Blagojevich: Impeachment Trial
ChicagoBreakingNews.com
Gov. Rod Blagojevich today likened his Monday impeachment trial to a "hanging" of the 12 million people of Illinois.
The governor used an Old West analogy, citing an example where a cowboy stood accused of stealing a horse. One accuser would suggest hanging the thief while another would sarcastically suggest giving the thief a fair trial, then hanging him.
Illionois governor Rod Blagojevich plans to boycott his impeachment trial next week because he claims the process is unfair. (Photo: Charles Rex Arbogast / AP)
"Under these rules, I'm not getting a fair trial. They're just hanging me," Blagojevich said at the James R. Thompson Center.
The governor also said he doesn't plan to participate in his Monday impeachment trial because "it is a trampling of the constitution."
Blagojevich pleaded with newspaper editorial boards to lobby in his favor to change the rules of the impeachment trial to make them what he says would be fairer. In the criminal complaint following his Dec. 9 arrest, federal authorities accused Blagojevich of scheming to get Chicago Tribune editorial board members fired in return for helping the Cubs baseball team, which is owned by Tribune Co., a deal with the state to buy Wrigley Field.
Blagojevich said the Senate rules effectively don't allow him to call witnesses. The rules do allow Blagojevich to call witnesses, but he skipped deadlines to submit his witness wish list. Senators will have to vote to approve any witnesses called by the prosecution or the defense.
Blagojevich, portraying himself as the victim, said the impeachment trial rules are "a gross violation of every constitutional principle that exists."
"If they can do this to a governor, they can do this to any citizen in Illinois."
The impeachment trial, however, is a political procedure, not a legal one.
On Monday, the Illinois Senate is scheduled to start Blagojevich's impeachment trial. Blagojevich's legal team has said the governor will skip the proceedings because they're unfair. Blagojevich attorneys also won't appear. Lawmakers said that should reduce the trial's length.
The governor's remarks came as part of a media blitz in advance of his Senate trial. Some of his comments this afternoon echoed those he made during an early morning radio show appearance on WLS-AM 890. He also has a 4:10 p.m. appearance scheduled for Cliff Kelly's show on WVON-AM 1690.
"This is politics," he said on the "Don Wade and Roma" show on WLS. "This is about raising taxes. Pat Quinn has cut a deal with Democratic leaders....It's all about getting rid of me to raise taxes on people." Both income and sales taxes on gasoline would be increased by May, he said.
During the interview, Blagojevich did not address any of the specific charges brought against him. Asked if he wanted to apologize for anything, he said in reference to the U.S. wiretaps: "I apologize for the profanity...If I knew they were listening, I wouldn't have used those words."
The governor hinted he might file a lawsuit to block the impeachment trial.
As in his previous public statements, Blagojevich characterized the impeachment process as unconstitutional and unfair and asserted he was being denied the right to call witnesses who would say that he had not attempted to extort any kind of quid pro quo to win his appointment to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama.
And he again issued a blanket denial of any wrongdoing. "I've done nothing wrong. I'm not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing," he said.
But he said: "The fix is in. They've even put in a date when the trial will end. How can you do that?...."
He said if he is forced from office, it would set a dangerous precedent, putting all future governors in the position of having to "cower" to the legislature "and kiss their you-know-what because he'll be afraid that what they did to me, they'll do to him."
Ending his 43-minute interview, Blagojevich likened the current drama surrounding him "to a 21st Century Frank Capra movie... how the good guy was up against the establishment... But he stood firm for the people. That's what this is about."