69 Comments - Happy happy joy joy - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 1:19 pm: But how long will it take for them to pass the legislation and then overrule the veto? In the meantime, Gov. can appoint someone. Heck, he can do it as soon as he is released today. Nancy Pelosi and the Dems needs to say that the Senate will refuse to seat anyone picked by Blago until there is either a special election or the person if fully investigated. - Don't Worry, Be Happy - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 1:19 pm: The legislature can pass it, but it still has to go to Rod for his signature. He could then sit on it for 60 days. Another issue here that I haven’t seen mentioned is the timing of the appointment in terms of seniority. There a bunch of new senators who will be sworn in in early January. If Illinois’ appointment is made before then, the new senator will be higher on the seniority list than the new people. If the appointment is made, or an election won, after the, the new senator will drop down the list. - Carl Nyberg - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 1:22 pm: I don’t understand why holding a special election is the answer to the problem. Blagojevich should 1. resign, 2. step aside (or whatever it’s called in the IL Constitution), or 3. be impeached/removed. They Gov. Pat Quinn would do the appointment. Having a special election seems unnecessary. The Black community seemed to have a commitment that the appointee would be Black. Having a special election sorta seems like the Dem establishment is reneging on the commitment to appoint a Black candidate. Also, are the Democrats going to risk the seat going to a Republican? Is this going to be a real election? Or is it going to be a beauty contest and the governor then decides whether to appoint the winner? - Barry - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 1:26 pm: This idea makes all the sense in the world. To free the seat from all suspicion, let’s trust the voters. - Been There - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 1:27 pm: Rich, are you going to be Bills campaign manager? Seriously, I am a big fan of Durbin, Cullerton and other democrats but this is not what we need now. What happens after this passes? We have everyone lining up to run for this seat without any worry of giving up their own seats. It would be a free for all. That in itself wouldn’t be so bad but guess what happens then? All those candidates need to raise money quickly. I can just imagine all those phone calls being made during the next few months. If any of them call me I am going to patch my lawyer onto the call first. I can’t believe I am going to say this, but the best thing might be for the seat to stay empty until 2010. - Anon - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 1:28 pm: It seems to make the most sense for the GA to impeach and convict the gov. Then Quinn can make the replacement and it won’t be tainted. Special election will take forever. - Bill Baar - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 1:29 pm: A little late for that… they’re going to have to impeach and convict him (which maybe tough to do if he’s in MCF and unable to defend himself). The Gov isn’t goint to resign… “This is the kind of thing that I think, frankly, separates the men from the boys in leadership,” Blagojevich said. “Do you have the testicular virility to make a decision like that, knowing what’s coming your way?'’ - Madame Defarge - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 1:32 pm: As mentioned already, Blago could sit on the bill for 60 days and then veto it. We would be in a new General Assembly, so they could not override it, they would have to pass it again. And again he would have 60 days. So not a quick solution. - Bill Baar - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 1:32 pm: PS Old quote out of context of course… but I the consensus at my local Greek joint on 12ths street at lunch was this guy isn’t going down easy…. also chagrin at people on the news expressing surprise…. - Finally! - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 1:33 pm: While holding a special session would practically be ineffective, would you NOT call one if you were a Democrat G.A. leader? Cullerton is wise to call for it, but he knows it will be largely symbolic. - Illinois.Pundit - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 1:35 pm: Been There–You mean like the zoo we’re seeing to replace Rahm. What happens if more are implicated…Jackson, Jones, Davis, Gutierrez? Maybe we’ll just have one great big special election!! - Esteban - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 1:40 pm: From Blago’s point of view, Mrs. Blago might be a good choice for the Senate appointment. He will need the income and she can’t testify against him. - OneMan - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 1:43 pm: Also it does put the seat into play for a Republican. The Illinois Democrat brand took a big hit today, the right Republican might have a chance. Also any Dem primary for the special will deal with the ‘What # are you’ question. - Commonsense in Illinois - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 1:44 pm: I agree with those saying a law change is largely symbolic… it is. The only real act the legislature can take that has a lasting impact is for the House to impeach the Governor and for the Senate to schedule the trial right away. Otherwise it’s all up to Rod Blagojevich and we already know the kind of ethical behavior he displays. - Levois - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 1:44 pm: You saying the Gov. doesn’t have the “testicular virility” to make the tough decision to give up his office after this humiliation. - Been There - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 1:45 pm: Illinois Pundit. Exactly. But kick it up about 10 notches. - shore - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 1:46 pm: For those of you who know state government, seeing as how the Governor can’t walk into his office and run it for the time being, who steps in to make the day to day calls on things, and what can and can’t he do now to run the state? - Pot calling kettle - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 1:51 pm: Silly idea. What governor would sign it? It would be much faster to declare Public Official A unable to carry out his duties, Quinn takes the reins, in the meantime Public Official A is impeached and removed. (This is so much worse than I imagined, I will no longer use his name. I mean, really, a Senate appointment held up for the highest bidder, which never comes through because everyone knows the guy is poison.) - MikeND05 - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 1:57 pm: Who would Pat Quinn appoint that the Democrats are so afraid of that they want a special election? - ILPundit - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:04 pm: Stupid dems. Special election idea is crazy. Democrats need to start calling for impeachment/resignation NOW! This is already a disaster for the party. Every moment they wait to act on removing him from office will make it worse. Period - Captain Flume - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:06 pm: So NOW Emil Jones, Jr., wants to do something. Gee whiz, Mr. President, where were you over the past six years? Serving the people of Illinois? Uh, no. Serving the people of your district? Only enough to keep your seat. Reconvene the Senate. . . not for an impeachment trial, but to pass yet another law that serves no one, except maybe the Governor (as usual). Thanks, but no thanks. - Honest Abe - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:07 pm: The last time that an Illinois governor made an appointment to fill a vacancy in the US Senate, Richard B. Olgivie was governor and Ralph Tyler Smith was named to complete Dirksen’s term. I cannot recall any particular scandal attaching to the appointment. While the law in question may be less than ideal, the scandal has more to do with Blagojevich’s corruption than a bad statute. The cost of running a statewide special election for a single office is expensive and there is some merit in making an interim appointment until the next statewide election on the calendar permits the office to be voted upon. - Illinois.Pundit - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:08 pm: When would a special election potentially be? What laws have to be changed? What would the lasting effect of those laws be? How much money would someone be needing to run? Who has enough of a head start in Fed coffers to make a legitimate run? I say Gov accepts plea bargain and resigns. Spends five years in jail. Wife is not arrested. Quinn becomes Guv and appoints Tammy, Jan, Julie or Lisa Senator. It will take a smart, ethical woman to turn this around! - Zora - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:17 pm: How will this affect Ryan’s hopes for commutation? Can we really stomach that now? Wonder if Durbin will backtrack on his support. - OneMan - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:24 pm: Sit down and impeach the man. Over time the blago funk is only going to stink everything up. - Black Ivy - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:25 pm: All of this self-righteous indignation coming from Governor Blagojevich’s own allies makes me sick! And let’s not forget, we still live in a country wehre you are innocent until proven guilty. Governor Blagojevich has not been convicted of a crime, merely indicted and arrested. Any calls to resign…or impeach…or recall him must be met with some trepidation. Word of caution - other legislative leaders should tread very softly at this point. Per Patrick Fitzgerald’s apparent mandate, no one is above reproach! - The Right to Counsel - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:26 pm: Who represented Blago at the arraignment? Who was Harris’s attorney? - Old Elephant - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:29 pm: I love how all the political junkies who comment here are afraid of Democracy. What’s wrong with letting the people elect their own U.S. Senator? It will be expensive? It will be hard to raise money? The new Senator might not get his/her first pick of committee assignments? A Republican might win? It might take awhile? Give me a break. It’s all a small price to pay for giving the public a chance to elect their own Senator. I don’t think Blagojevich will veto the bill and even if he does, it will be quickly overridden. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:33 pm: A special election is a waste of time - because it requires the gov’s signature — but if that’s what it takes to get the illinois senate back to town, the house should send an impeachment resolution right over with it. - Interested Observer - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:35 pm: From all of the comments appearing here today, how many of the bloggers have contacted their legislators, requesting the House convene to impeach the sitting Governor? New legislation is not needed, what we do need is for the citizens of Illinois to communicate to those elected officials to get things going and get it going now! - Gadfly - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:39 pm: I think the special election idea is great for the future, but doesn’t work now because of the timing. It’d be fairly easy to accomplish legislatively (the gov sitting on it for 60 days notwithstanding). But, we’d be