As an Illinois resident I would have no problem with any appointment by Governor Pat Quinn.
We should be able to impeach faster than a speciall election could be organized.

The harder they come, the harder they fall.

Blago has only one chit left: his office.
He cannot flip on anyone of interest.

It is just sooo like the Democrats to move for a quick impeachment.

What about Boosh/Cheney?

Though the US Senate had the power to say “Yea” or “Nay” on the seating of any Senator, I suspect that Durbin and the Democratic powers-that-be in the US Senate would be very skittish about invoking that power.

Senator Durbin’s suggestion of a special election sounds like the only politic way out.

Blago: Shit

Blago’s wife: What?

Blago: Rollers!

Blago’s wife: No!

Blago: Yeah.

Blago’s wife: Shit.

-G

what is the impeachment process in IL and how long should it take (to be done right, if that’s not too much to ask?)?

They really sound worried that Blagojevich would actually be so crass as to try this, otherwise they wouldn’t be rushing to impeach or to change the law to make it impossible for a jailed Blago to make appointments.

I understand this. But who in their right mind would seek or accept such an appointment under these circumstances? Unless they wanted to end their political career after a partial senate term in which they had no credibility or real power. Am I being a naif?

FunnyDiva

I wanted this man impeached of course but it’s just like a democrat to impeach another democrat no problem, the real problem is impeaching repuklicans even when they commit treason

ah me

It is just sooo like the Democrats to move for a quick impeachment.

707!

quote for the ages.

So Republican Gov Ryan can kill a whole family of White people a Ministers family and get

Ryan’s political career was marred by a scandal involving the illegal sale of government licenses, contracts and leases by state employees during his prior service as Secretary of State; in the wake of numerous convictions of former aides, he chose not to run for reelection in 2002. The scandals are widely believed to have hurt Republicans’ short- (and, perhaps long-) term chances for re-winning Illinois’ governorship; state Attorney General Jim Ryan (no apparent relation) lost to Rod Blagojevich in the 2002 election, ending 25 years of Republican governorships. All told, seventy-nine former state officials, lobbyists, truck drivers and others have been since charged in the investigation, and at least 76 have been convicted.
The corruption scandal that led to Ryan’s downfall began over a decade earlier as a federal investigation into a deadly crash in Wisconsin that killed six children. The investigation revealed a scheme inside Ryan’s secretary of state’s office in which unqualified truck drivers obtained licenses through bribes. As the AP wrote: “The probe expanded over the next eight years into a wide-ranging corruption investigation that eventually reached Ryan in the governor’s office.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Ryan

George Ryan was Gov from 1999 - 2003

In November 1994, a Wisconsin expressway fiery accident killed six children of the Rev. Scott and Janet Willis. The accident has been blamed on a truck driver whose license may have been obtained with payoff money from a woman raising Ryan campaign funds.

http://cbs2chicago.com/topstor.....27149.html

My bold Notice elected 1999 in 1994 a whole family was killed thats three years NO IMPEACHMENT.
I guess Bank of America is more important than a wife and 6 kids.

Can’t wait for Poehler et al on SNL to drag him through the coals. haaha

Yeah.
And I’m all for holding Dems to the same standards as ‘Thugs but this just isn’t going to help Obama or anyone on the Left govern efficiently or effectively.
What a Forking mess.

FunnyD

I got the transcripts for Blagojevich’s early morning telephone call, both the original and the cleaned up version.

Telephone rings.

Blago: Who the fuck could that be?
Wife: No fucking idea. Answer the fucking phone.
Blago (picking up phone): Who the fuck is this?
Voice on phone: Hello, Governor, this is the FBI.
Blago: Who the fuck is this? How the fuck did you get this number? You fuck with me and I’ll fucking fuck you over, you miserable fuck.
Wife: Fuck this shit. Hang up on the little fucking bastard.
Voice on phone: Governor, this is Special Agent ******. You can verify my information with your security detail who have been notified. This is simply to inform you that two agents are en route to place you under arrest and for you to make suitable arrangements to meet them and accompany them back to FBI offices for processing.
Blago: Harris? Is that you? Are you trying to fucking jerk me around? This isn’t fucking funny, you fuck. You fucking don’t steal enough fucking money for me to play these fucking games with me.
Voice on phone: Governor, this is not a joke. This is a courtesy call only. Agents should be arriving at your door momentarily.
(Knocking at door)
Blago (to wife): They’re fucking coming for me.
Wife: Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Blago (to himself): I’m so fucking fucked.

Version without the profanity:

Telephone rings.

Blago: Hello
Voice on phone: This is the FBI. I am calling to inform you that agents are on their way to execute an arrest of you.
Blago: Oh, OK.
Wife: Oh dear.

OT: Yahoo headline:

Senator Craig loses appeal in men’s room sex sting case.

