Carbondale Bytelife

WSIU-FM is broadcasting the Blagojevich impeachment proceedings live all day. The quotes from the tapes are amazing stuff. You gotta wonder how he expected to get away with some of the plans he was considering.

Update: Back to classical music while the Senate's at lunch. Testimony resumes when then get back.

Labels: Governor Blago, WSIU

Stanley Kutler says the Senate has the right not to seat Burris, Miles Mogulescu says it doesn't.

Labels: Governor Blago, Roland Burris, state government

Governor Blago has picked former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris to replace Obama in the Senate. Does our governor without a clue actually think anyone he chooses has a snowball's chance of getting or is he trusting on Burris' repoutation to get him through the firestorm already developing?

Labels: Barack Obama, Governor Blago, state government

Via Media Matters, CNN's Campbell Brown has a fairly silly commentary comparing Obama's response to questions about the Blagojevich scandal to the Bush presidency's handling of responses to similar questioning. One major difference is that Obama is being questioned about matters relating to an ongoing investigation which his campaign has been asked not before the full report by the campaign is released next week. Except for the Valerie Plame invsetigation, that was not the case with the Bush administration.

Labels: Barack Obama, Governor Blago, media

If you want to read the Blagojevich complaint yourself and see if you think President Poshard is "Individual C", here's the full complaint. Scroll down to thumbnail 37, paragraph 67 for the relevant conversation. Maybe I'm being charitable, but I don't see any indication that "Individual C" was involved in the illegal aspects of the Bloago administration.

Labels: crime, Glenn Poshard, Governor Blago, state government

At least, not tomorrow. Though, given the Gov's rep for honesty and straight talk, I wouldn't put it past him to say "no resignation" then resign.

Labels: Governor Blago, state government

Media Matter's Jamison Foser has a good piece on attempts in the mass media to link Obama with Gov. Blago's mess. Can you say Whitewater?

Labels: Barack Obama, Governor Blago, scandal

Rich Miller has a good article in the Sun Times on why Gov. Blago should be impeached rather than having a special election for Obama's seat. Despite the fact that he served in the Blago administration, Pat Quinn has done a pretty good job of keeping himself separate from Blago's operations, clashing with the governor on several occations.

Labels: Governor Blago, state government

Pres. Poshard says SIUC won't be affected by Gov. Blago's arrest, except insomuch as state government focuses on dealing with this and what to do about the empty Obama seat, instead of on the financial mess the state is in. On a related note, Taling Points Memo says it's just a rumor the Obama orgainzaiton tipped off the Feds with Gov. Blago tried to work a quid pro quo on filling the senate seat.

Labels: Governor Blago, state government

Following up on Dave's post, here are some more takes on Gov. Blago's arrest from various sources. The Trib covers it here. Rich at the Capitol Fax has stuff here, here and here. Archpundit has updates as well. NPR's Ken Rudin weighs in as well. TPM offfers reasons to think Candidate #5 was Jesse jackson Jr.

Labels: Governor Blago, state government

Via the Capitol Fax, a lawsuit now threatens the planned move of IDOT jobs to Harrisburg:

Opponents of a plan to relocate 150 state transportation jobs from Springfield to southern Illinois will be in court Monday trying prevent the state from spending money on the move.

Springfield attorney Don Craven is asking the court to issue a preliminary injunction that would temporarily prevent Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes or Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias from allocating any money in connection with the move.

The prohibition would remain in place until Attorney General Lisa Madigan acts on the Blagojevich administration's plan to buy half of a former Wal-Mart building in Harrisburg to house the Illinois Department of Transportation Division of Traffic Safety. Madigan must sign off on the purchase before it can take place.

Gov. Blago has asked the court for permission to hire an outside attorney to represent the state in the move since, according to him, AG Amy Madigan would have a conflict of interest in representing the state in the lawsuit.

Labels: Governor Blago, Harrisburg, IDOT, state government