the same dirty campaign cash that Blagojevich is accused of illegally shaking down state contractors to obtain.
For six years, he said nothing about a governor who was clearly corrupt. When asked directly about Blagojevich and his crooked dealings, Quinn covered for him. When he was clutching at Blagojevich’s coattails for a second term in 2006, he said the governor was “a person who’s honest and one of integrity” and that “I have confidence the governor does the right thing all the time.”
But now that U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has confirmed what everyone in Illinois has known for six years, and Blagojevich has nothing left to offer him, Quinn has miraculously found his voice. He wants to be Pat Quinn, the reformer, again. He condemned Blagojevich in words that were as powerful as they were politically convenient. He made headlines by announcing a panel to recommend new reforms to clean up Illinois government.
* Kevin McDermott writes about how busy McKenna’s staff has been…
As the Burris story rolled out in Washington this morning, my email (and, I assume, that of other reporters covering Springfield) has been inundated by notes from Illinois Republican Party officials trying to keep alive the idea of a special election.
One note, from state party Chairman Andy McKenna, calls on Democratic Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn to “keep his promise” to seek a special election (in fact, that’s just one of numerous positions Quinn has taken on the issue) and warns that it’s his “first test of leadership.” Another note lists suggested questions for reporters to ask about whether some kind of improper deal was cut between Burris and Senate leaders.
Thoughts?
I forgot to post the Tribune’s editorial today, “Profiles in Cowardice.” It sorta fits in here, so go read it.
* 11:17 am - The House is going to caucus and adjourning until tomorrow morning at 9 o’clock. That’s when the impeachment debate and vote will take place.
The House impeachment committee will wrap things up today at 3 o’clock.
It’s almost over, folks. One more day.
By the way, tomorrow is Richard Nixon’s birthday. Appropriate.
Today is Elvis Presley’s birthday. Also appropriate.
* 12:19 pm - I should’ve mentioned this yesterday, but our beloved commenter “Bill” was at yesterday’s impeachment committee hearing.
*** 1:21 pm *** This isn’t unreasonable, but perhaps still a stretch…
Republican Representatives like Jim Durkin, who’s from Western Spring, says that objectivity has been undercut by making public the committee’s report recommending Blagojevich be impeached before a committee vote, likely this afternoon.
DURKIN: Something of this magnitude, which we’re investigating, I think it’s important for us to follow the protocol and procedure, which we set out from the first date.
A spokesman for House Democrats says they wanted to make sure members of the House, and the general public, had adequate time to review the report before the committee considered it.
The vote will be up or down on the report itself. You can’t vote up or down if there are no conclusions in the report. So, I get what Durkin’s saying, I just don’t completely agree with it.
*** 1:31 pm *** Thanks to a commenter, Secretary of State Jesse White has replied to Roland Burris’ reply to White’s reply to Burris’ original filing, which seeks to force White to co-sign the governor’s appointment. Got all that? Go here for it all.
Without going into too much detail because I’ve gotta get moving soon, White’s latest filing is pretty devastating to Burris’ case, at least in my own opinion. They’re trying as hard as they can to punt this thing to Harry Reid and his hapless group of DC Democrats, and they seem to be doing a pretty good job of it. We’ll just have to wait and see how, when or even if, the Supreme Court rules on the matter.
* Except for the very last sentence in this excerpt, I doubt much will come of Roland Burris’ testimony today…
Illinois Republicans are promising tough questions today for Senate-appointee Roland Burris on why he accepted a position offered by disgraced Gov. Rod Blagojevich and whether he promised the governor anything in return. […]
“I would like to specifically ask, under oath, if there was any quid pro quo for the appointment,” said Rep. Mike Bost, a Republican member of the Illinois House committee considering Blagojevich’s impeachment.
Lawmakers also plan to ask Burris about contributions to the governor’s campaign, how Blagojevich’s wife got a job with a group affiliated with Burris’ business partner and why the governor’s criminal lawyer approached Burris about the Senate instead of a staff member.
