Blago shoehorns Burris in….says, Fitz OUT!
CHICAGO (AP) — Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s defense attorneys have asked a federal judge to throw U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and all his assistants off the fraud and bribery case against him.
Chief defense counsel Edward Genson said in a motion Thursday that the news conference Fitzgerald held in announcing the charges was so filled with prejudicial publicity that the prosecutor should bow out. 
The full text of the motion wasn’t immediately available because it had been filed under seal. But it was described by U.S. District Court Chief Judge James Holderman, who ordered it unsealed, and by Blagojevich attorney Sheldon Sorosky.
Fitzgerald spokesman Randall Samborn had no immediate comment.
Speaker Madigan predicts full House will impeach Blagojevich
A state legislative committee unanimously voted today to recommend the Illinois House impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich based on allegations that he abused his powers and sold his office to enrich himself.
Minutes after the vote, House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) predicted the full House would impeach Blagojevich as soon as Friday, the first such action in state history.
A Blagojevich spokesman said the governor would not heed some lawmakers’ calls to resign before the full House votes. The spokesman said the governor was working in his Chicago office at the time of the vote but was not monitoring the impeachment panel hearing. Blagojevich left for home after 6 p.m.
Blagojevich’s press office put out a statement saying the impeachment panel’s vote was not a surprise and predicted a “different” outcome in the Senate.
“The outcome was a foregone conclusion, especially when you consider the committee released its report hours before wrapping up testimony. The governor believes that the impeachment proceedings were flawed, biased and did not follow the rules of law….In all, the governor’s rights to due process were deprived. When the case moves to the actual Senate, an actual judge will preside over the hearings, and the governor believes the outcome will be much different,” the statement read.
Lt. Gov Pat Quinn, who stands to become governor if Blagojevich is removed from office, praised the committee vote.
“I think given the overwhelming evidence, it was pretty clear to anyone that this is what the people of Illinois wanted,” said Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn. ” The committee did what the people of Illinois felt was appropriate and I hope that message gets through to Governor Blagojevich.”
Quinn said Blagojevich should look to history and do the right thing.
4 Comments
January 9, 2009 at 6:56 am
Blago should get a shorter time in prison just for educating us to the Chicago politics. After all…that ’s where our king matured..and it gives the people that vote honestly a better look into the dark side. It’s amazing what I learned during this last election. I had never heard of acorn. I never knew that we had citizens that were proud for the first time in their adult life. I never knew that we had churches in America preaching against America and that our candidate and his TV friend actually went to services there.
I can only hope that the word impeachment is also the word of the future..because I am still willing to learn lots more. I want to be able to say…” for the first time in my adult life..I am happy and proud for my country.”
January 9, 2009 at 9:56 am
Ya gotta start wondering again if Fitz knowlingly blew it when he came out talking. I know that’s not supposed to be what happened, but maybe Fitz wasn’t to be trusted after all. So many doubts swirling around everyone…
Generally, it seems that our legal system is so broken it’s pathetic. Laws are ignored, etc. etc. when convenient, but for the little guy…well, “two Americas” applies to the law, not just wealth!!
January 9, 2009 at 11:04 am
Betty, you can imagine my shock when Acorn contacted me with a survey of my vote!
January 9, 2009 at 11:09 am
“Ya gotta start wondering again if Fitz knowlingly blew it when he came out talking.”
Fitz doesn’t make mistakes. He forced Blago to come out publically ( in all his gutter language) using his clout to get rid of him.
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