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Expert: Governor's Defiance 'Ridiculous'
Gov. Rod Blagojevich says he'd like to show up at his impeachment trial on Monday, but he won't because he thinks it's an unfair sham. The governor pointed to Senate trial rule 8(b), which prevents him from challenging the charges against him, and 15(f), which prevents him from calling some of the witnesses he wants to call.

Senate officials say the governor does have rights, but has chosen not to follow the Senate's rules to take advantage of those rights.

Blagojevich contends that the only reason lawmakers want him out of office is so they can raise the income tax. Jim Nowlan, a senior fellow at the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois, says the governor's line of thinking is ridiculous, and says he's delusional. Nowlan also says Blagojevich is a hypocrite because he proposed the largest tax increase in state history just a couple of years ago: the gross receipts tax. Nowlan says Blagojevich is passing the problems he has created onto others, which he says is the Blagojevich habit.

Nowlan also says the governor and his attorneys have little hope in delaying the trial on grounds that it's unfair, because judicial and political trials have different standards. Nowlan says so far, the Senate has followed the Illinois Constitution to a "t."

(Illinois Radio Network)
01 24 09 by Newsroom
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