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Get over it. You lost Gov. Good riddance.
At least they stayed out of the New York vacancy, apparently. Caroline is out.
It would have to be on SIRIUS.
The assembled media then did just that; but when the arrived at Senator Cullerton's home they learned that he had left for work two hours earlier, while the Governor was stil sleeping.
Is he aware of the anger and resentment this would cause? Twice-elected, okay. Sure. But the House has indicated a pattern of abuse during his years in office. We elected him, yeah -- but we didn't give him a mandate to abuse the office.
It seems there's some confusion here.
I smell desperation.
As for WLS...well, it's a nice little publicity stunt, isn't it?
Resign already!
On the bright side, this gives Quinn more time to plan. And he should be planning up a storm because of the federal cash tsunami which is likely coming in the spring will provide all kinds of opportunities for very good or very bad early performance. And no matter what kind of anti-corruption devices the Obama admin puts on the cash, this is Illinois, where such devices would be considered, by many pols and would-be contractors, as a challenge not a deterrent. Blago or no, that part of Illinois politics hasn't changed.
Too late.
McBeth he will soon trade the black jump suit in for an orange one.
How is getting something for leaving a post differenct from getting something for filling a post?
My thoughts also. But these are desperate times! :-)
If You Impeach Me Now
song and lyrics by Chicago, modified and performed by Rod Blagojevich
If you impeach me now,
you'll take away the biggest part of me,
Nooo people! Please don't - NO!
If you impeach me now,
You'll take away the very heart of me
Nooo people! Please don't - NO!
A guv like mine is a guv that's hard to find,
How could you let it slip away?
We've come too far to leave it all behind,
How could we end it all this way?
When Monday comes well both regret,
Things I said on tape.
It's a [bleeping] thing, that's hard to find,
How could I have let it [bleep] away?
Weve come too far to [bleep] it all away,
How could you [bleep] me this way?
When tomorrow comes well both regret,
Things I said on tape.
If you leave [bleep] me now,
you'll hear from me,
I'm [bleeping] warning you! NO!
Oh [bleep]! just got to [bleep][bleeping] you!
Hey Democrats! please don't - NO!
Look a kitty! I just got to have your lovin, yeah!
Weve come too far! You [bleeping] a******! I'll [bleeping] kill [bleep]!
I love the "will of the people stuff." At this point, the only people that want him to stay in office are Rod, his wife, his lawyers, and the bill collectors. (And I'm not so sure about the bill collectors.)
The thought of Rahm Emanuel being subpoenaed to testify at the impeachment trial is delicious!
One of the most critical tenents of Due Process - you can not fail to avail yourself of the available process if you wish to pursue such a claim. His failure to ask for dismissal or to try and subpeona witnesses will make it almost impossible for him to establish basic parts of his argument.
For example, he never sought to have the charges dismissed; and has not actually requested that any witnesses be produced for his trial.
Hey people! It's me Rod Blagojevich! The good hardworking people of WLS radio has decided to let me work my talents on this, my very first day, as the host on The Rod Blagojevich Show!
We'll be taking your calls here at 1-800-Rod-Blago, and I have as our first guest Bill, a close dear friend and popular blogger at theCapitolFaxBlog.Say hey Bill!What about those Cubs!They're doing an incredible job this season if they ever get that pitching situation under control.Hey Bill, did you get a load of that situation down at the corner of Lake and Michigan this morning?I was down there getting a tasty donut shaped like a Blackhawk hockey puck, and those hawks are did great last season didn't they Bill.I mean, great!
Look, a kitty!
Where Bill? Where?I don't see a kitty, but I do see our first caller.Hey!Glad you called!You are the first caller on my new radio show!
Hello Mr. Blagojevich. My name is Carrie, and...
Hey Carrie!
and I'm from International Debt Collectors, and...
Hey Carrie!Gotta go!Bill!My man!Talk about debts!We sure cranked them up when I was running the show, and speaking of show, we have another caller.
Mr. Blagojevich? This is Former Governor George Ryan...
you still alive?
...not funny. I just want to tell you that you are a disgrace to Illinois. I hope you rot in
'click'!
Oh no!Lost the connection!Here's another caller!
This is Former Governor Dan Walker.
...you're still alive?
...not funny. As one of Illinois' ex-felon governors, I want to tell you how ashamed we all are
'click'
Lost another connection!Who is supposed to be screening these [bleeping] calls?[Bleep!]I can't get a [bleeping][bleeping] break around this [bleep]Bill!Bail my [bleeping][bleep] out of this [bleeping] mess, will ya?
'click'
We are having some technical difficulties. Please stay tuned to WLS as we address this situation.
*Music*
Come on, they'll have to do better than that.
Getting the Governor to resign, that's f***in' Golden.
But in this case, radio spots begin and end at specific time slots, not when the governor decides to show up.
Like I said. Stunt.
Then can just fire him at will and be done with it.
*Sigh* Wishful thinking, This Guy.
Considering how your administration was an utter sham, we've decided to end it in a similar manner.
Glad you understand,
VanillaMan
One of the most critical tenents of Due Process - you can not fail to avail yourself of the available process if you wish to pursue such a claim.
One would assume that this failure to avail himself of the various procedural options is perhaps the end result of a "C" in constitutional law? (And a disdain for any constitution -- state or federal -- in general?)
I'd always found it profoundly disturbing -- and awkward -- to hear pseudo-populists like Blagojevich take pot-shots at academia for the purposes of comic-relief. There's always a whiff of anti-intellectualism with Blagojevich -- and it's something that I've found troubling for many years.
