Durbin on Blago: 'The sooner he's gone, the better'

SPRINGFIELD -- Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, calling corruption charges against Gov. Rod Blagojevich a "great embarrassment," said Sunday that the governor should appear in the Capitol for his impeachment trial, not under the bright lights of New York television programs.

Durbin, a Democrat like Blagojevich, said it is up to the governor if he wants to appear Monday on "Good Morning, America," ''The View" and "Larry King Live," the same day the state Senate will convene a tribunal on whether to remove him from office.

"But Barbara Walters is not on his jury," Durbin said at a Sunday news conference, referring to the veteran newswoman who co-hosts "The View."

"I would think he'd be better advised to be in the Illinois state Senate tomorrow at noon to defend himself," Durbin said, explaining that 59 Illinois state senators are expected to be present at the trial.

The Illinois House impeached Blagojevich, who was charged with political corruption and mismanagement in office, earlier this month. The Senate will decide whether the charges warrant conviction and removal from office. Without Blagojevich's participation, a trial expected to last more than a week could be significantly shorter.

Blagojevich, a two-term Democrat arrested Dec. 9 on federal corruption charges, has planned to skip it. He has said the Senate's rules are unfair and prohibit him from calling witnesses or question the House charges, a claim senators deny.

Instead, he is scheduled to go on live television, and try to drum up sympathy for his argument that impeachment dangerously overturns citizens' vote for governor. The "Today" show also will air a segment with him taped earlier.

Durbin, who long has had differences with Blagojevich and even had trouble getting calls returned, said the governor should resign.

"It's been a source of great embarrassment to us," Durbin said. "The sooner he's gone, the better. I want to close this Blagojevich chapter."

Durbin, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, defended his handling of Blagojevich's appointment of Roland Burris to replace President Barack Obama in the chamber. One of the criminal allegations against Blagojevich is that he tried to sell the appointment for millions of dollars in campaign contributions or a cushy job.

Durbin and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada initially said they would refuse entrance by any Blagojevich appointee, then relented when Burris presented proper credentials and testified under oath before the House impeachment committee that there was no favor-trading with Blagojevich.

"I would have liked to have said, 'No,' stood in the Senate door and said, 'That's it,'" he said. "But the reality is the Senate has rarely turned back a person unless that person failed to file the papers or is guilty of wrongdoing."

The third-term senator said he doesn't see a need to crimp Illinois' share of federal money under Obama's $825 billion economic stimulus plan until Blagojevich is gone. Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., added a provision last week to House legislation that restricts Illinois access to the largesse as long as Blagojevich can get his hands on it.

Durbin said it is poorly written and expects there won't be a need for it in the final legislation.

"I don't want to see Gov. Blagojevich allocate these funds," Durbin said. "I hope by the time these funds come to Illinois there will be a new governor in place."