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Nancy Pelosi and the Dems needs to say that the Senate will refuse to seat anyone picked by Blago until there is either a special election or the person if fully investigated.
Another issue here that I haven't seen mentioned is the timing of the appointment in terms of seniority. There a bunch of new senators who will be sworn in in early January. If Illinois' appointment is made before then, the new senator will be higher on the seniority list than the new people. If the appointment is made, or an election won, after the, the new senator will drop down the list.
Blagojevich should 1. resign, 2. step aside (or whatever it's called in the IL Constitution), or 3. be impeached/removed.
They Gov. Pat Quinn would do the appointment.
Having a special election seems unnecessary. The Black community seemed to have a commitment that the appointee would be Black. Having a special election sorta seems like the Dem establishment is reneging on the commitment to appoint a Black candidate.
Also, are the Democrats going to risk the seat going to a Republican? Is this going to be a real election? Or is it going to be a beauty contest and the governor then decides whether to appoint the winner?
Seriously, I am a big fan of Durbin, Cullerton and other democrats but this is not what we need now. What happens after this passes? We have everyone lining up to run for this seat without any worry of giving up their own seats. It would be a free for all. That in itself wouldn't be so bad but guess what happens then? All those candidates need to raise money quickly. I can just imagine all those phone calls being made during the next few months. If any of them call me I am going to patch my lawyer onto the call first. I can't believe I am going to say this, but the best thing might be for the seat to stay empty until 2010.
The Gov isn't goint to resign...
"This is the kind of thing that I think, frankly, separates the men from the boys in leadership," Blagojevich said. "Do you have the testicular virility to make a decision like that, knowing what's coming your way?''
a good choice for the Senate appointment. He will need the income and she can't testify against him.
Also any Dem primary for the special will deal with the 'What # are you' question.
It would be much faster to declare Public Official A unable to carry out his duties, Quinn takes the reins, in the meantime Public Official A is impeached and removed.
(This is so much worse than I imagined, I will no longer use his name. I mean, really, a Senate appointment held up for the highest bidder, which never comes through because everyone knows the guy is poison.)
Democrats need to start calling for impeachment/resignation NOW!
This is already a disaster for the party. Every moment they wait to act on removing him from office will make it worse. Period
Over time the blago funk is only going to stink everything up.
And let's not forget, we still live in a country wehre you are innocent until proven guilty. Governor Blagojevich has not been convicted of a crime, merely indicted and arrested.
Any calls to resign...or impeach...or recall him must be met with some trepidation.
Word of caution - other legislative leaders should tread very softly at this point. Per Patrick Fitzgerald's apparent mandate, no one is above reproach!
It will be expensive? It will be hard to raise money? The new Senator might not get his/her first pick of committee assignments? A Republican might win? It might take awhile?
Give me a break. It's all a small price to pay for giving the public a chance to elect their own Senator.
I don't think Blagojevich will veto the bill and even if he does, it will be quickly overridden.
But, we'd be faced with 1) getting the legislature to pass it, 2) Blago resigning or being impeached so Quinn can sign it OR 2a) waiting for the clock to expire, sending another bill, then overriding when he finally vetoes it, 3) have the filing period and waiting period before the special election and finally 4) having the special election.
We could be looking at March or April minimum before we'd have a Senator. Best to impeach, let Quinn appoint, then change the law in the event of any future vacancies.
The people of IL are FINALLY outraged by the past day's turn of events, and regardless of the tactical disadvantages to the Democrats of going this route, it is a corner which they have necessarily been backed into.
Illinois voters must look awfully stupid to Pols.
You saying the Gov. doesn’t have the “testicular virility†to make the tough decision to give up his office after this humiliation
I think he does. Like Betty Loren-Maltese, he'll walk proud through that Fed Center Lobby... none of this hat-in-the-face stuff taking pleasure in everyone speculating on who'll flip on.
Illinois voters must look awfully stupid to Pols.
You saying the Gov. doesn’t have the “testicular virility†to make the tough decision to give up his office after this humiliation
I think he does. Like Betty Loren-Maltese, he'll walk proud through that Fed Center Lobby... none of this hate-in-the-face stuff taking pleasure in everyone speculating on who'll flip on.
I can only say that while it is easy for me to glote about the proceedings today, it is a sad day for Illinois. For years my nickname has been He Makes Ryan Look Like A Saint. Today proves that while Ryan was convicted on circumstancial evidence (he certainly was not on tape). Rod thought he was above the law and continued to treat the office like Tony Suprano.
It is time for Mike Madigan to convene an Impeachment Hearing immediately and stop this guy before he does further damage.
Also, I also believe everything that has been proposed (IDOT MOVE, Joliet Prison closure etc) be stopped either through injunction or legislative method, to assure everyone that the Governor has not profited from them.
While my friends in State Government cheer, it is indeed a sad day for Illinois.
Finally I will be taking suggestions for my new nickname in the upcoming slower weeks.
http://cgi.ebay.com/OBAMAS-ILLINOIS-SENATE-SEAT...
Hopefully, the legislature will act swiftly on impeachment before moving the legislation for special election in order to keep that legislation from getting even more tangled in the Blagojevich web.
My thought exactly...
Timer for NEW leadership that has a backbone!!!
Everyone thought it was Rezko who decided to not make a deal with the feds. With this in hand the feds probably just told Rezko to go blow and grind it our in jail- we don't need you.
Now Cellini, Kelly, Hurtgen have no leverage. They can't make a deal because Pitzy doesn't need 'em.
Rod must resign- today- or else impeach tomorrow.
And recorded! Lets not forget recorded.
"Word of caution - other legislative leaders should tread very softly at this point. Per Patrick Fitzgerald’s apparent mandate, no one is above reproach!"
GOOD!!! Its about time.
My advice: Stop giving us advice.
Either leader can call their respective chamber in for regular session at any time.
Only on a call for special session does it require them to agree.
I have to guess that it's someone with either Ozinga or Oremus [Prairie Materials].
If it's Ozinga, then it almost had to be Marty, who ran & lost to Halvorsen last month.
I think the only way to call a session now is under the special session provisions: 1) governor or 2) the Speaker and President together.
I think the only way to call a session now is under the special session provisions: 1) governor or 2) the Speaker and President together.
Everyone thought it was Rezko who decided to not make a deal with the feds. With this in hand the feds probably just told Rezko to go blow and grind it our in jail- we don’t need you.
Now Cellini, Kelly, Hurtgen have no leverage. They can’t make a deal because Pitzy doesn’t need ‘em."
Actually, they still have some leverage - just not anywhere near what they had. Advantage - Feds.
Another interesting point is that Rod actually now has some idea of exactly what he's facing. He got a fairly full load of what the Feds have on him. This information will probably have a pretty serious effect on what the above mentioned players (Cellini, Kelly, Hurtgen, "Fast", etc.) are thinking. They just got a pretty good feeling for exactly what the Feds are going to have for their cases.
Impeach now. That's leadership. If Cullerton wanted to continue as a hack the rest of his life, he could stayed out of leadership. He made a choice. Cowboy up, Johnny.
He's never been as smart as he thinks he is. But he's never had any real responsibility, either. Everybody's knows who his pals are. It's a new day, brother. Get smart.
The special election does not have anything to do with the removal of the governor by impeachment, jail, or resignation. It is a necessary step to ensure the seat is not bought. Sorry if this is inconvenient for you.