I went through the same thing when I got hooked on CapFax after Blago was arrested. The "oh look, a kitty" is a reference to someone with a very short attention span.
T-shirts, for example:
http://www.zazzle.com/ironydesign/find/qs-oh+lo...
remember he says he barely passed law school. He may have read it but that doesn't mean he understood it.
If this is such a basic legal principle, then Blago's lawyers know it too. Isn't it wrong for an attorney to encourage a client to pursue a legal strategy the attorney KNOWS will fail?
Have You?
“And he’s appalled. He cannot believe that this is his government. He cannot believe this is the State of Illinois. He cannot believe that as governor this is what they do to you."
I thought it was ironic how his feeling mirrored my own. I was appalled by this Governor. I could not believe how he failed to govern. I couldn't believe that even in Illinois a politician could be so brazenly corrupt. I couldn't believe that an elected Governor would do this to his State.
My point is, I'm glad to see what goes around comes around. He cheated and corrupted the system for so many years and as he loses his power and grip, I imagine he'll feel the frustrations and anxieties foisted upon the citizens 100 fold.
==has rod ever read the illinois constitution?==
Have You? ===
I can't speak for 'bored now' but I have read it. A few times. Mostly to check on how the gov can veto a bill. But I have also read the rest of it since the govs arrest. He's toast.
WLS!
Hey people! It’s me Rod Blagojevich! The good hardworking people of WLS radio has decided to let me work my talents on this, my very first day, as the host on The Rod Blagojevich Show!
As this is the first show, we need to lay down some ground rules. Air time is f*****g golden, so, I'll expect more than just gratitude for putting you on. If you would like to call in and be on the air, it will be $100 for a one minute comment. If you would like to appear live as a guest for a five minute segment, you'll need to put up $1000. If you would like to do the weather, news or sports, you'll need to go to e-bay, where the bidding is already up and running. That said, let's take our first call...
OK...
Well, let's go to the news...
Ummmmmm...
Sports?.........
OK...
Here's Patty with a special segment on buying that first home.
Where does it say it applies to impeachments?
Much better, funnier and more accurate.
The only thing I think I can start adding would be Blagojevich's radio sponsors...
"Get Blagojeviched with Hair Club for Men! The Club has a new full line of Paul Mitchell for Blagojevich hair products and a new style line of hair, inspired by the felonious governor himself!"
"Take a look at this one, "The Begging Bowl", an update of the classic with that Blagojevichian take. Or, perhaps you would like "The Ethical Burr", another Blagojevich-inspired twist on a classic short cut. And speaking of short cuts, with every purchase of the Blagojevich line from Hair Club for Men, you can enter to win a black polyester jogging suit, handsomely detailed with white side racing strips and pit stains."
"You won't want to miss this [bleeping] golden offer!"
A little refresher for Ed Genson....
Amendment X, U.S. Constitution:
"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
Footnote: the U.S. Constitution is silent on the impeachment of state officeholders.
Amendments 5, 6 and 14, U.S. Constitution:
"No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation."
"In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence."
"1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
Emphasis added.
Footnotes: Impeachment is not a criminal trial, so Amendments 5 and 6 are inapplicable.
Rod's ONLY hope before a Federal Judge is to argue that he's protected under the 14th Amendment's Due Process clause. However, impeachment does not deprive him of life or liberty. Nor does it deprive him of property, as far as i can see: he will be paid his earned salary, through his last day of service, and the Pension Code entitles him to his pension unless convicted of a felony.
I sure hope so. He did swear to uphold it. Didn't he?
The Illinois Constitution that he is sworn to uphold says otherwise, Steve. He can be impeached at any time for any reason. That's part of the job description.
It's more like signing a lease, rather than buying a piece of land. Violate the lease and you're out on the street.
The repeated discussion of whether, by failing to "exhaust administrative remedies" (the Senate impeachment trial?) he has abandoned standing to seek relief from the Courts is an interesting one. I suspect we shall soon see about that also.
Around 11:30 a.m. Blagojevich left his home dressed in jeans and a coat. He did not elaborate on his earlier statements but said he might have more to say Friday. He got into a state car with his security detail and left.
song and lyrics by Chicago, modified and performed by Rod Blagojevich
Now THAT's some fine elevator music!
the purpose of impeachment is not to punish the office holder, but to protect the public from future misconduct.
So Blago's rights to the office and his salary are irrelevent. The only question is whether the State Senate will decide that Blago is too dangerous to keep in office.
I think that it is an easy decision.
It's what rules, if any, are there for the process and does he have any rights under the US Constitution for those rules not to deny him due process, and do the current rules meet that standard, whatever it may be. I am most skeptical whether the prohibition on calling certain witnesses meets that standard. He will argue that he can't defend himself against accusations where relevant witnesses to his arguments (Were you asked for, or do you feel you were pressured for, any donation to the Governor's campaign fund in return for...?) can't be called.
Also, the issue of whether he is being "punished" will almost certainly be irrelevant. The issue will simply be is he being deprived of property through this process. In a vacuum, I believe the answer is almost certainly "yes".
So do we all have that same property right, unless we are seprated from that property by and act of law.
I also understand that we don't want to have a set of rules that makes it easy to impeach ANY governor, but I think you forefit a property right to a job if you're found guilty and impeached. It's not like they're impeaching him on some conference committee vote. His transgressions are well documented.
Comply then grieve.
Clearly this is different from a criminal proceeding, but I don't think we should demean it or lessen it by referring to it as a political event.