Ill. House Votes to Impeach Blago

The Illinois House wasted little time today in voting to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich, with just one representative in the 115-member chamber voting against the measure. It’s the first time in Illinois history the governor has been impeached. A Blagojevich spokesman says the governor won’t resign, which means he faces a trial in the Senate next week, the Chicago Tribune reports.

The morning’s debate left little doubt which way the vote would go. One longtime opponent called the vote his proudest moment, saying, “The plague that has been brought upon our state by Rod Blagojevich will be lifted.” Even the House Republican leader, once a friend of Blagojevich, likened his actions to a home break-in. “You ought to be angry,” he told the House. “You ought to be disgusted.” (More Rod Blagojevich stories.)