Burris didn’t need to offer anything in return for a Blagojevich appointment because the governor was so desperate to create a diversion that he’d appoint just about any African-American who accepted the appointment. Also, Burris’ magnificent ego overrode any reservations he may have had. I’ll let Pat Gauen underscore this point…
For Burris, a man of so many failed political aspirations, the Senate appointment was too much temptation to refuse. He doesn’t seem to grasp the dilemma, that what many people think disqualifies him for the job is his willingness to take the job.
The Sam Adam, Jr. thing will be interesting, however. We’ll see if Mr. Adam shows up today. He skipped yesterday’s hearing.
* More likely committee topics from the Sun-Times…
• $1.2 million in loans Burris, as a 2002 candidate for governor, received from a firm owned by Tinley Park broadcasting magnate Joseph Stroud. Burris closed out his campaign fund with no sign the loans were repaid to Stroud, who also donated $100,000 through the same company to Blagojevich in 2006.
• • $20,296 in cash and services that Burris, his lobbying firm and a law firm he’s associated with gave to Blagojevich’s campaign fund, and whether the donations might have swayed the governor.
• • Burris’ lobbying clients, who have given $107,690 to Blagojevich’s campaign and were under contract with the state for $3.09 million while Burris represented them.
• • A contract that Burris’ lobbying/consulting firm had with the state transportation department under Blagojevich — a deal that paid the firm $294,546.
• • $30,000 in lobbying payments to Burris that are linked to a $10 billion pension bond deal Blagojevich orchestrated in 2003.
• • The role one of Blagojevich’s criminal-defense lawyers, Sam Adam Jr., played in recruiting Burris.
• • Burris’ statement Wednesday that he “don’t have no money.” His state government pension is about $118,200 a year.
As a lifelong Chicagoan, I’m familiar with dirty politics and political drama.
But black leaders should have learned how to play this game without throwing black politicians like White under the bus.
Many of the activists who are agitating for Burris to be seated in the U.S. Senate should still remember the bitter battle that was waged between now-Chief Judge Timothy Evans and the late Eugene Sawyer, when Mayor Harold Washington suddenly died.
Although Sawyer prevailed in that fight, the seat was ultimately won by Mayor Daley in 1989, and a viable black challenger has yet to emerge.
Twenty years later, black leaders are making the same mistakes.
Blagojevich should not have been able to divert attention from his own scandal by pitting one black man against another.
[Secretary of State Jesse White], who was among the leaders calling for Blagojevich to stand down, didn’t have much of a choice in this one.
Cutting White some slack will go a long way toward making sure history doesn’t repeat itself.
* Related…
* Rush says ‘let’s all get along’: “Politics ain’t beanbag,” said Rush over the top of his Sean Jean glasses, which seem constantly to be sliding down to the end of his nose. “For those whose toes I might have stepped on, I ask for their understanding. Once Burris is sworn in, my motto is, ‘Let’s all get along.’ ”
* Burris practiced in political arts: A closer examination reveals a prototypical Illinois politician, who put a relative on the public payroll, steered legal business to political supporters and sought to trade on his ties when he became a lobbyist.
* 9:00 am -Click here to read the “Proposed Report of the Special Investigative Committee.”
UPDATE: Well, they’ve removed the link. Not sure what happened there. Attempting to find out.
UPDATE 2: OK, the link has now reappared. Go ahead and click here.
* I kinda like this line from page 58…
…the purpose of impeachment is not to punish the officeholder. The purpose it to protect the citizens from the abuses of an official.
* As I told subscribers a few days ago, the committee conclusion focuses not on individual acts by Gov. Blagojevich, but by the totality of the evidence that he abused his powers. With a hat tip to a commenter, this is from today’s report…
Like any citizen, the Governor is entitled to his day in criminal court. But he is no ordinary citizen. He is the supreme executive officer of this state. The citizens of this state must have confidence that their Governor will faithfully serve the people and put their interests before his own. It is with profound regret that the Committee finds our current Governor has not done so.
