Impeachment Vote As Burris Prepares To TestifyCHRISTOPHER WILLS | January 8, 2009 11:39 AM EST |
Illinois Rep. Roger L. Eddy, R-Hutsonville, right, studies supplied documents requested during testimony at a Illinois House Impeachment Committee hearing at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, Ill., Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009. By naming Roland Burris to the Senate, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has tied Washington in knots and diverted attention from his own problems. But he didn't make those problems go away. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois House committee investigating Gov. Rod Blagojevich released a draft report Thursday saying the panel believes the Democratic governor has abused his power and recommending the full chamber vote on impeachment.
"The citizens of this state must have confidence that their governor will faithfully serve the people and put their interests before his own," the report reads. "It is with profound regret that the committee finds that our current governor has not done so."
The panel could vote to accept the report when it resumes work Thursday afternoon, which would set up a full House vote on the impeachment question on Friday. If the House did vote to impeach, the case would head to the state Senate for a trial. No Illinois governor has ever been impeached.
The draft does not include a formal article of impeachment laying out the charges against Blagojevich. But it said there is cause to believe Blagojevich engaged in pay-to-play politics.
Blagojevich's office had no immediate comment. The governor has denied any wrongdoing.
Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9 on federal charges that include allegations he schemed to profit from his power to name President-elect Barack Obama's replacement in the Senate.
While the impeachment panel has reviewed the prosecutors' complaint, it also has reviewed allegations the second-term governor has improperly expanded state programs, spent tax money without authorization and circumvented hiring laws for political purposes.
The panel's draft report was released as it prepared to hear afternoon testimony from Senate appointee Roland Burris on why he accepted a position offered by the disgraced governor and whether he promised Blagojevich anything in return for getting named to the Senate.
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"I would like to specifically ask, under oath, if there was any quid pro quo for the appointment," said Rep. Mike Bost, a Republican member of the committee.
In the panel's afternoon hearing, lawmakers also planned to ask Burris about contributions to the governor's campaign, how Blagojevich's wife got a job with a group affiliated with Burris' business partner and why it was the governor's criminal lawyer, instead of an aide, who approached Burris about the Senate.
Blagojevich appointed Burris to fill Obama's seat on Dec. 30, creating another furor three weeks after the governor was arrested.
Burris returned Wednesday from an encouraging two-day visit to Washington, D.C. Senate Democrats had initially declared that his appointment by Blagojevich was fatally tainted, but they were more friendly this week.
When Burris showed up at the Capitol to be sworn in Tuesday, he was turned away in the rain. But on Wednesday, he was invited in to meet with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and the No. 2 Senate Democrat, Dick Durbin of Illinois.
Later, Reid and Durbin reported that they thought highly of Burris and they were merely waiting for procedural matters to be resolved before he could be seated.
Burris, 71, said he should be able to join the Senate "very shortly."
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On the Net:
The Illinois House Special Investigative Committee's draft report can be found at:
http://www.ilga.gov/house/committees/Reports.asp?CommitteeID758___
Associated Press writers Ann Sanner, Laurie Kellman and Ben Evans contributed to this report.