Newsclips – Blagojevich Impeached – January 9

• Guide to the impeachement process – MSNBC
• Blago Impeached, Blago goes jogging – CBS2 Chicago
• Court rebuffs Burris on signature – Chicago Tribune
• Senate won’t seat Burris without signature – Chicago Tribune
• Objections to prosecutors – Chicago Tribune
• Impeachment “No Surprise” – Chicago Sun-Times
• Lone ‘no’ in vote – Chicago Sun-Times
• What’s Next? – Chicago Sun-Times
• Blago impeached – Washington Post
• IL House impeaches Gov – New York Times

Transcript: Sen. Harry Reid on Meet the Press | Israel, Roland Burris, The Economy | Sunday, January 4

(Source: NBC’s Meet the Press)

MR. GREGORY: And here with us now, the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid.

Welcome back to MEET THE PRESS and happy New Year.

SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV): Thank you very much.

MR. GREGORY: Let me ask you about the ground invasion into Gaza.  Do you think on the part of this Israeli–of the Israelis this was offensive or defensive?

SEN. REID: I spoke to Prime Minister Olmert a couple of days ago.  He indicated that they would do the ground activities.  Let’s understand the background.  For eight years they’ve been firing rockets into Israel.  They’ve become more intense the last few months.  Israelis have been killed, maimed and injured.  Sometimes more than 200 a day coming into Israel.  If this were going on in the United States from Vancouver, Canada, into Seattle, would we react?  Course we do.  We would have to.  I think what the Israelis are doing is very important.  I think this terrorist organization, Hamas, has got to be put away.  They’ve got to come to their senses.  The Fatah group, which is–makes up part of Palestinian group, has a peace arrangement with Israel. Hamas should do the same.

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Video: Hairy Reid’s Taint

Sen. Harry Reid on Meet the Press

Still Says Burris Appt Tainted

Maybe Super Prosecutor Fitzgerald Screwed Up

Lots of hand-wringing going on today about whether or not Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s senate appointment has “standing” or whether the Illinois Secretary of State or Senate Majority Leader will derail the appointment.

The only dispassionate view to be heard was former Illinois Gov. Jim Thompson on NPR’s All Things Considered.  He points out that the Governor is still governor, he’s not been impeached and Illinois law states that he has the authority and duty to make the appointment.  Thompson also points out that the Secretary of State’s duty to certify the governor’s appointment is only administrative under law – Jesse White, the official in question, doesn’t have discretionary authority.  He’s just a pass through.  Finally, Thompson – who is an attorney – said that the U.S. Supreme Court decided decades ago that senators may only contest the seating of a new senator under questions of age, citizenship or residency.  Any attorneys or jailhouse lawyers out there can comment.

Thompson also made another point.  This January will see the 111th Congress considering legislation of greater than usual importance.  The country is in two wars and a recession.  The financial system is still in intensive care and what’s left of our manufacturing sector is a ship dead in the water.  Illinois deserves its full complement in Congress.

Unfortunately, the only way to get there is for the governor of Illinois to make the appointment.

This all got me thinking about what’s made Blago a household name outside of Oak Park and Evansville.  Federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has been investigating the governor by some accounts since 2003.  Fitzgerald gets some juicy stuff on tape and makes the arrest, holds the press conference.  My question is, did Fitzgerald move too soon?

There’s a lot of unnecessary drama unfolding in Springfield and Chicago if the Illinois governor tried to sell a senate seat.  Or, does the Illinois governor just have a big, foul mouth?  Should Fitzgerald have waited for a deal to be made?  If this was a better movie, the good guys would’ve had the money exchange hands on tape and then G-Men would’ve burst through doors and swung in through the windows on ropes.

But, instead, we’ve got f-bombs on tape and one big-mouth, preening politician being himself – a douche bag.  If there was more to Fitzgerald’s case, perhaps the governor would’ve resigned by now or there would be more for the Illinois legislature to work with in impeachment proceedings.

If what they say about Roland Burris is true – that he’s an upstanding public servant not tainted by Chicago’s political cesspool – perhaps the wise thing to do is let the man take his seat unencumbered in the Senate.  Just forget that Captain Hairbrush appointed him, put it out of your mind.  The people of Illinois do deserve both of their votes in the Senate, don’t they?

Transcript: Rod Blagojevich appoints Roland Burris to U.S. Senate | With Bobby Rush | December 30, 2008

(Source: CNN)

GOV. ROD BLAGOJEVICH (D), ILLINOIS: Thank you very much.

Merry Christmas. Happy holidays. Happy new year. Feliz navidad y prospero ano nuevo.

The people of Illinois are entitled to have two United States senators represent them in Washington, D.C.

As governor, I am required to make this appointment. If I don’t make this appointment, then the people of Illinois will be deprived of their appropriate voice and vote in the United States Senate.

Therefore, I am here to announce my intention to appoint an individual who has unquestioned integrity, extensive experience, and is a wise and distinguished senior statesman of Illinois. This man actually once was an opponent of mine for governor.

(LAUGHTER)

So I’m here today to announce that I am appointing Roland Burris as the next United States senator from the Illinois.

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