…the Special Investigative Committee…finds that the totality of the evidence warrants the impeachment of the Governor for cause.
* Here’s something to keep in mind. From page 4 of the report…
The respected Watergate Report noted that, historically, less than one-third of the articles of impeachment drawn up by the US House of Representatives have explicitly charged the commission of a criminal statute.
* You’ll recall that defense attorney Ed Genson introduced as exculpatory evidence the Obama Transition team report, which concluded there was no inappropriate contact with the governor or his staff. Genson also introduced as evidence a DVD of Congressman Jackson’s press conference, when he said he had not been a part of any pay to play on the vacant US Senate seat. The committee’s response is on page 15…
In the Committee’s opinion, the unsworn information the Governor’s counsel introduced does not refute the notion that the Governor was scheming to obtain a personal beneift for the Senate appointment or that he was dispatching individuals to negotiate on his behalf. Whether those subordinates succeeded in their endeavor, or whether they even carried out their directives, does not change the fact that the Governor asked them to negotiate on his behalf.
Moreover, the Governor’s counsel does not deny that the Governor made the statements contained in the [criminal complaint] […]
In any event, these intercepted conversations reveal far more than mere idle “talk.” The Governor, on many occasions, put his “words” into action - he directed many individuals to conduct inquiries and negotiations with interested parties, setting in motion (or at least attempting to set in motion) his plan to sell the US Senate seat. When a governor issues a directive to others to act, his words translate into action. The Committee refuses to write off a myriad of conversations and directives as nothing more than harmless chatter.
Finally, the recorded words of both the Governor and other parties to these conversations reveal that the Governor and others were aware that the plans they were discussing were, at the very least, clearly improper, and quite probably illegal.
* The governor’s failure to appear before the committee is also being used against him. Here’s a sample of that from page 16…
…if the governor never said the words attributed to him in the [criminal complaint], or if there was an innocent explanation for his words, the Governor had every opportunity to testify before the Committee and say so…. The Committee is entitled to balance his complete silence against sworn testimony from a federal agent.
* On the alleged attempt to blackmail Tribune Co…
The Committee finds that the evidence outlined above, taken almost exclusively from the Governor’s words or those of his top aides, reveal a clear intent to condition the provision of State financial assistance on the Tribune Company’s firing of members of the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune… [which] consituted a clear abuse of the Governor’s power.
* Regarding the attempts to link campaign contributions to official acts…
The sworn testimony of the named individuals shows that the Governor was overseeing elaborate schemes to link State contracts or appointments to State positions with campaign contributions to the Governor. These actions constitute a clear abuse of power.
* On the attempts to undercut JCAR and illegally expand health care programs…
…the Committee does not accept the suggestions from the Governor’s counsel that the actions of an agency should not be attributed to the Governor… There is no doubt that the Governor knew exactly what DHFS was doing and blessed its actions.
Blagojevich’s defense lawyer, Ed Genson, said there is no surprise in the report’s recommendation to impeach the governor.
“They came there to impeach him,” Genson said. “This whole procedure was a farce. They knew what they were going to do when they came in.”
Genson said he thinks the governor’s case can be won in the state Senate “if they follow the rules.”
“If they abandon every known rule of fairness as did the House, I’ll have a problem. But I expect them to be fair,” Genson said this morning.
As I’ve been telling some commenters below, it will take 20 Senators to block the governor’s removal. No way will that many Senators vote “No.” No way. And if you believe differently, name them all.
Twenty-three companies in December filed layoff notices with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity under the state’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. That law mandates that companies with at least 75 workers publicly disclose any job cuts that exceed either one-third of their staff or more than 250 workers.
The December WARN figure is nearly six times the total number of job losses filed in November. In December 2007, Illinois businesses filed WARN documents for 1,700 jobs.
