Illinois Senate ousts Governor Blagojevich from office
Thu. January 29, 2009 12:00 AM by Kevin Wayne
Chicago, IL -
The Illinois Senate voted 59-0 this afternoon to remove embattled Governor Rod Blagojevich from office.
The unanimous vote convicts Blagojevich for abusing the powers of his office, including alleged attempts to shake down campaign donors and trying to sell a U.S. Senate seat.
This is the first time in state history that a sitting governor has been impeached and removed from office.
Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn now becomes the state's 41st governor.
Blagojevich, who boycotted the first three days of the trial, vowed during today's hearing that he would not resign.
The Illinois Senate also unanimously voted to disqualify Blagojevich, a two-term Democrat, from holding office in the state.
On January 14, the Illinois House voted 117-1 to impeach Blagojevich with the lone "no" vote coming from the governor's sister-in-law, Rep. Deborah Mell (D-Chicago).
Mell, who was sworn in on January 14, became Illinois' first out lesbian member of the General Assembly. Her partner, Christin Baker, accompanied her to the swearing in ceremony.
FBI agents arrested Blagojevich on federal charges at his Chicago home on February 9. A 76-page affidavit revealed that federal agents tapped the governor's conversations and caught him attempting to gain financially from the 'selling' of the US Senate seat left vacant by Barack Obama's election as President.
Last month, Blagojevich shocked Senate Democrats when he appointed former Illinois Atty. Gen. Roland Burris to the U.S. Senate.
Burris says today that the ousting of Blagojevich speaks "loud and clear" that there were serious hurdles keeping him from doing his job.
Blagojevich has not yet been indicted on the fraud and extortion charges and any criminal trial could possibly be years away.
Complete coverage at: www.chicagotribune.com and www.cbs2chicago.com
The unanimous vote convicts Blagojevich for abusing the powers of his office, including alleged attempts to shake down campaign donors and trying to sell a U.S. Senate seat.
This is the first time in state history that a sitting governor has been impeached and removed from office.
Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn now becomes the state's 41st governor.
Blagojevich, who boycotted the first three days of the trial, vowed during today's hearing that he would not resign.
The Illinois Senate also unanimously voted to disqualify Blagojevich, a two-term Democrat, from holding office in the state.
On January 14, the Illinois House voted 117-1 to impeach Blagojevich with the lone "no" vote coming from the governor's sister-in-law, Rep. Deborah Mell (D-Chicago).
Mell, who was sworn in on January 14, became Illinois' first out lesbian member of the General Assembly. Her partner, Christin Baker, accompanied her to the swearing in ceremony.
FBI agents arrested Blagojevich on federal charges at his Chicago home on February 9. A 76-page affidavit revealed that federal agents tapped the governor's conversations and caught him attempting to gain financially from the 'selling' of the US Senate seat left vacant by Barack Obama's election as President.
Last month, Blagojevich shocked Senate Democrats when he appointed former Illinois Atty. Gen. Roland Burris to the U.S. Senate.
Burris says today that the ousting of Blagojevich speaks "loud and clear" that there were serious hurdles keeping him from doing his job.
Blagojevich has not yet been indicted on the fraud and extortion charges and any criminal trial could possibly be years away.
Complete coverage at: www.chicagotribune.com and www.cbs2chicago.com