Who Is Rod Blagojevich?
Rod Blagojevich (D) is the first Illinois governor to be impeached, although he comes from a long-line of corrupt Illinois governors. A lawyer, he entered politics in 1992, when he won a seat in the Illinois House of Representatives. He subsequently served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 2002, Blagojevich successfully ran for Governor; he was re-elected in 2006. He was endorsed both times by Barack Obama, and David Axelrod, senior adviser to Barack Obama, worked with Blagojevich on his Congressional campaigns.
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What Was The Scandal?
Gov. Rod Blagojevich and John Harris, his chief of staff, were arrested on 9 December 2008 by the FBI on corruption charges of "staggering" breadth. Charges were filed by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who prosecuted the Valerie Plame case. Among the charges: a quid-pro-quo for appointing a "union-preferred candidate" to Obama's vacant Senate seat.
Fitzgerald had been investigating Blagojevich for three years for alleged hiring fraud. However, after the November 4 election, the "investigators secretly placed a tap on the governor's home phone and bugs in his campaign office."
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What Was His Role In Filling Obama's Vacant Senate Seat?
As Governor, Blagojevich had the power to appoint someone to replace Barrack Obama as the junior U.S. Senator from Illinois. On the Saturday before the election, then-Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL-5th),in line to become Barack Obama's chief of staff, talked to Gov. Rod Blagojevich's staff about Obama's Senate replacement, should he win the election. President-elect Obama denied that discussions might have taken place.
Thumbing his nose at the Democratic party power structure, Blagojevich appointed Roland Burris, former Illinois Attorney General, to replace Obama. Although Senate leaders initially refused to seat Burris, they capitulated.
See How Senate Vacancies Are Filled
What Happened Next?
The Illinois state House of Representatives voted (114-1) to impeach Blagojevich (D) on 9 January 2009, one month after Fitzgerald filed corruption charges. The Senate then stood as an impeachment court; however, Blagojevich had been unable to call as a witness anyone whose testimony could compromise the federal case, turning accusations into de facto "evidence." On 29 January2009, The Senate voted unanimously to convict.Former Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn became the 41st Governor of the State of Illinois.
Listen to covertly recorded audio presented at his Senate impeachment trial.
Where Does The Case Against Blogojevich Stand?
Although Blagojevich is out of a job, and U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald spilled the beans in December, Fitzgerald has yet to hand down a criminal indictment. The grand jury is still in session, since Fitzgerald asked for, and got, an extension until 7 April 2009.
In February, The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the grand jury investigating Blagojevich has also subpoenaed real estate records related to "indicted businessman William F. Cellini, convicted political fund-raiser Tony Rezko and City Hall insider Allison S. Davis."
Stay tuned.