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Senate Leaders Say Impeachment Trial Was Fair
Though it was a unanimous vote to remove Rod Blagojevich from the governor's office, Illinois state senators insist they were careful, thorough, and fair.

Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) says in addition to the complete lack of defense, there are three points which led him to vote for removing the governor. "He has demonstrated a clear inability to govern. He has shown disdain for the laws and the processes of this state. And he has deliberately and pathologically abused his power without regard for the people he was elected to serve," Cullerton said.

There is still hard work ahead for the Legislature. Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont) says the budget is the biggest issue. "That absolutely underlies every single other policy area," she said. "Whether you are concerned about education or health care or transportation, unless we get our arms around the budget situation here, we can't fund anything."

In addition to the 59-0 vote to remove Blagojevich, there was a second unanimous vote: to bar Blagojevich from ever holding public office in Illinois again. Cullerton says there's still hope for him, though. "He can still run for President of the United States in 2016, as he speculated."

(Illinois Radio Network)
01 29 09 by Newsroom
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