Thursday, January 29, 2009
Blago
First of all let me state that I believe former governor Rod Blagojevich is guilty and deserves to be removed from office. However, I don't know that to be the case. I know that he has been arested, but has not yet been indicted. I don't know what, if any, evidence was presented at his impeachment. I find all of this a bit disturbing. If we are willing to oust someone merely for being arested then what protection do we have against a corrupt prosecutor arresting his enemies on trumped up charges so that they get thrown out of office. I agree with impeaching him and ousting him, I just wish it could have been done in a more measured fasion. (And yes that does mean that perhaps he might have demonstrated his inocence. Although unless he could show the tapes either don't exist or are fakes I don't know how.) Let's stand by the rule of law and trust it to oust the bad guys.
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4 comments:
We have so many judicial type processes in America that we tend to confuse them and expect them all to conform to the TV model trial. It doesn't work that way.
For example the former Governor made a lot of press about his not being able to testify at the Impeachment Hearing held to develop the Articles of Impeachment and to determine if he should even be impeached. This hearing is like a Grand Jury hearing. The accused is not allowed to speak or to testify in either process. But it sure made him sound like a victim of persecution.
There were in the end 13 articles of impeachment which were approved by the state House of Representatives ranging from filling the open Senate seat for personal gain to improperly obtaining flu vaccine. But none of them included the "crime" of being arrested. My understanding is that any of the articles would be sufficient to oust him from office.
The state Senate deliberated 4 days and listened to hours of testimony. That would probably be more than enough to find him guilty of one or more of the articles of impeachment.
Again the former governor grandstanded and was finally allowed to speak in his own defense as he requested. Note "speak" not testify because then he would have been open to cross examination and with a criminal trial on the horizon, he can't have wanted that.
I'm much too far away from the proceedings to know all that went on but with the whole nation watching, I'm betting even the Chicago pols played by the rule book this time.
Here are the articles of Impeachment according to the Associated Press:
The 13 accusations in the Illinois House's article of impeachment against Rod Blagojevich:
_Plotting to obtain a personal benefit in exchange for his appointment to fill the vacant seat in the United States Senate.
_Plotting to award state financial help to Tribune Co. only if members of the Chicago Tribune editorial board were fired.
_Plotting to sign legislation related to the horse racing industry in exchange for campaign contributions.
_Plotting to award a tollway contract and expand a tollway project in exchange for campaign contributions.
_Plotting to release pediatric care reimbursements to Illinois doctors and hospitals in exchange for campaign contributions.
_Plotting to appoint someone to the Illinois Finance Authority in exchange for campaign contributions.
_Plotting to award state contracts in exchange for campaign contributions.
_Plotting to award permits and authorizations in exchange for campaign contributions.
_Refusing to recognize the authority of a legislative committee, disregarding the doctrine of separation of powers and violating the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act by unilaterally expanding a state program.
_Improperly procuring foreign flu vaccine that could not be brought into the United States.
_Creating the I-SaveRx program, which allowed Illinoisans to buy foreign medicine that may not comply with state pharmacy and drug laws.
_Setting up the Agency Efficiency Initiative, under which one state agency billed other agencies for poorly documented or nonexistent savings, circumventing the appropriations process.
_Violating state and federal law regarding the hiring and firing of government employees.
Thanks, I'm glad to hear that the illinois legislature did their job. I guess part of my frustration was that the press coverage focused on his being arrested and his grandstanding. I heard very little (until now) about the actual counts and the actual trial.
Yes that is a Richele original,,,she does an amazing job and I'm sure she would be glad to dump the 2 kids to get away and take some pictures
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