Gov. Rod Blagojevich has taken the clown show of Illinois politics on the road:
(CNN) — Impeachment proceedings against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich are scheduled to begin Monday in the state Senate, but the embattled governor is expected to skip the trial and instead appear on several television programs.
Blagojevich is facing federal corruption allegations, including trying to trade or sell the Senate seat that became vacant after Barack Obama was elected president.
The second-term Democratic governor has denied wrongdoing.
In his first live prime-time interview, Blagojevich will appear Monday on CNN’s “Larry King Live.”
He spoke with ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Monday morning and was scheduled to appear with his wife later Monday on ABC’s “The View.”
I’ve written before that impeachment isn’t a criminal or civil proceedings but a political act but this certainly sounds to me as though it’s going too far. Frankly, I doubt that he’s going to drum up a lot of support from Illinoisans this way.
I doubt that it will play well in Peoria. Especially not under the circumstances.
Certainly its a political act, the Governor should take his case to the people of Illinois. I watched the Governor being interviewed by Diane Sawyer this morning; I wasn’t moved.
The political solution for the Governor was to go to the legislature in contrition and agree to change and work with the General Assembly. The Achilles heal of impeachment was always the risk that the General Assembly might like a weakened Governor. The appointment of Burris was the opposite approach.
From CNN: “I’m here in New York because I can’t get a fair hearing in Illinois”
One problem with the national media is that they don’t appear to know that the Governor was impeached for 13 acts, only one of which was the appointment of Obama.
Well, he won’t get any support from this Illinoisan.
“only one of which was the appointment of Obama.”
Obama’s replacement I mean.