The Blagojevich sideshow

Jamie, yes you are right, President Obama is a transformational leader. With his bailout package, he is funding his own agenda first with pork barrel spending. Milliions for new sod at the Washington Mall, billions to ACORN, which is supposed to be a non profit organization, with the majority of the money not being dispersed until 2010. Jamie, it politics as usual!!!

I believe the Governor of IL. should not be impeached. I beleive he should have his day in court.

The tapes that we have all heard did not seem all that damaging. I buy his appeal before the senate.

Bonnie, NC

I believe the Governor of IL. should not be impeached. I beleive he should have his day in court. America is a Country founded on the Rule of Law and because of that Rob Blagojevich should have the chance to defend himself and whatsmore he should be impeached after he is convicted of a Crime – In The United States Of America we have a long tradition of Presumption of Innocence until proven in a Court of Law that a Crime has been Committed...

I don't buy the comment that the impeachment committee has the
right to over ride Supreme court rulings as a right of their agreed upon
exclusivity. That might be true of a private club, with private members,
who are sponsored by private funds. But, in this instance, all of these
members are paid by tax payer dollars and as such have no right to
an exclusivity that enalbes them to be answerable only unto themselves. As state paid employees, they are answerable to the
people of Illinois and therefore should be accountable to maintain
the same standard as any court of law and the constitution.

Anyone can talk a lot garbage on the phone, and in essence be doing
nothing more than blowing smoke. That does not determine real intent, nor does it prove the commission of a wrongful act. The real
question is: "What did he really do", not what he said he wanted,
entertained, or even thought about doing. I don't think he should be
impeached until proven guilty of something.

What if a man sees a gorgeous woman on TV and says "Wow! She's
hot! She can park her slippers under my side of the bed anytime...in
fact, I'm going to call her!" Would we then take this recording and
charge the man with adultry? It is a scarey thing to know there is a body that functions under the will of the taxpayers, receive taxpayer
paid salaries and then are under no obligation to observe any
propriety, but free to make up their own rules. Why have the people
of Illinois allowed them to have this much power...certainly any group
that functions on what is supposed to be the in the best interests of
the people, should be answerable to and restrcited by some higher
guideline!

Where have you posters been living?

Anyone remember a guy by the name of Bill Clinton? Was that a trial?
Was he allowed to cross examine witnesses?

It's an impeachment. Not a trial.

But then, we have elected Barack Obama. He is going to change everything in our country. We will return to being the most economically powerful country in the world. We will be loved by all of the other inhabitants of this planet. I'm sure he can get the whole impeachment process changed into a fair trial kind of thing, in his spare time.

This is a sham…I may not even like the man but exhibited practice of impeachment without evidence or any solid proof of illegal dealings is unacceptable and unconstitutional. It very much reminds me of political processes in service of the prosecutors need to politically and publicly discredit an individual to build a week case of rumors serving questionable agendas. Impeachment would have been a normal outcome after the criminal case; unfortunately, accusations regarding Blagojevich’s first term in office being the “crown evidence” in the impeachment proceedings raises questions of legality behind actions of all present legislators deciding his faith. Is it not surprising that they all knew about it, supported him, voted and worked with him and yet took so long to identify the irregularities? How many of them had their interests combined with his for years? Maybe many of them should be investigated in the process. Outcome might surprise us all! I just wonder what will happen if he is not found guilty and convicted on criminal charges.
RJL
West Virginia

To those of you who believe that Blagojevich was cheated out of the chance to come to his own defense,

The EX-governor of Illinois was given the opportunity to defend himself. However, he skipped town, blew off the Senate, and hit every televised opportunity to take his "defense" public.

I believe the only invitation he should have accepted was the one issued by the Senate to attend his impeachment trial. He struts into the Senate today spouting his lies, thinking that he'd have an impact on the impeachment proceedings. He had an impact alright. The Illinois Senate listened to his "plea" and then unanimously voted to remove him from office.

The Senate should be applauded for their actions. I believe that the confidence the Illinois citizens have in our Senate was elevated greatly today. I for one am proud of our Senate. As an Illinois citizen, I believe they spoke well for me today. The impeachment did not "rob" us of the governor we elected six years ago as Blagojevich has stated. The vote today freed us from a corrupt leader who lives in the land of "denial."

Blagojevich's behavior over the past few months can be attributed to a mental illness. In the field of psychiatry, this man suffers from delusions of persecution which is defined as a false belief strongly held in spite of invalidating evidence. I'd call the FBI recordings of him the "invalidating evidence." However, I doubt that this "diagnosis" will help him in his upcoming criminal trial. I believe there is an empty bunk in EX-governor George Ryan's cell. I can't think of a better place for the two of them.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the Citizens of Illinois.

I think Blagojevich should run off with Palin. Good bye and Good riddance!

No, I think it was wrong to impeach the former gov. of Ill. He should have had his day in court and all the tapes heard. I still say if the truth had come out, Blago could have spilled the beans on Obama's former Senator seat, I say this is far from over. Blago should have had his remarks and his output on this laid out for all people of Illinois and all those who think he was just a loud mouth be heard. This is going to be going on when Obama is ousted in less than 3 years. Anyone out there want to make a bet with me???? Betty (a former Illinois resident......

Again I suggest that if all the politicians conversations were taped they all would be impeached!!!!!!!! How in the world do you think they get elected, deliver on the promises made to get them elected. All political seats are bought. The power they offer drives high prices. How is it that the job pay only $100,000plus a year causes a person to spend millions to get elected. Please tell me how these lifelong politicians are millionairs?????? you can't in any way make me believe that they don't get paid "under the table" for delivering on promises made. So until Blago is criminally indicted I believe he was "voted off the island" so to speak, cause he made these good ole boys/girls mad!!!!! Watch and see if the criminal issues are just "forgotten" about. Look at Mr. Billlllllll, "Oh No Mr. Bill – you got impeached, but you don't have to leave office" OH NO MR BILLLLLLL

For those of you who think RB should have his "day in court", impeachment is a political process, not a criminal one. The rules are different.

The arrogance of this man is very disturbing.

How can you people not see how selfish, evil and arrogant this man is. He is so stuck on himself that he believes he is the savior of the world.
He needs mental treatment and a life style of realitiy. Greed and arrogance will get you nowhere. Would like to see him do 10 years of community service working with and for the disadvantaged and the handicapped to change his attitiude. We the taxpayers should not have to pay for him to go to jail. He will just become a better and more arrogant criminal.

He is a joke so let's just laugh!

So much for the long tradition of Presumption of Innocence until proven in a Court of Law that a Crime has been Committed – We Now Punish first and Second we send them to Trial. This whole thing smells like rotten Tuna...

Why is the media giving this egomaniac the publicity he so obviously craves? I'm so sick of seeing his weasel-looking face I could hurl. I can only imagine what they'll do with the woman who just dropped the litter of eight babies.

And, oh yes. I don't know where you got your figures that "most Americans" care about Guantanamo Bay, but count me out. I couldn't care less what's done to those terrorists, other than to just shoot them and throw them in the ocean.