Governor's historic impeachment trial begins

SPRINGFIELD -- The first impeachment of a governor in the history of Illinois began at high noon today with the chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court taking control of the state Senate and urging everyone to be true to their oaths to seek fairness.

"This is a solemn and serious business we are about to engage in," Chief Justice Thomas Fitzgerald said in opening the impeachment trial against Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

The governor was not in attendance, having in chosen to go to New York for a series of Monday morning network television appearances. His defense team is also skipping the trial, saying the process is rigged and the outcome predetermined. Two empty front-row Senate seats were set aside for his absent lawyers.

Blagojevich on Monday predicted he will be removed from office in the coming days and rather than defend himself before lawmakers, is trying to stir public support as a criminal trial looms.

The governor was arrested last month on federal corruption charges of trying to sell off for personal gain President Barack Obama's vacant U.S. Senate seat, as well as trying to use his office to enrich himself and his campaign fund.

While the Obama Senate seat charge is the most sensational, the impeachment case also takes in an array of state government charges centered on Blagojevich launching programs and spending millions of state taxpayer dollars without ever getting lawmakers' approval.