Illinois General Assembly

Rep. Jil Tracy Votes for Impeachment

For Immediate Release
January 9, 2009
Contact Rep. Jil Tracy
(217) 223-0833

Springfield, IL…After serving on the Impeachment Committee and listening to testimony of the Governor’s track record of abuse of power while in office, State Rep. Jil Tracy (R- Mt. Sterling) joined her colleagues in a historic vote to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

The vote, which was 114-1 was decided by House members at the conclusion of evidence gathered by the Impeachment Committee over the past few weeks.

“Today is a tragic day for Illinois,” said Tracy.  “Yet I am hopeful that from here politics in Illinois can only get better.  This has to be rock bottom.  I do not know how we can get any lower than this and I pray that we don’t find out either.  As elected officials we need to get back to our duties of working on behalf of our constituents and doing what is best for them.  As a member of the Impeachment Committee I feel we did a good job of collecting the facts to the extent that was possible and I feel that our final recommendation for impeachment was sound and just,” said Tracy

After the federal arrest of Rod Blagojevich on Dec. 9 the Illinois House created the Special Investigative Committee to determine if there was enough cause to impeach the sitting governor.  The impeachment committee was comprised of 21 Republican and Democrat House members, who have been meeting regularly since mid December to ensure there was enough reason to impeach Rod Blagojevich.  Upon the conclusion of those hearings the committee submitted a nearly 60 page report finding reason to impeach for the first time in Illinois history a sitting governor. 

“It became obvious that he was not going to step down so today we did our job, our duty, to the citizens of Illinois who have lost all faith in this man.” said Tracy. 

Members of the Senate are expected to convene later this month to begin the trial for impeachment in that chamber as a result of the House’s recommendation.