But the Tribune’s Editorial calling for Blagojevich’s impeachment is one year late. Certainly John McCormick deserves credit and support for his withering attacks on Blagojevich as does Bruce Dold and the rest of the crew. That said, they went for the false promise of a recall election that even if passed could not take place for another 9 – 12 months realistically.
There’s a point to impeachment and that is when the executive abuses it’s power, the legislature, being the voice of the people, may remove the executive at it’s will. It’s not a legal process as I’ve made the point repeatedly, it’s a political process. If the Lege Members remove an executive wrongly, they pay the electoral consequences. However, the sovereignty of the State of Illinois lies in the Legislature and they have the very power that the Trib Editorial Board crusaded for without any changes to the Constitution. The cause for impeachment was met when Blagojevich repeatedly ignored the separation of power for the umpteenth time, but the enthusiasm did not occur until Tuesday when the level of the Governor’s corruption was made clear by Patrick Fitzgerald and his team and the FBI.
That we had to wait for Fitzgerald to move only shows the timidity of our press and our politicians, however. A man who will disregard the Constitution of the State of Illinois will certainly disregard the law–in fact, by definition that politician already has. It’s not something to ignore when politicians do that, it’s something to act upon and not simply with a call for a ‘reform,’ but with an action of removal that the Constitution already provides.
While I criticize the Trib’s late arrival at the conclusion impeachment should occur and occur fast, the House of Representatives isn’t even at that point yet. Every day that man stays in power doesn’t tell is anything else about him, but it says a hell of a lot about of government.
We’ve got Newt Gingrich and Tom DeLay to thank for turning a legitimate tool into something that is perceived as making the impeachers radioactive.
I assume you’ve seen the Trib this morning, on Congressman Jackson, the South Asian Blagojevich connection and the fundraiser.
In the immortal words of the complaint:
On Dec. 5th, 2008, Rod Blagojevich instructed Individual D to “undo your Individual D thing.”
I guess he didn’t undo his Individual D thing quickly enough.
Earnest,
MJM needs to perk up his ears and listen to the crowd roaring for the lege to “undo that Public Official A” thing….
Why do I think he’ll resign by Monday? It’s just can’t keep on going like this.
I have seldom been wrong in assuming the worst about Rod Blagojevich, Leo. I hope I’m wrong, but setting low expectations leads to far less disappointment with the man.
You know, it’s funny, my first political experience was Richard Nixon going down. That took a while but once the ‘smoking gun’ tape came out and he was ditched by the final defenders in his party — that’s when he finally gave up and resigned.
I think we got to the ‘smoking gun’ part with Blago on Tuesday.
I think Blagojevich’s best move might be to step aside and allow Quinn to do the duties of governor while Blagojevich continues to draw a paycheck.
Once he’s stepped aside he can justify going slowly on impeachment, quibbling about rules of evidence and stuff.
Once he’s not doing active harm the pressure to move against Blagojevich will be lessened.
Carl,
I think you’re on to a critical, underappreciated factor. Blagojevich at least in his own eyes just can’t afford to resign. Literally. He believes he’s already in a family financial crisis (and he may be, because of legal bills, though it’s hard to believe that Patti could stumble into that much free money in the closets and cabinets of all those condos she sold, and it’d all be gone).
I don’t think he’s resigning, because he needs the money. He’ll have to be pushed.
I’m curious.
When did you first call for impeachment?
November 2007. I certainly knew he was crooked before then, but between the abuse of power and corruption, I felt by that time, there was sufficient cause.
Specifically, November 20. For flouting the Illinois constitution and spending money in a manner not prescribed by the Lege.