Illinois General Assembly

Representative Tracy Calls for Governor to Resign,
Says Impeachment a Possibility

For Immediate Release
December 10, 2008
Contact Rep. Jil Tracy
(217) 223-0833

Mt.Sterling – Having heard the news that Governor Blagojevich and his top aide had been arrested on federal corruption charges, Rep. Jil Tracy was shocked and stunned. “I am saddened for the state of Illinois and yet hopeful that Illinois has finally reached rock bottom and can rebuild a political culture that will not tolerate leaders like this and others that we have had in our recent history.”

“I feel the Governor should do the right thing and resign his office,” stated Tracy. If the governor does not resign, Rep. Jil Tracy and other House members have already filed legislation asking House Speaker Michael Madigan to create a bi-partisan House Committee to investigate the grounds for impeachment.

“If the Governor refuses to resign from his executive office, I and other Representatives have already filed House Resolution 1644 calling for impeachment proceedings to begin,” Tracy said.

The allegations today covered Pay-to-Play Schemes that Governor Blagojevich has used since 2002 to raise campaign funds. “The governor was looking at ways to withhold money that had been committed to the Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago if they refused to donate $50,000 to his campaign,” said Tracy. “I think it is very important for people to understand just how deeply embedded the corruption is with this Governor. While everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty, certainly these allegations must be considered and will greatly hinder his ability to run this State.”

“Governor Blagojevich is going to be busy with these legal issues and will not have the time that is needed to govern this state and repair its fiscal crisis and reputation; therefore I feel he should resign. If he refuses, the General Assembly must be prepared to take the appropriate steps to remove him from office,” according to Rep. Tracy.

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Governor Arrested

Governor Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff were arrested Tuesday morning on federal corruption charges. The Governor was arraigned and is currently out of jail. U.S. Attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald pointed to numerous allegations of corruption engaged in by the Governor. Three of the most appalling charges involve the Governor's alleged actions in:

• Shaking down the CEO of Children's Memorial Hospital for a campaign contribution in exchange for state funding of the hospital.

• Holding up a piece of legislation until a campaign contribution was received from one of the bill's supporters.

• Selling the U.S. Senate seat resigned by President-elect Obama in order to gain benefits for the Governor and his wife.

Governor Blagojevich still has full authority to run the state as the governor. In light of this, lawmakers (and many others) have called for the Governor to step down or temporarily step-aside, reasoning that the arrest and continuing federal investigation will impede his ability to govern this state.

Should the Governor choose not to resign, lawmakers could begin impeachment proceedings as soon as this month.

The Impeachment Process

Step 1: Filing and adoption of a House Resolution organizing a Special Investigative Committee. House Resolution 1644 has been filed and begins this process. The House Rules Committee must release HR 1644 for consideration by the House. The committee makeup and investigation timeline are all outlined in the resolution.

Step 2: Hearings and Investigations Conducted by the Special Investigative Committee. The committee would have subpoena power to compel the production of documents and testimony. Upon completion of its investigation, the committee would provide its recommendations to the House of Representatives as to whether there is cause to impeach.

Step 3: Vote to Impeach. The House of Representatives would vote on the recommendations of the Special Investigative Committee. If the House votes to impeach, the proceedings move to the Senate for a trial. A simple majority vote is required.

Step 4: Senate Trial. Upon receipt of the impeachment articles, the Senate would be convened by the Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice to conduct a trial. A 2/3 vote is needed to remove the official from office. If removed, the official is barred from holding any future public office in Illinois .

Please Note: These proceedings relate only to the holding of public office and do not impact any ongoing criminal investigations.

Open U.S. Senate Seat

The Illinois House of Representatives has been called into session next week to take up the issue of the vacant U.S. Senate Seat. Currently, the Governor has sole authority to make the appointment. However, the U.S. Senate can refuse to seat the appointment. The House is convening to hear legislation that would provide for the special election of the vacated Senate Seat.

I'll keep you informed of the progress in next weeks session.