faced with 1) getting the legislature to pass it, 2) Blago resigning or being impeached so Quinn can sign it OR 2a) waiting for the clock to expire, sending another bill, then overriding when he finally vetoes it, 3) have the filing period and waiting period before the special election and finally 4) having the special election. We could be looking at March or April minimum before we’d have a Senator. Best to impeach, let Quinn appoint, then change the law in the event of any future vacancies. - Elated - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:40 pm: I Love the “Chicago reporter suggests Rahm Emanuel may have ‘tipped’ off federal investigators about Blagojevich” headline. Rarely do the Democrats eat one of their own. They must have been really fed up with him. - Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:45 pm: The special election is damage control, period. The people of IL are FINALLY outraged by the past day’s turn of events, and regardless of the tactical disadvantages to the Democrats of going this route, it is a corner which they have necessarily been backed into. - Bill Baar - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:51 pm: The events this morning are shocking. The faith of the citizens of Illinois has once again been shaken Illinois voters must look awfully stupid to Pols. You saying the Gov. doesn’t have the “testicular virility” to make the tough decision to give up his office after this humiliation I think he does. Like Betty Loren-Maltese, he’ll walk proud through that Fed Center Lobby… none of this hat-in-the-face stuff taking pleasure in everyone speculating on who’ll flip on. - Bill Baar - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:51 pm: The events this morning are shocking. The faith of the citizens of Illinois has once again been shaken Illinois voters must look awfully stupid to Pols. You saying the Gov. doesn’t have the “testicular virility” to make the tough decision to give up his office after this humiliation I think he does. Like Betty Loren-Maltese, he’ll walk proud through that Fed Center Lobby… none of this hate-in-the-face stuff taking pleasure in everyone speculating on who’ll flip on. - No More Mr. Nice Guy - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:54 pm: Brown’s will be packed tonight! The situation is unbelievable! - He makes Ryan look like a Saint - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:54 pm: Hey Rich….Something big going on today? I have a heck of a time getting on??? In all seriousness, you had to set a record of the number of hits to your site. I can only say that while it is easy for me to glote about the proceedings today, it is a sad day for Illinois. For years my nickname has been He Makes Ryan Look Like A Saint. Today proves that while Ryan was convicted on circumstancial evidence (he certainly was not on tape). Rod thought he was above the law and continued to treat the office like Tony Suprano. It is time for Mike Madigan to convene an Impeachment Hearing immediately and stop this guy before he does further damage. Also, I also believe everything that has been proposed (IDOT MOVE, Joliet Prison closure etc) be stopped either through injunction or legislative method, to assure everyone that the Governor has not profited from them. While my friends in State Government cheer, it is indeed a sad day for Illinois. Finally I will be taking suggestions for my new nickname in the upcoming slower weeks. - Bill Baar - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:56 pm: I mean he has it to stick through this without resigning Levois… it won’t go easy…he’ll tough it out - Captain Flume - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:57 pm: My SWAG is that the Governor is probably more dangerous now. The state is likely to see more rash proclamations, executive orders, and just plain mean-spiritedness from both the Governor and DG Harris. I really doubt either of them feels at all chastened by today’s events. Good golly, look at all the publicity!! Why even the FBI agent in charge said that Illinois is the most corrupt state in the nation. It’s got me snappin’ by braces, I’ll say! And all the politicians from McHenry to Marion and Metropolis must be giddy to know they have made an impact. - Rebel13 - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 3:04 pm: Hey, now you can buy the senate seat on ebay…. http://cgi.ebay.com/OBAMAS-ILLINOIS-SENATE-SEAT-FOR-SALE_W0QQitemZ160303950570QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item160303950570&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50 - Cheswick - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 3:10 pm: Curious if the FBI invited a member of the press and/or photographer to the bust. - S. Illinois - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 3:13 pm: There is no choice at this point but to have a special election. There has been a huge, indelible stain placed on the appointment process that will remain no matter who picks Obama’s successor. Even if the public does not question Pat Quinn’s motives in making the selection, there are still questions raised about the candidates by today’s criminal complaint. We will (rightfully) have questions about anyone appointed to the position. We need a campaign period for the voters (and the media) to properly vet the candidates and hopefully find out if anyone in the running was willing to play along with Rod’s little game. It will be expensive. It will be painful. It will cost Illinois seniority in the Senate. But it is completely necessary. Hopefully Illinois voters will finally step up to the plate and weigh their choices carefully and take the time to consider the information available to them. (Let’s face it, while specifics of today’s events