How Blago Celebrated Inauguration

Ill. guv played hooky from impeachment, got fingerprinted
By Gabriel Winant,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 21, 2009 9:29 AM CST
How Blago Celebrated Inauguration
Gov. Rod Blagojevich applauds as he presides over the Illinois Senate Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009, in Springfield, Ill.   (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

Yesterday was special for a certain Illinois politician—and not just the one you’re thinking of. While Barack Obama was being sworn in, Gov. Rod Blagojevich was getting his fingerprints taken, reports the Chicago Tribune. Blagojevich also failed to enter a plea in his state Senate impeachment trial; he’s considering boycotting the whole proceeding. “Honestly, we just don’t know,” said his lawyer.

The state Senate, set to begin Blagojevich’s trial Monday, will interpret the governor’s missing plea as not guilty. “You have to recognize that this is a different kind of trial. This is an impeachment trial, a political proceeding,” said a spokesman for the Senate president. In other words, impeachment can go ahead, with or without Blagojevich. (More Rod Blagojevich stories.)

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