The heaviest job losses will come from U.S. Steel Corp.’s facility in Downstate Granite City. That plant has been temporarily idled, causing 2,150 workers to lose their jobs. U.S. Steel said in December that it is consolidating its operations to better meet customer demand.
Barrington has already spent $2 million researching and resisting Canadian National’s now-approved purchase of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad.
But having now filed legal challenges against the process used by the federal Surface Transportation Board before it OK’d the deal on Christmas Eve, Barrington leaders are facing the question of how much more they’re willing to spend - and for what.
Arguing that affordable housing is “more important than ever” in an economic downturn, Mayor Daley on Wednesday committed $2.1 billion to create 50,022 units of rental and for-sale housing by 2013.
Chicago will forfeit $153 million in federal funds to create 10 miles of special bus service because the feds refused to allow more time for the city to approve new fees for downtown parking and deliveries.
More than a dozen Illinois power plants store toxic coal ash in sludge ponds similar to the one that burst and spread contaminated muck over 300 acres of eastern Tennessee last month
County board President Todd Stroger’s proposed $3.67 billion budget for 2009 includes holding administrative hearings to deal with minor legal matters, such as shoplifting and noise violations.
* 9:33 pm - The House impeachment committee will publish its report to the full chamber at 9 o’clock tomorrow morning. The report will be the “introduced version,” and possibly subject to amendments. It’ll be on this web page.
* 6:04 pm - Roundup. First, the committee has issued another subpoena…
A panel of Illinois lawmakers considering the impeachment of Governor Rod Blagojevich ordered his campaign committee to turn over the names of every donor and the amount of money involved. […]
The subpoena requires Blagojevich’s campaign to disclose details about every contribution received from July 1 to Dec. 31
The governor’s lawyers are fighting the release of the surveillance tape snippets…
In a filing today, Gov. Blagojevich’s lawyers say they object to the release of the recordings to a house impeachment panel. The recordings are part of a federal investigation into the governor. Attorney Ed Genson said he will make his arguments against the release at a later date.
Attorney Edward Genson informed U.S. District Chief Judge James Holderman of his objection late Wednesday, whether they are redacted in any way or not, and indicated he would outline the objection in writing by Jan 20. […]
A lawyer for Monk, identified in the materials as an unindicted interceptee, said he would “preserve all potential objections,” and would like to see the documents that led to the taping. An attorney for Rob Blagojevich said he would likely be making a motion to suppress the statements, but also needs to see documents including the application for the intercepts to make a determination.
An attorney for Johnston filed a response indicating Johnston does not object to the tapes being released.
* 4:28 pm - I told subscribers about this potential move. But they can’t ask you questions if you don’t show up…
Illinois lawmakers are once again meeting to talk about impeaching Governor Rod Blagojevich, but the embattled governor’s lawyers are not.
Blagojevich’s legal team of Chicago attorneys Ed Genson and Sam Adam Jr. did not give a reason for skipping the start of the fourth week of impeachment proceedings against Blagojevich.
But some lawmakers say they wanted to ask Adam Jr. about his now revealed role as a go-between for the governor and U.S. Senate appointee Roland Burris.
* 3:54 pm - Former IG Z Scott’s report is now posted on the impeachment committee’s page at the General Assembly’s website. You can find it by clicking here.
* 2:45 PM - Listen or watch here. Not sure if CNN is gonna have the feed, but the Tribune has often carried it live. The hearing begins at 3, and as noted below, it should be interesting. I’ll be in attendance for at least a while, so I’m not sure how much I’ll be live-blogging. It’ll be up to you.
The response makes it clear that the Secretary of State has done everything he is legally required to do regarding the Burris appointment. […]
Instead, what is at issue here is a form that is not required by law, but is merely “recommended” by a Rule of the U.S. Senate. Moreover, a U.S. Senate Rule cannot impose a legal obligation on the Illinois Secretary of State.
Standing Rule II of the U.S. Senate provides, “The Secretary of the Senate shall send copies of the following recommended forms to the governor and secretary of state of each State wherein an election is about to take place or an appointment is to be made so that they may use such forms if they see fit.” (Emphasis added.)
