Sweet Papa Crimbo Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 CHICAGO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Blago is a scumbag, but I can certainly understand him being upset at not being able to call witnesses to support his case against impeachment. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Blago is a scumbag, but I can certainly understand him being upset at not being able to call witnesses to support his case against impeachment.Actually he could have, but is choosing to boycott the entire proceeding. Needless to say it probably won't help for him to do a thing. He keeps saying the thing is unfair, his lawyer has quit and it looks like we will get to see him make the rounds of the news (if you count Larry King and the View as news) next week. The sooner this guy is gone the better; then IL pols can get back to business as usual, whatever that is..... LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 He has repeatedly said he wouldn't be allowed to call witnesses in the Senate trial, but that's not correct. Trial rules prohibit witnesses that federal prosecutors feel would interfere with their criminal case, such as Jarrett or Obama aide Rahm Emanuel, but Blagojevich could have called other people. Being barred from calling witnesses that would be beneficial to his case does not strike me as particularly fair. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Being barred from calling witnesses that would be beneficial to his case does not strike me as particularly fair.Well impeachments trials are not strictly done according to judicial proceedures, so I suppose in some ways it is not fair/ Usually there is a pretty large political component to them and in this case the General Assembly is simply fed up with the guy, so while he may have the moral high ground on his side of the argument, his stature in IL is totally in the toilet and has been for several years. His conduct has hurt the actual working of the government, so it is time for him to go, whether or not it is on the basis of strictly criminal activity. Those issues will come out in the federal corruption trial down the road. This is a way to get things moving in the political arena again. Few people are shedding tears for the guy. Kicking him out of the governors job will not send him to jail. That is left to the federal prosecutor to argue. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 No, I understand Louie, and I agree. I can understand his position as well, which is not to say that he doesn't deserve everything he gets from both the IL Senate and the justice system. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 No, I understand Louie, and I agree. I can understand his position as well, which is not to say that he doesn't deserve everything he gets from both the IL Senate and the justice system.Apparently the IL constitution is pretty vague on impeachment (I suppose since I haven't actually read it...) and if Blago hadn't acted the fool for so long he would have more support in the legislature and could ultimately beat this thing, not unlike Clinton, but sadly he alienated his own party who is in power, so he's outta here. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Illinois governor pleads his case to impeachment trial By CHRISTOPHER WILLS, Associated Press Writer Christopher Wills, Associated Press Writer Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jenbobblehead Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 i'm always surprised at how high and squeaky his voice is, especially considering how much hair he seems to have. The two just don't match up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Jules Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 i'm always surprised at how high and squeaky his voice is, especially considering how much hair he seems to have. The two just don't match up.If you saw him in person it would make sense. He's a little shit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
calvino Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 It's done. He's out. The vote was 59 for impeachment and zero against. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
OOO Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Governors come and go, but the king of Illinois is still in office! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 It's done. He's out. The vote was 59 for impeachment and zero against.I'm just a bit skeptical about the 59-0 vote. Now, I know Blago is a scumbag of the worst order, and arrogant and delusional and all those things, but this unanimous vote seems like he's been made out to be a scapegoat for the long-established system of politics that is evidently so pervasive in Illinois. It's almost as if the 59 were in collusion here - like "we've identified the problem, and now it's been corrected". Like they're pure (ha ha). Pay for play goes on everywhere, in all parties. That doesn't make it ok, of course, but I think it's entirely possible that these folks are concerned about job security as much as anything else. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 If he beats the rap, does he get to be governor again? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
OOO Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 If he beats the rap, does he get to be governor again? Moments after removing him from office, the Illinois Senate also voted unanimously to prevent Blagojevich from ever holding political office in the state again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 That's pretty cold. Can they do that? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jenbobblehead Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I was wondering the same thing. Does the state constitution really give them that much power? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 If he beats the rap, does he get to be governor again?No, this has nothing to do with the federal charges against him. In fact he can't be ANYTHING in IL anymore.....nada..... He now has to get a job as something else and can never run for office again. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
myboyblue Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I'm sure there will be a movie or something about this guy. I don't recall someone that was so universally disliked. His approval rating, even before the federal charges, was on par or lower than GWB. And the amount of delusion that this guy lived with? Wow. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Edie Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 He's a serious narcissist with sociopathic tendencies, IMHO. And I voted for him twice Quote Link to post Share on other sites
OOO Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I was busy electing Arnold in California when my first time to vote for a governor came around, so I am probably one of the few Illinoisians who hasn't voted for a crooked governor! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I was busy electing Arnold in California when my first time to vote for a governor came around, so I am probably one of the few Illinoisians who hasn't voted for a crooked governor!You will have a chance very soon..... LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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