Prosecutor Concerned Blagojevich Impeachment Hearing Could Harm Case
Members of a newly formed impeachment committee of the Illinois House are working with federal prosecutors to address concerns that their proceedings against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich could harm the federal corruption case against him.
U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has indicated he fears an impeachment hearing will feature testimony from witnesses in the criminal case before it goes to trial, the New York Times reports.
Illinois Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, chairwoman of the impeachment committee, says she is drafting a letter for Fitzgerald outlining the kinds of information the committee is seeking and the witnesses it hopes to question.
“We’re prepared, we’re here,” Currie said, according to the Times report. “We’ll be ready to have at it all the way through, but whether as a matter of practical logistics—whether we can—depends very much on when we hear from the United States attorney.”
The committee could decide to focus on Blagojevich’s ability to govern to avoid interfering with the criminal case, the story says.