In contrast, when the U.S. Senate creates a mandatory requirement for a Secretary of State’s signature and seal, they enact a law, and they have not done so in this case.
For example, under federal law, when a U.S. Senator is elected, the State must certify the election under state seal, and the law explicitly requires that the certification of election “shall be countersigned by the secretary of state of the State.” 2 U.S.C. §§ 1(a), (b).
There is no law requiring the Secretary of State to sign a “recommended” form of the U.S. Senate.
The decision to treat the U.S. Senate’s “recommended” form as a legal requirement is a decision of the U.S. Senate. It remains up to the U.S. Senate to seat Mr. Burris.
By the way, Reid said at his press conference that the Senate rule in question has never been waived in the history of the US Senate.
Also, keep in mind that the IL Supreme Court hasn’t uttered a word one way or the other as of yet. They could step in and force a resolution, or they could take the Madigan/White advice and declare there is no legal issue here and punt as well. The other option is just to stay low and hope the heat blows over before they have to make a decision. They’ve already ruled in favor of Blagojevich once (when they rejected AG Madigan’s petition to have him removed from office). You wonder how far they’ll go for the guy.
…Adding… As someone just pointed out to me, this will require Harry Reid to devise yet another way to cave in to Roland Burris. As mentioned above, Reid said the Senate rule has never been waived, but if the Supremes go along with White’s logic, then White will never have to sign the appointment form. Reid will then have to backpedal some more to get this issue off his back. And he’ll look even weaker and more duplicitous. We’ll have to wait and see what the Supremes do.
…Adding again… It appears Ben and I are anonymously crediting each other for the “Reid will have to find another excuse to cave in to Burris” line. lol
On Dec. 30, after Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich appointed Roland Burris to the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid and assistant leader Dick Durbin of Illinois said no, plain and simple.
They declared, “Anyone appointed by Gov. Blagojevich cannot be an effective representative of the people of Illinois and, as we have said, will not be seated by the Democratic caucus.”
After…
Said Durbin, after he and Reid smiled for photos with Burris at the Capitol: “I think it was important that the United States Senate say — and we did, as a Democratic caucus unanimously — that we were going to carefully scrutinize and review the process by which this Senate seat would be filled if Governor Blagojevich was involved, and that’s what happened.”
Blagojevich is from Chicago, and some say that city is a breeding ground for corruption. But Bill Daley, brother of Chicago’s current mayor and a former commerce secretary under Bill Clinton, says the real problem lies to the south in the state’s capital.
“It is more about Springfield and not about Chicago,” Daley told me. “Springfield is away from the big city, there is not a lot of press down there, it is incestuous — all one club — and can be a cesspool.”
* The Question: Is he right or wrong, or what? Explain fully.
On Monday night, on WTTW’s “Chicago Tonight,” State Rep. Patti Bellock, a Republican from Woodridge and a member of the House Impeachment Inquiry, put a spotlight on it. Bellock said that while Blagojevich fiddles with the feds, a state of crisis is building in this state when it comes to critical health care and health providers.
Bellock said a doctor called her office six weeks ago. “She was in tears” saying the state was $200,000 behind in Medicaid payments to her family clinic and that soon they may have to close their doors.
When that call came in, Bellock said, she called Blagojevich’s office. “It was two days before the governor was arrested,” Bellock recalled later. “I talked to one of his aides” but the aide quickly quit or took a leave of absence after his boss was taken into FBI custody. Just one of too many examples of how state government has been frozen by this scandal. “The chain of communication is broken,” she said.
Another of Bellock’s regular calls comes from the COACH Care Center in Naperville. COACH stands for Coordinating Action for Children’s Health.
“We take care of medically fragile children,” CEO Debbie Grisko said by phone Tuesday. “Children with trachs, ventilators, feeding tubes.”
