Blagojevich arrest fuels talk of impeachment

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Gov. Rod Blagojevich's arrest Tuesday immediately stirred speculation that he could be impeached if he doesn't resign, a move that would put more stress on a state government already coming apart at the seams.

Bickering and gridlock have been a fact of life for years at the state Capitol. Impeachment hearings and a trial would produce even more at a time when officials face a huge hole in the state budget and pressure to pass an economic stimulus plan.

But some impeachment supporters say the state's many serious problems are exactly why Illinois can't afford to have a governor facing federal corruption charges.

"We have too much work to do to move Illinois forward," said House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego. "We cannot allow this crisis to impact Illinois citizens any longer."

Comptroller Daniel Hynes, a Democrat, said Blagojevich must step aside or be removed.

"Our government's ability to deal on a daily basis with the fiscal and economic crises we currently face demands leadership and integrity. Our governor cannot provide either," said Hynes.

U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, a Chicago Democrat, said she had already contacted the heads of the Illinois House and Senate and asked them to begin impeachment proceedings.

"This is a sad day for the people of Illinois," she said.

Impeachment is a two-step process. First, the Illinois House would consider whether there were grounds for impeachment, much like a grand jury deciding whether someone should be brought up on criminal charges. If a majority of the House voted yes, then the Senate would hold a trial.

It takes a two-thirds vote in the Senate to convict, and the only possible punishments are removal from office and disqualification from holding any other office.

There was no immediate word from House Speaker Michael Madigan or Senate President Emil Jones on whether they would consider impeachment. And Jones' replacement, Sen. John Cullerton, did not comment on how he would handle the question when he takes over next month.

Long before Blagojevich faced criminal charges, his most vocal critics were talking about impeachment, citing a long list of potentially unconstitutional moves, slights to the General Assembly and ethics violations. Madigan even circulated a memo on the issue as a resource for legislative candidates who wanted to call for impeachment.

The Democratic governor has refused to say whether he would resign if indicted, calling the question "stupid."

If he stays in office, his every action will be suspect. The federal charges don't simply accuse him of improper political activity, they allege blatant abuse of his office's power.

Robert Rich, director of the University of Illinois' Institute of Government and Public Affairs, said he doubts Blagojevich would resign, partly because it might make him look guilty.

Rich also doubts the Legislature would remove Blagojevich from office. Legislative leaders wouldn't want to be seen as interfering with the federal court process, he argued.

He predicts Blagojevich will stay in office and have a seat at the table in Springfield but that Madigan and Cullerton will gain new influence over the shape of the budget and other top issues.

"Life will go on," Rich said.