are startling, the substance of the criminality alleged comes as a surprise to no one who has paid any amount of attention to Blagojevich over the past six years. Voters should have and could have known better two years ago.) Hopefully, the legislature will act swiftly on impeachment before moving the legislation for special election in order to keep that legislation from getting even more tangled in the Blagojevich web. - Judgment Day Is On The Way - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 3:19 pm: Thursday is going to be a busy day down at Dirksen… - Cheswick - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 3:20 pm: Is there enough time to get all this done (impeachment, legislation, special election, whatever) in time for the new Congressional session, which I think starts on January 5th? Obviously not. So, if this is the route the legislature takes, Illinois will only have one sitting senator when the new session starts? It seems like that should be a concern. - Bill Baar - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 3:23 pm: My SWAG is that the Governor is probably more dangerous now My thought exactly… Pingback Washington Wire - WSJ.com : Illinois Democratic Leaders Call for Special Election - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 3:29 pm: […] | Share on Facebook | Del.icio.us | Digg this | Email This | Print Read more: State Politics, Ethics functiontextCounter(field,counter,maxlimit,linecounter) { // text width// var fieldWidth = parseInt(field.offsetWidth); var charcnt = field.value.length; var comment = 0; //fix Set the initial value of the textarea id comment // trim the extra text if (charcnt > maxlimit) { field.value= field.value.substring(0, maxlimit); } else { // progress bar percentage var remaining = maxlimit - charcnt; document.getElementById(counter).innerHTML=”Characters Left: “+remaining; } } Post a Comment Name : […] - Big W - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 3:38 pm: What aggrivates me the most, well, maybe not the most, but close, is, Rep. B. Mitchell called for impeachment proceedings to start 6 months ago and the leaders of the Republican party would’nt touch it….Shame on them!!!! Way to be ahead of the game Rep. Mitchell!!!! Timer for NEW leadership that has a backbone!!! - GofGlenview - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 3:41 pm: What I keep thinking about is all the people who have maintained that they were not guilty- like Cellini, Rezko, Kelly, Hurtgen- they have to be kicking themselves now for not making a deal earlier. Who knew that Rod would be such an idiot. Now the rest of the Operation Board games crew can’t make a deal. Everyone thought it was Rezko who decided to not make a deal with the feds. With this in hand the feds probably just told Rezko to go blow and grind it our in jail- we don’t need you. Now Cellini, Kelly, Hurtgen have no leverage. They can’t make a deal because Pitzy doesn’t need ‘em. Rod must resign- today- or else impeach tomorrow. - 618er - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 3:47 pm: If I followed Fitz’s presser, these are charges, not an official indictment? Does this mean we can expect some really exciting news later this week, say oh, Thursday?.. Or when he made reference to unsealing this 76-page FBI affidavit, that meant an indictment? Pingback Illinois: Just Because Corruption is Illegal… « LoomisNews: An Outside Observer - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 3:49 pm: […] In response, state politicians are considering changing the law that will allow him to appoint Obama’s successor (even from jail). They’re considering making it law to have a special election for the seat. […] - Say WHAT? - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 3:55 pm: Black Ivy: “And let’s not forget, we still live in a country wehre you are innocent until proven guilty. Governor Blagojevich has not been convicted of a crime, merely indicted and arrested”. And recorded! Lets not forget recorded. “Word of caution - other legislative leaders should tread very softly at this point. Per Patrick Fitzgerald’s apparent mandate, no one is above reproach!” GOOD!!! Its about time. - Finally! - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 4:03 pm: 618er - Unlike the nickel-and-dime stuff they had on Ryan, these “allegations” were so serious (and in the Governor’s own words) that Fitz had to act swiftly with charges. Given Blago’s clear intention in tape-recorded conversations to sell the US Senate seat, Fitz said he could not wait until everything was tied in a bow next Spring. There will be numerous charges amended on to these in the future as they build their case. - Bemac - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 4:09 pm: Not to be pedantic, but does Jones have the authority to reconvene the Senate? Under Art VI, Sect 5 (B), I don’t think he can unless he and the speaker jointly call their chambers. (The governor may call both or just the Senate.) - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 4:13 pm: Black Ivy, just yesterday or late last week you were mocking me because I had said the end was near, and now you go all legalese on us. My advice: Stop giving us advice. - Finally! - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 4:21 pm: I didn’t see anyone answer who Blago’s lawyer was today. It was Sheldon Sorosky. - Absentee Ballot - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 4:22 pm: Bemac- Either leader can call their respective chamber in for regular session at any time. Only on a call for special session does it require them to agree. - Garry - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 4:23 pm: No one seems to be figuring out who the big shot concrete supplier is. I went