Seventy-eight percent of Grisko’s clients live at or below the poverty level — families from Champaign to the Wisconsin border, who can’t keep their kids in hospitals forever and who need help learning how to care for them at home.
“Our bills are five months behind in being paid,” Grisko said. And the irony, she points out, is that her agency estimates it actually saved the state $4.6 million in the last year by helping children transition into home care and out of more expensive facilities.
And it’s gonna get much, much worse.
The state is simply running out of money. It may not even be able to make payroll in a couple of months, from what I’m getting.
I think if I was Rod Blagojevich I’d resign even if I hadn’t been arrested. The calamaties ahead will be severe and there will be no way on God’s Earth to simply cut our way out of this problem.
* The best thing the Obama administration could do on its stimulus plan is to eliminate the state and local match for capital projects. Illinois doesn’t have the money to capture the $9 billion already out there, let alone the new projects.
A proposal to increase the motor fuel tax by a modest 8 cents a gallon for transporation projects only has drawn howls of derision in southern Illinois, the home of the bill’s sponsor, Democratic state Rep. John Bradley…
Sure, gas is selling today for less than $1.70 per gallon in many locations across Southern Illinois, but does anyone really believe that will last for an appreciable length of time? The production cuts now being made by our “friends” in OPEC and the other oil-rich nations are destined to drive the barrel price of oil upward - which will affect the price at the gas pump.
What in the world was Bradley thinking? The impact of another 80 cents for a 10-gallon purchase may be inconsequential for upper-income motorists, but it would impose an unfair burden on the people who need wheels to travel between the several part-time and minimum-wage jobs that sustain a growing number of struggling, hard-working people.
“I think the whole pricing system is a sham,” Goines said. “I totally disagree with a new gas tax.”
The Reagan/Blagojevich/Bush/Etc. way has been to tell people that they can get lots of neato stuff for nothing. Well, them days is over. Somebody has to pay.
And the motor fuel tax is just the beginning.
Welcome to the governor’s office, Pat Quinn. Have a nice day.
The focus turns back to Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Wednesday as a House committee weighing his political fate delves into alleged hiring irregularities and prepares for a crucial stretch that may culminate in his impeachment by week’s end. […]
At the heart of the impeachment committee’s look at hiring irregularities is a confidential 2004 report by the governor’s handpicked executive inspector general, said House Majority Leader Barbara Currie (D-Chicago), the panel’s chairwoman.
The report, which the Tribune disclosed as Blagojevich ran for re-election in 2006, concluded that his patronage office was the “real machine driving hiring” in a state agency for jobs that were supposed to be free of political influence.
“This effort reflects not merely an ignorance of the law, but complete and utter contempt for the law,” according to the report written by Zaldwaynaka Scott, who was Blagojevich’s first executive inspector general.
The hearing begins today at 3 o’clock. Don’t miss it.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s official calendar shows he met with a top union official in his Chicago office the day before Barack Obama was elected president — just as federal prosecutors say the governor was scheming to trade Obama’s Senate seat, possibly for a cushy union job.
The meeting with Andy Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union, also was attended by Tom Balanoff, president of the Illinois chapter of the union, which has been Blagojevich’s largest campaign contributor. […]
Prosecutors allege one of Blagojevich’s plans was to use his power to appoint a Senate replacement for Obama to get a high-paying job with “Change to Win,” an SEIU-affiliated political action group.
That’s actually only part of the story. The criminal complaint reveals snippets of recordings that show the governor was allegedly trying to cut a “three-way” deal with Obama and SEIU, but only two parts of the three were ever revealed.
