Ill. Senate Ousts. Gov. Blagojevich; Lt. Gov, a Lawyer, Now Takes His Place
Patrick Quinn
A historic impeachment trial of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich ended today and, within a few hours, the state senate voted to remove him from office.
They convicted Blagojevich of abusing his power as governor after accusations that he tried to barter the U.S. Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama for his own personal gain, Reuters reports.
His removal was widely expected, and “Anticipating that Blagojevich will be removed from office, Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn was waiting to be sworn in immediately as governor,” NPR reported earlier in the day. Quinn recently has been looking to hire new aides in anticipation of taking the helm of state government, according to other media reports.
A graduate of Northwestern University School of Law and onetime tax attorney, Quinn formerly served as Illinois state treasurer during the 1990s. Quinn is known for his consumer protection initiatives, especially for his efforts to create the state’s Citizens Utility Board, according to his bio (PDF).
Although the governor and his counsel boycotted the testimony phase of the trial, contending that it was unfair and unconstitutional because it didn’t allow him to call witnesses as he wished, Blagojevich did appear today to make a closing argument on his own behalf.
Recounts the Chicago Tribune: “There hasn’t been a single piece of information that proves any wrongdoing,” Blagojevich said to senators who were mostly stoic. “How can you throw a governor out of office with insufficient and incomplete evidence?”
His presentation was described by the Washington Post as “long on passion and short on answers.”
When Blagojevich said that, as the newspaper puts it, FBI wiretaps of his conversations showed simply politics as usual, “My jaw dropped,” state Rep. Susana Mendoza tells the Post. “He admitted he shook down others, and said that’s what you do to get elected.”
As detailed in earlier ABAJournal.com posts, Blagojevich is also facing a criminal corruption case in federal court. While he would have had to testify under oath at his impeachment trial, he was permitted to give a closing argument without swearing to tell the truth.
“By making his own closing statement instead of testifying under oath, Blagojevich avoid(ed) taking questions from senators and the impeachment prosecutor,” reports the Associated Press.
Additional coverage:
New York Times: “Impassioned Blagojevich Finally Pleads Case at Trial”
Clout Street (Chicago Tribune): “Senate deliberates Blagojevich’s political fate”
KMBC-TV: “Gov. Blagojevich’s Remarks At Impeachment Trial”