to the American Concrete Paving Association in an attempt to figure it out but I couldn’t find a listing of members or officers unless you’re a member. I have to guess that it’s someone with either Ozinga or Oremus [Prairie Materials]. If it’s Ozinga, then it almost had to be Marty, who ran & lost to Halvorsen last month. - Finally! - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 4:46 pm: Bemac - Enlighten us on the authority of presiding officers to call their chamber into session at any time. I thought the houses jointly pass adjournment resolutions at the conclusion of the regularly scheduled sessions, and I don’t think a presiding officer can get around that. I think the only way to call a session now is under the special session provisions: 1) governor or 2) the Speaker and President together. - Finally! - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 4:47 pm: Absentee Ballot - Enlighten us on the authority of presiding officers to call their chamber into session at any time. I thought the houses jointly pass adjournment resolutions at the conclusion of the regularly scheduled sessions, and I don’t think a presiding officer can get around that. I think the only way to call a session now is under the special session provisions: 1) governor or 2) the Speaker and President together. - Judgment Day Is On The Way - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 5:08 pm: “What I keep thinking about is all the people who have maintained that they were not guilty- like Cellini, Rezko, Kelly, Hurtgen- they have to be kicking themselves now for not making a deal earlier. Who knew that Rod would be such an idiot. Now the rest of the Operation Board games crew can’t make a deal. Everyone thought it was Rezko who decided to not make a deal with the feds. With this in hand the feds probably just told Rezko to go blow and grind it our in jail- we don’t need you. Now Cellini, Kelly, Hurtgen have no leverage. They can’t make a deal because Pitzy doesn’t need ‘em.” Actually, they still have some leverage - just not anywhere near what they had. Advantage - Feds. Another interesting point is that Rod actually now has some idea of exactly what he’s facing. He got a fairly full load of what the Feds have on him. This information will probably have a pretty serious effect on what the above mentioned players (Cellini, Kelly, Hurtgen, “Fast”, etc.) are thinking. They just got a pretty good feeling for exactly what the Feds are going to have for their cases. Pingback Illinois Democratic Leaders Call for Special Election | Barack Obama - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 6:09 pm: […] To hold a special election the general assembly would have to enact a law setting up the terms of a special election. According to The Capitol Fax Blog, retiring Senate President Emil Jones—one of the candidates interested in Obama’s seat—said he would convene a special session to pass legislation to allow for a special election. A spokeswoman for Jones did not immediately return a request for comment. […] Pingback Looks like a Special election is coming for Blagojevich’s pay to play Senate seat | My Blog Channel - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 6:23 pm: […] To hold a special election the general assembly would have to enact a law setting up the terms of a special election. According to The Capitol Fax Blog, retiring Senate President Emil Jones—one of the candidates interested in Obama’s seat—said he would convene a special session to pass legislation to allow for a special election. A spokeswoman for Jones did not immediately return a request for comment. […] - DuPage Dave - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 7:35 pm: Blago did not buy the “innocent until proven guilty” line in dealing with the shoplifting doofus who was running the Abe Lincoln Museum. Kicked him to the curb ASAP, as I recall…. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 7:44 pm: What a terrible first step by Cullerton. Legislation for a special election? Are you kidding me? Is that supposed to be clever? Does he think that’s good enough? Impeach now. That’s leadership. If Cullerton wanted to continue as a hack the rest of his life, he could stayed out of leadership. He made a choice. Cowboy up, Johnny. He’s never been as smart as he thinks he is. But he’s never had any real responsibility, either. Everybody’s knows who his pals are. It’s a new day, brother. Get smart. - Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 8:42 pm: Word- The special election does not have anything to do with the removal of the governor by impeachment, jail, or resignation. It is a necessary step to ensure the seat is not bought. Sorry if this is inconvenient for you. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 8:49 pm: Six, the GA has much to do, but only one piece of business right now. They should humbly and earnestly get to it. - Sadd Dayyyy - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 10:14 pm: So is it just by chance that Deputy Governor John Filan is safely tucked away at the Illinois Finance Authority and can now pass $2B in Bonds to Blago’s Friends. Illinois should pass a Competitive Bidding of Bonds Law–so pay to play is ended in this area!!!!!! - Other Guy - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 10:15 pm: John Harris. Is this the same guy that was Mayor Daley’s Chief of Staff? - No Plan B - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 10:45 pm: The GA should begin impeachment proceedings yesterday. We can’t allow POA to remain in office; there’s no telling what he’ll do in his current state of mind. Maybe our penance for electing POA TWICE is to have only 1 US Senator from IL till 2010. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.