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was preparing to issue an executive order prior to his arrest last week that would have allowed union organizing of home-care workers that could have benefited a labor union with close ties to the governor. […]
The executive order would have enabled the SEIU or another union to organize about 1,200 workers in the state who care for developmentally disabled people in their homes and would have augmented one signed by the governor in 2003, said Michelle Ringuette, an SEIU spokeswoman. […]
Ms. Ringuette said the SEIU was aware of the executive order but didn’t know what role, if any, the union played in developing it. She said other unions would have been able to organize the workers as well. But a rival union said it was unaware of the order, while SEIU staffers and outside experts say the SEIU had already begun actively seeking the support of workers. […]
Charlotte Cronin, executive director of Family Support Network of Illinois, a Peoria-based advocacy group for the developmentally disabled, confirmed that union organizers knocked on doors this past summer, and that some relatives of the disabled found them “overly persistent.” She said the union, which she believed to be SEIU, was able to get home addresses because they are a matter of public record.
Curious.
Keep in mind, however, that SEIU flatly denies any deals were ever made. This could’ve just been all in the governor’s head, for all we know.
*** 12:20 PM *** I suppose now would be a good time to point out how wrong I was about the US Senate Democrats. I thought they might have more backbone. Wrong. I also thought that the national media wouldn’t be such a bunch of easily manipulated goofs who would fall for Rod Blagojevich’s blatant racial play. Wrong again. In fact, they seemed to enjoy reveling in the goofiness.
*** 11:36 AM *** I missed much of the presser because I had no cable, but this seems like a good enough summary from the Washington Post…
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.), following a meeting with Burris this morning, praised Burris as “candid” and “forthright” and seemed to lay out a two-pronged path by which the former state attorney general could end up in the Senate.
The first is for the Illinois state Supreme Court to rule on whether or not Burris can be seated without Secretary of State Jesse White signing the certification of his appointment. (White, for his part, appears to be distancing himself from his decision not to sign the certificate — arguing he was never opposed to Burris.)
The second is that Burris appear before the state legislature to answer questions about any and all of his ties to embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich who appointed Burris to the post. Burris is scheduled to do so tomorrow.
“Once that’s done, we will be in a different position,” said Reid.
The Democrats have been desperate to make Roland Burris’s Senate appointment about Rod Blagojevich and not about Burris, himself. If this is about Burris, then the Dems will appear to be picking on an elderly African-American. Not good.
Still, those of us who know him best have an obligation to point out that Burris isn’t quite the elder statesman that the Democrats anbd the national media are making him out to be. For instance, here’s Mark Brown…
[Burris is] proud and pigheaded and wants this one last star on his chest so badly that he is similarly delusional.
“By accepting the appointment, you are supporting the governor,” said Jay Stewart, director of the watchdog Better Government Association. “You are allowing him to exercise his authority and show up the rest of the world.”
In our view, anyone who would accept anything from Blagojevich at this point automatically exhibits a serious lack of judgment. Burris’ acceptance of this appointment in particular — knowing it was opposed by the Senate, virtually everyone in Illinois and even the man whose historic election created the vacancy — exemplifies such a lack of judgment. […]
If Burris didn’t know when he accepted Blagojevich’s offer that all of this would happen, then he lacks the minimal foresight we expect from any competent public official. If he knew this would happen and accepted anyway, all the worse.
[Mary] Kenney, an attorney for the Cook County Public Guardian, said Tuesday that Burris’ acceptance of Gov. Blagojevich’s appointment “brings to mind how, in the Cruz case, Mr. Burris failed to realize the ethical obligations of a criminal prosecutor and how, now he again fails to recognize the difference between right and wrong. . . . There is a cloud over his appointment. He should have declined it.”
Ultimately, Cruz was acquitted. By then, DNA evidence linked Brian Dugan to the murder. Dugan, who is serving a life sentence for two other similar murders, is now awaiting trial in that case. […]
Attorney Lawrence Marshall, one of the lawyers who helped obtain Cruz’s acquittal in 1995 and who is now a professor at Stanford Law School, said in a separate interview, “Then and now, this is really the same person and the same behavior, which is that — although I don’t think Roland Burris is an evil man — I do think his career has been about one thing and one only — the advancement of Roland Burris.”
