Governor fails to meet deadline to seek dismissal of charges
SPRINGFIELD - Gov. Rod Blagojevich appears to be boycotting his fast-approaching impeachment trial, even though he previously said he expected lawmakers to find him not guilty and keep him as the state's chief executive.
On Tuesday, the embattled two-term governor skipped yet another chance to defend himself in advance of the trial, which is set to start Monday and could end by early February.
Lawmakers say they will carry on with the trial even if Blagojevich refuses to defend himself.
Blagojevich did not file a motion by Tuesday's deadline to dismiss the impeachment charge levied by state House lawmakers, according to Senate secretary Deborah Shipley.
That comes after he refused to file a formal response to the impeachment charge or designate a defense team, both due on Jan. 17 under Senate rules approved last week.
Today is the deadline for the governor to request subpoenas for witnesses or other evidence.
To protest what they consider to be an unfair trial, lawyers defending Blagojevich on federal criminal charges announced last week they would not represent him before the Senate.
Ed Genson, Blagojevich's lead criminal defense attorney, said told ABC 7 Chicago "the process in the Senate is skewed ... We can't get a meaningful hearing."
A spokesman for Senate President John Cullerton, a Chicago Democrat, refused to comment on Blagojevich's lack of participation. Trial rules encourage senators to "abstain from publicly speculating."
Even if Blagojevich never responds, "the trial shall proceed, nonetheless, as if Rod R. Blagojevich had entered a plea of not guilty," according to the trial rules.
A Blagojevich spokesman declined to comment on why the governor is not participating.
When the state House voted to impeach the governor earlier this month, Blagojevich's spokesman issued a statement calling the action politically motivated and a "foregone conclusion."
The statement said, "When the case moves to the Senate, an actual judge will preside over the hearings, and the Governor believes the outcome will be much different."
The Senate trial will be overseen by the chief of the Illinois Supreme Court. If 40 out of 59 senators vote to convict the governor, he will be ousted immediately replaced by Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn.
Blagojevich still faces federal criminal charges for allegedly trying to strong-arm campaign contributions and trade a U.S. Senate appointment for personal gain.
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