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* This is probably the best mainstream media article today on what’s about to happen in the Illinois Senate…
Gov. Rod Blagojevich could be out of a job by Feb. 4. That’s according to a tentative timeline taking shape among some state lawmakers, who are moving toward impeaching the scandal-plagued chief executive in the coming days.
A special House panel is expected to recommend later this week that the 52-year-old Democrat be impeached. If the full House follows suit, the Senate could start its trial of Blagojevich on Jan. 26.
I told subscribers about the Senate start date the other day. I figured two weeks, but they’re apparently gonna run this thing on a compressed schedule…
State Sen. Dan Rutherford, R-Chenoa, said lawmakers have been advised that the impeachment trial in the Senate could take at least nine days, minus one Sunday, putting Feb. 4 in the cross hairs as Blagojevich’s possible final day in office if the Senate finds him guilty.
’’If it’s any longer than that, it won’t be much,’’ said Rutherford, a member of a special Senate committee drafting rules for the Senate impeachment trial.
Be patient. That’s just four weeks from now.
The Senate committee met in Chicago for two hours on Monday to decide how it will carry out the trial. It will also meet Friday in hopes of having all the rules determined by the time the new legislature is sworn in on Jan. 14.
They’ll start taking pleadings and motions on the 14th, maybe the 15th. This thing is gonna wrap up quick.
* Also, this is a pretty good projection for the House’s schedule…
Rep. Jim Durkin of Western Springs, the ranking Republican on the impeachment committee, said Monday that he thinks “we can do both (the committee and House votes) on Friday,”
Plus…
The revised schedule also means the committee should be able to hear from Roland Burris, selected last week by Blagojevich to fill Illinois’ vacant U.S. Senate seat. The committee had subpoenaed Burris to appear Wednesday to explain the circumstances surrounding his selection. Blagojevich was arrested in federal corruption charges for allegedly trying to sell the seat to the highest bidder.
Burris told the committee he can’t appear until Thursday. The new schedule should accommodate that.
That could be interesting, particularly if they get into some of the stuff mentioned in this post.
* Related…
* What might be on the secret Blagojevich tapes - Conversations involved a bill that diverted Illinois casino revenue to the horse racing industry
* Judge gives Blagojevich time to object to release of wiretaps
* Impeachment panel may get Blagojevich tapes this week
* Stalemate of ‘08 past, Ill. pols talk impeachment
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 10:47 am
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When Blago is impeached and Quinn is installed… does Gov Quinn have the appointment power for the vacant Lt. Gov office?? If so, it will be interesting to see what candidates surface.
Comment by Nero Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 10:58 am
I was under the impression that if His Hairness wasn’t impeached by the 16th (the start of a new session) that the whole process would start over, due to a new congress convening.
Perhaps I was half-asleep during that class.
I’ll take the zero if I am wrong.
Comment by printdude Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 10:58 am
===the whole process would start over,===
You were under a false impression.
===due to a new congress convening===
Congress is in DC.
===I’ll take the zero if I am wrong===
You got it. lol
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 11:00 am
Nero, the answer is no. If the Lt Gov’s office becomes vacant, it stays vacant until the next election. I believe the elected Attorney General is next in the line of succession for the duration.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 11:00 am
==does Gov Quinn have the appointment power for the vacant Lt. Gov office==
Somebody can correct me if I’m wrong but I do not think there is a provision to fill the Lt. Governor’s office. I believe it remains vacant until the next election.
Comment by RJW Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 11:02 am
If Burris has to come in to testify he did nothing wrong, when there is no evidence he did anything wrong, why not make Tom Cross and his GOP caucus members testify under oath about the circumstances that caused them to vote in support of Blago’s giant gambling expansion plan just this past July.
Just 6 months ago these goofs were ready to give Blago $35 billion more to spend. And despite what they try to say now, the Blago of today is the same one they knew 6 months ago.
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
Comment by GOP'er Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 11:07 am
If the govenor is impeached, what happens to his pension?
Comment by Just Because Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 11:08 am
Does this schedule reflect the fact that so many people are trying to get Obama to come to Illinois for all of the Lincoln nonsense Feb. 12? I would not imagine that he would want to appear anywhere here until Blago is safely tucked away.
Comment by Skirmisher Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 11:09 am
Any rumors of Blagojevich’s resignation before he’s impeached?
Comment by Macbeth Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 11:12 am
===Does this schedule reflect the fact that so many people are trying to get Obama to come to Illinois ===
LOL
No.
It reflects the fact that they want RRB out of office.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 11:12 am
If the Lt. Gov spot doesn’t get filled how about passing some new legislation to eliminate the office?? It’s obviously not a vital office of any importance if the law allows it to remain vacant. What’s the annual budget of this office?? How much money would be saved to eliminate it??
Comment by Nero Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 11:13 am
===How much money would be saved to eliminate it??===
About 39 cents.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 11:14 am
In some other states (such as Arizona, which was the last state to impeach and remove a governor 20 years ago), another state official such as the secretary of state or attorney general stands next in line of succession to the governor and performs some of the same functions as a lite gov. So states, even large ones, can survive without a lieutenant governor. Would Quinn be maverick enough to propose abolishing his old job?
Comment by Secret Square Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 11:21 am
39 cents is generous… even when downsizing they’d find a way to lose money.
Comment by Nero Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 11:30 am
I’m still flabbergasted that Blago was so loose-lipped. No subtlety at all.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 12:22 pm
Given the current circumstances, having a Lt. Governor seems like a really good idea to me… An AG has lots of staff and litigation to help manage…succession to Gov could compromise the outcome of pending cases…
Comment by Anonymous45 Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 12:34 pm
So Blago’s GRT was defeated with a 100 or more votes. I would bet the impeachment vote draws 100 or more in support.
I wonder how many politicos have drawn such high vote totals against them on two occasions in roughly a year in the house.
Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 12:58 pm
Any bets on who might vote AGAINST impeachment? Hoffman? Anyone else? Bueller? Bueller?
Comment by Secret Square Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 1:02 pm
Nobody will vote against impeachment in the Senate and/or House…it would be a never to be forgotten gesture that would be a stain on your legislative record in perpetuity…(a REALLY long time)
Comment by Anonymous45 Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 1:38 pm
GOPer:
One only has to go to the MOUs the H&S GOPs signed before the famous failed vote….they got paid to play……they also went on a presser binge with Jay….check that coverage …Chuck Sweeney 6-11-08
Comment by Nose for News Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 1:46 pm
I miss the old days when the Lt. Gov could be from the other party. Now that was politics! Gov’s afraid to leave the state for fundraisers or vacations….
Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 2:59 pm
Does anybody know what particulars may be of the actual “trial”? Are there rules about discovery, witnesses, evidence, etc., as there are in a civil or criminal trial? And can any decision reached by the Senate be appealed?
Comment by SouthernGirl Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 4:10 pm
===as there are in a civil or criminal trial? ===
No.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 4:25 pm
Hoffmann in the House and Forby in the Senate will both vote “PRESENT”.
Comment by Downstate Cook County (Macoupin County) Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 7:35 pm
Is there no institutional memory here? The Lt Gov’s office has been vacant twice in the past 30 years and the same thing will happen now as happened then.
Comment by steve schnorf Tuesday, Jan 6, 09 @ 11:26 pm
That’s why the Lt Gov is a waste of an office… “nothing” is hard to remember.
Comment by Nero Wednesday, Jan 7, 09 @ 1:47 am