Blagojevich opens his mouth again this morning outside Chicago home

For the second day in a row, Gov. Rod Blagojevich stated he is not being treated fairly during his impending impeachment trial.

Blagojevich told reporters outside his Chicago home Friday the pending impeachment trial denies him basic rights, including due process and the ability to call defense witnesses.

He added the legislature is trying to boot him out of office so they could approve a tax increase, something he said would not be allowed if he is in office.

He added he isn't just challenging the flaws in the impeachment process for himself, but also for future governors across the county who may be involved in a similar situation some day.

Blagojevich announced Thursday morning the impeachment trial is a "sham" and the legislature is trying to "thwart the will of the people" that elected him to office.

His attorney, Sam Adam Jr., later said he might file suit to stop the trial, set to start Monday.

But senators who drew up the impeachment trial rules say the governor and his attorneys are off base. The governor is allowed to ask senators to subpoena witnesses for him, to cross-examine all witnesses, present documents and make closing arguments. So far, though, Blagojevich has skipped every deadline to take advantage of those options.

"That is just flat out untrue," said state Sen. Kirk Dillard, a Hinsdale Republican who helped write the trial rules. "The rules provide the governor all of the due process rights required under both the state and federal constitutions and then some."

Blagojevich said his boycott has nothing to do with defiance and "everything to do with respect for the office of the governor."

The governor says he wants to call former U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel, now President Barack Obama's chief of staff, to testify. Emanuel has said his conversations with the governor about a Senate appointment were not inappropriate.

Blagojevich added Friday he would also call Congressman Jessie Jackson Jr. to testify during the impeachment hearings.

Lead federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald asked lawmakers to not question those named in his criminal complaint against Blagojevich, like Emanuel.

The two-term governor was arrested last month on charges he tried to trade state business for personal gain, including a U.S. Senate appointment for campaign cash or a lucrative post-government job. The governor denies any wrongdoing.

Adam told the Associated Press that if he filed a lawsuit it would focus on the governor's ability to mount a defense under the trial rules and what he says is the impeachment's assumption that the federal charges against him are true.

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