Ill. Puts Blago Impeachment on Fast Track

Facing foreclosure, Burris II gets housing gig; 'reeks of hypocrisy,' state rep charges

(NEWSER) - Sen. Roland Burris’ son, Roland W. Burris II, got a job with the Illinois housing authority last year, weeks after the IRS imposed a tax lien and his home entered foreclosure, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. The appointment came as his father lobbied for Barack Obama’s Senate seat, and Gov. Rod Blagojevich was asking the elder Burris for money. Burris II is not being investigated. More»

(NEWSER) - Roland Burris denied today that an affidavit sent to the Illinois House conveyed a shift in his testimony in the Rod Blagojevich scandal, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. “There was no change,” Burris said of three statements he gave to the committee that recommended Blago's impeachment. Burris also called rumors that he filed the last statement at the request of federal investigators “positively not true.” More»

(NEWSER) - Rod Blagojevich's camp asked Roland Burris for money before nominating him to take Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Burris revealed the request, for up to $10,000 in campaign contributions, in an affidavit dated Feb. 5—3 weeks after he was sworn in. Burris didn't mention the request during Blagojevich's impeachment hearing because he "was not given the opportunity," he said. More»

Milton Patterson won't say much beyond having 'gut feeling' about proceedings

(NEWSER) - The one nay vote in today’s Illinois House impeachment of Rod Blagojevich was from Chicago Democrat Milton Patterson, the Chicago Tribune reports. Patterson said he wasn’t defending the disgraced governor. “I went by my own gut feeling,” he said. The lone “present” vote belonged to Elga Jefferies, “torn between political and personal.” Neither is returning to the House in the new session, Talking Points Memo notes. More»

114-1 vote marks first for state

(NEWSER) - 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. More»