Nothing makes me prouder to be from Illinois than the current mess that is the state's government. At a time when Illinoisans should be more excited than ever about politics, sending President-elect Barack Obama to Washington, D.C., the excitement is overshadowed by the despicable activities of Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Blagojevich is accused of multiple corrupt dealings, including trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat for monetary and career-based gains. I'm still waiting to hear if my bid was high enough, but I have a feeling I lost that one.
On Friday, the House voted 114-1 to impeach Blagojevich. We better take a closer look at that dissenting voter – he may be Blagojevich's cousin or something. The Illinois State Senate will begin trial set-up next week, and the impeachment trial will likely start Jan. 26. This is the first time Illinois has impeached a governor despite a history of corruption, including former governor George Ryan who is in jail for racketeering, conspiracy, fraud and lying under oath, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Blagojevich was indicted in early December 2008 after FBI wiretaps and bugs revealed wild tales of corruption, including trying to sell Obama's Senate seat for money and jobs for Blagojevich and his wife. Blagojevich also allegedly withheld "funding for a children's hospital unless the CEO made a campaign donation," according to the Rockford Register Star. Way to take it out on the kids, Rod.
The FBI affidavit reports Blagojevich also threatened to withhold state financial assistance from the Chicago Tribune unless the Tribune Company fired editorial writers who repeatedly criticized the governor. Obviously their criticisms were way off base since Blagojevich was clearly doing such a great job abiding by the law in his position.
In response to the House impeachment, Blagojevich said he will not resign and that he "'took actions, with the advice of lawyers and experts, to find ways, creative ways, to use the executive authority of a governor to get real things done for people who rely on us,'" according to the Rockford Register Star.
Unfortunately for Blagojevich, those ways were not only creative, but also very illegal. His lawyers and expert advisers may want to consider an insanity defense since he seems so out of touch with reality.
Despite all of the allegations against Blagojevich, I hope he fights the impeachment case and wins, because that way justice will be served, democracy will prevail and everyone will be assured that Obama's successor to the U.S. Senate got there legitimately. I also hope he wears his jogging suit to the trial because he always looks so professional and gubernatorial when they show clips of him wearing it on CNN.
Here's to you, Rod – thanks for bringing Illinois politics to an unprecedented low. You really have given other Americans a great view of the state and have brought honor to the office of governor. More importantly, you have given Illinois children a great role model to look up to. Unfortunately, they may have to look up to you through prison bars.