In both senses of the word, I would say.

now, that is fucking hilarious.

ROFFL

I think Blago is corrupt but if everyone in Illinois politics and the Bush administration who was unqualified like heck of a job Brownie or Monica Goodling who were hired more for favors and loyalty to Bush than say competence was fired.
Who would be left.
Is anyone saying that Blago’s choices were not competent for the job? If not then he is still doing a better job than Bush.
We have seen what incompetent hires like Brownie and political loyalists like Monica can do in a government job.
That is worse in my book than hiring a competent person and getting something in return.

could not keep myself from laughing out loud here at work…shame on you

Fucking funny.

-G

FFBI

There will be a lot of pressure for Blago to resign, not just from every politician in the state, but from Fitzgerald’s office. An alternative would be for him to “temporarily” step aside during the legal proceedings. And then there is impeachment which would take a while even under the best circumstances and be messy.

I guess Bank of America is more important than a wife and 6 kids.

Well, the bank surely has more money…

FYI: George Ryan is in prison now for corruption. The investigation took a long time but they made the charges stick in the end. Mind you, they didn’t have him on tape incriminating himself. This one should be a slam-dunk by comparison.

Worth noting that Blagojevich was the first Democrat elected Illinois governor in TWENTY-SIX years. The last one, Dan Walker, ended up serving 8 1/2 years in prison for fraud committed after he left office. As an Illinoisan, I hope we don’t have to wait through another 26 years of Republican governors but this does not bode well for the state.

Timeline points:

Sun., Dec. 7:
An indictment is sworn and sealed against Gov. Rod Blagojevich before U.S. Magistrate judge Michael Mason.

Mon., Dec. 8:
During a visit to the workers sit-in at Republic Windows & Doors, Gov. Rod Blagojevich calls on state agencies to stop doing business with Bank of America until the bank restores credit lines to the manufacturer.

For how long?

Ryan’s defense has been provided pro bono by Winston & Strawn, a law firm managed by former governor Jim Thompson. The defense cost the firm $10 million through mid-November 2005[28] Estimates of the cost to the firm as of September, 2006, ranged as high as $20 million. Ryan served as Thompson’s lieutenant governor from 1983 to 1991. After the United States Supreme Court declined to hear Ryan’s appeal, Thompson indicated that he would ask President George W. Bush to commute Ryan’s sentence to time served.[29]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Ryan

A wife six kids I don’t know exactly what the charge should be but 7 counts of murder sounds right to me.
Funny how he was not charged with that. A deal was obviously made. Blaggo will get the same deal if he backs off Bank of America and or finks.
7 people dead no impeachment. Cut off a bank and impeachment is made before a trial and guilty verdict.

I expect Lisa Madigan to get the Senate seat now the powers that be will want someone absolutely clean to get the seat now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Madigan

you sure that wasn’t a Thers post?

I don’t absolve him of responsibility but as Secretary of State, Ryan and his office were only indirectly responsible for the crash that killed a family. Murder charges apparently weren’t deemed applicable. He was sentenced to 6 1/2 years and as you mentioned, SCOTUS declined to hear his appeal. Personally, I doubt if Bush will pardon him but you never know.

The real kick in the pants is that as Republican governors go, Ryan was one of the better ones. Suspended capital punishment after several death row inmates had their convictions overturned by DNA evidence. Advocated dropping the embargo of Cuba, etc.. Other than party affiliation, I don’t think Blagojevich ever had any redeeming qualities and at this point, we’d all prefer he was on the other team.

Maybe, she’d be a strong contender if she wants it. She has a lot of power here in the state. Depends on whether she wants to trade being a big fish in a reasonably large pond for being a junior senator.

Priorities..priorities..fast on the impeachment! It is not off the table? Bush and the boys have been causing death and destruction all over planet earth and the Dems. won’t impeach? But they will when a Senate seat is at stake?

State politics vs national. Apples and oranges.

Different scenarios. This is the State of Illinois House of Representatives planning the Impeachment of the governor.

Has absolutely nothing to do with the US House impeaching the President. And Senators don’t get impeached. The only way for a Senator to leave, other than resignation, retirement or being voted out, is expulsion by others Senators.

Brief, somewhat interesting and relevant article from August 2007 regarding corruption in Illinois politics.

By now those who’ve seen my handle around here over the years (!) have probably figured out that I’ve never really said what I think of George W. Bush and his crimes.

Nevertheless, do not slight the naming of members of one of the houses of our Congress. I hope the legislature goes right ahead and does it, and bypasses the charades of pressuring resignation that we’ve seen too many of lately. It is a very grave offense in what is supposed to be a representative government.

Thanks..I do get confused at US political ’stuff’ sometimes.

one would figure he’d use the time to make a run for international departures at O’Hare.

Gooood one, lol!