Friday, January 2, 2009

January 2, 2008

     Illinois is my home state.  It's always had interesting politics, maybe never more so than now.
 
     There's Blagojevich, the governor, under fire for being recorded wondering how much he could get for appointing someone to Barack Obama's Senate seat.  Well, says the governor, I'll show 'em.  He offers the seat--no money involved now, to a black Congressman from Chicago, Danny Davis, who said no thanks, anybody the governor appointed would be unable to serve.  So the gov then appoints Roland Burris, who's held middle level offices--state attorney general, but had run repeatedly for governor and senator without success.
 
     Burris says he's legit, because the gov has the authority to appoint him.  But it's not that simple, of course.  The U.S. Senate might refuse to seat him.  Obama says Blagojevich should step down and let the successor appoint a senator.  The Illinois legislature is fixing to impeach the gov.  He's trying to fight that in court.
 
     I don't know how Illinois works, but here in Washington the courts don't play any role in impeachment.  An impeachable offense is whatever the House puts into its articles of impeachment.  If the Senate votes to convict, the impeached person--president or anybody else--is gone.  Richard Nixon resigned his presidency because the votes for impeachment were there;  Bill Clinton didn't resign because he knew the votes weren't there.
 
     I don't presume to advise the Illinois legislature;  I don't know them and I haven't lived there for years.  But a quick impeachment might be the easiest course--blow the smoke off the battlefield, clear out the governor, and let his successor, presumably the Lt. Gov., get to work.
 
     Just a thought, guys.  But ain't you got fun?  
 
   
 
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