Marshall said that in the Cruz case, Burris “lied to the public . . . and refused to take responsibility one way or another. He came up with a bogus story that it wasn’t his job to decide whether to prosecute the appeal. Now, he is acting consistently — he is saying, ‘I don’t care. I’m not going to worry about what’s right. I’m going to worry about what’s best for Roland Burris.’”
* And Brown had this stark warning for African-Americans who are backing Burris’ bid…
For those who see this as a matter of racial pride for the African-American community, let me point out that in taking the seat for the next two years, Roland Burris is destroying any chance of an African American holding it during the following decade.
In the first place, he’s not going to get elected. Most Illinois voters wanted nothing more to do with him before this, and now he’s finished. But he’s going to run anyway because his ego is so big, and in the process, he’ll keep any another African American from getting through the 2010 primary.
That’s the certain math of racial politics in Illinois, the only state in modern history to elect two African Americans to the Senate and certainly capable of making it three with the right candidate.
Since the 17th Amendment established procedures for filling vacancies in 1913, only 60 of the 180 men and women appointed to the Senate — an even one-third ratio — have won the next election in their own right, according to records kept by the Senate.
Of the remaining 120, 63 did not run, 56 ran and lost, and one, South Carolina’s Alva Moore Lumpkin, died two weeks after his appointment in 1941.
While a slim majority of appointed senators who sought election did win, their success rate pales in comparison to the overall incumbent-retention record in the Senate, with a low of 64 percent and a high of 96.9 percent in the 25 elections dating back to 1960.
The Illinois General Assembly must act this month to restore $9.25 million in restricted funds “swept” to pay state bills or risk losing millions in federal dollars for fish and wildlife management.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sent Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s office a letter Dec. 19 stating that any transfer of hunting and fishing license fees to pay other state expenses would be violate federal law.
With Gov. Blagojevich facing impeachment, Mayor Daley is trying to engineer a political end-run around Springfield when it comes to Chicago’s share of the $800 billion economic stimulus plan being crafted by President-elect Barack Obama.
Representatives and an attorney for the union representing Republic employees said that they hope the NLRB will order Gillman to return the machinery to the Chicago plant, facilitating the potential reopening of the factory under a new owner. Members of Gillman’s family formed a new company, Echo Windows, which bought a windows-manufacturing plant in Red Oak, Iowa, shortly before the Chicago plant closed.
“The union is asking the board to demand, among other things, the return of the machinery, the clients and the jobs to Chicago,” said Laurie Burgess, the attorney filing the charges. “The workers at Republic are standing up for their rights and demanding a stake in their future.”
The head of Chicago’s Federation of Labor is bracing for the possibility of more layoffs in city government. That’s after Mayor Richard Daley Tuesday opened the door to additional job cuts as the economy continues to sour.
Since October, Chicago-area homeless shelters have reported increases of anywhere from 5 percent to 39 percent in people needing immediate housing, compared with the same time the previous year. The number of homeless students enrolled by Chicago Public Schools in November was 9,132—up 28 percent compared with November 2007, a spokeswoman said.
The father of a Chicago alderman wept moments before he was sentenced to 4 years in prison Tuesday for his role in a fake ID ring operating from inside his Little Village photo studio.
“If I did something wrong, I’m sorry; forgive me,” Elias Munoz, father of Ald. Ricardo Munoz (22nd), said in a mixture of Spanish and English.
Prosecutors alleged that the elder Munoz took in at least $180,000 a year for about 13 years snapping pictures for phony driver’s licenses and other documents.
Last winter, Cook County Highway Department maintenance employees called in sick, took vacation or paid time off on the same days they earned overtime compensation, a Chicago Sun-Times review of payroll records shows.
On February 1, for instance, three employees at the LaGrange Park garage worked seven hours overtime and also were paid sick or vacation time for their regular shift. Each of those workers were compensated for 18.5 hours that day.
The bleached-white streets of Chicago over the last few decades would seem to indicate Mayor Daley heeded the lesson former Mayor Michael Bilandic learned the hard way in 1979: Chicagoans want their streets salted and plowed immediately after the snow falls.
