Illinois Review

Blago's media blitz finale

Dana Summers

Blago's Gandhi look

Pat Oliphant

Blagojevich Trial Day 2: The Gun That Didn't Smoke

by William Jacobson

I listened to much of day two of the Illinois Senate impeachment trial of Gov. Rod Blagojevich. This was the day when the smoking gun would be revealed, in the form of four audio tapes just released by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. Despite the claims in some of the television and print media, the tapes were no smoking gun.

The tapes purport to show Blagojevich extorting a campaign contribution from a horse race track owner in exchange for Blagojevich signing legislation favorable to the race track. But all the tapes actually show is Blagojevich's chief of staff urging Blagojevich to pressure the race track owner to pay up on a previously promised campaign contribution, and Blagojevich trying to confirm that the payment will be made. Nothing on the tapes states that Blagojevich would refuse to sign the legislation, already passed by a substantial majority in the legislature (including many of the Senators voting on impeachment), if there were no payment. You may be able to make the connection, but these tapes don't do it. We would need much more evidence to show extortion or even conspiracy to extort.

Reitz recognized for Radon efforts

Downstate Democratic House member Dan Reitz will be honored today in DC for his efforts in drawing attention to radon.  From the NCSL's Thicket:

Rep. Reitz has sponsored numerous radon-related legislation, including the Radon Awareness Act which unanimously passed the Illinois House and Senate. This act requires that the seller give the buyer a pamphlet on radon testing and allows the buyer the right to have the property inspected for radon. In April 2008, Reitz became the chief sponsor of HB 4789 which creates a radon task force to make recommendations concerning the adoption of rules for building codes. He will be honored this Wednesday, Jan. 28 at the 2009 National Radon Award Ceremony at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Partners in this effort include the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD), the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST), the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), the U.S. EPA and many others.  

Update 1X: Did Johnny Johnston stiff the guv?

Either Johnny Johnston stiffed the guv of the $100,000 he promised "before the end of the year," or that money went somewhere else because the largest contribution "Friends of Blagojevich" records during the last quarter was $10,000 -- nowhere near the $100,000 Blagojevich's brother assured the gov he was "good for."

The governor signed into law Johnston's longed-for harness racing bill HB 4758 on December 15, almost a week after he was arrested by the FBI on December 9.  So, was the check in the mail December 9th, and Johnston stopped payment, or what happened to the $100,000 he supposedly promised the governor to sign ?

A "John Johnson" did give "Friends of Blagojevich" $1000 in September, but that's all that's on the Board of Elections website. 

So... what's the story?

UPDATE 1x below provides more info about John Johnston:

Blago calls played at impeachment trial

Check out the audio file in the live blogging post to hear the wiretaps of Governor Blagojevich "taking care of the people of Illinois..."

or a link to the IL General Assembly's file is HERE 

or if that's unavailable due to too much traffic, we've got a copy of what they played on the floor HERE:  Download Blagocalls1272009

IL Unemployment rises to 7.4 percent

From Bizjournals.com:

Illinois’ December unemployment rate was 7.4 percent, up from 6.9 percent in November and 5.3 percent in December 2007. The state’s civilian labor force was 6.6 million in December, which held steady from November but is down from 6.7 million in December 2007.

Economic Stimulus Plan

Sometime this year, taxpayers will receive an Economic Stimulus Payment. This is a very exciting new program that I will explain using the Q and A format:

    "Q. What is an Economic Stimulus Payment?
    "A. It is money that the federal government will send to taxpayers.

    "Q. Where will the government get this money?
    "A. From taxpayers.

    "Q. So the government is giving me back my own money?
    "A. No, they are borrowing it from China. Your children are expected to repay the Chinese.

    "Q. What is the purpose of this payment?
    "A. The plan is that you'll use the money to purchase a HD TV set, thus stimulating the economy.

    "Q. But isn't that stimulating the economy of China?
    "A.  Shut up."

h/t: IR reader

Another Example Of Extreme Greatness

by Andy Haaf

I have written previously about Extreme Makeover, Home Edition before. It is the perfect example of a community, builders, volunteers and corporations coming together to invest their time and financial means to help people in need. My wife and I look forward to Sunday evenings for a bit of inspiration and hope. Not hope on a bumper sticker, but real hope being created by amazing Americans.

Best of Blago

Blago "On the Record" with Greta

IR Live Blogs Day 2: Senate Impeachment Tribunal

At Least One Illinois Senator Understands The Injustice Of The Impeachment Process

by William Jacobson

At least one Illinois Senator appears to understand that the rigged rules of the Senate impeachment trial of Rod Blagojevich, do not allow Blagojevich a fair trial. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Sen. Rickey Hendon wants to ensure that Blagojevich gets a fair trial and "is upset that senators are being asked to impeach Blagojevich in part on policy matters on which they previously supported the governor: expanding health care for children, creating a prescription drug program for seniors and procuring flu vaccines from outside the U.S.."

What One GOP Congressman Thinks of Senate Stimulus Package

The following press release has been received from 16th District Congressman Don Manzullo:

As the U.S. House prepares to vote on an $825 billion so-called Stimulus Bill later this week, Congressman Don Manzullo put together a list of major concerns he has with the bill proposed by House Democrat leaders. Manzullo supports initiatives that focus on putting Americans back to work and giving Americans back more of their hard-earned money that they can re-invest in the economy.

The bill as proposed by House Democrat leaders, however, is very different from the legislation President Obama has been discussing and does little to stimulate the economy and put Americans back to work. Here’s Manzullo’s analysis of the House bill as presented:

Blago subpoenas released; feds seek info about President's staff

While the Obama administration has been so pointed in saying no one on Obama's White House staff has had any inappropriate conversations with Governor Blagojevich concerning the appointment to fill Obama's US Senate seat,  the feds are still poking around. 

Last Friday, while everyone was listening to the Governor on Chicago talk shows and watching him declare his innocence at a press conference, his office quietly released a list of 43 federal subpoenas that included  a couple of bombshells we haven't heard much about. 

Apparently the Obama administration isn't out of Blago's woods yet. 

Why Does Obama Exaggerate?

By Mark Rhoads

There are a number of similarities between Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.  Both desperately want to be liked beyond the need that manifests itself in ordinary office seekers.  Both had absentee fathers who were bad role models.  Both overstate by a good bit their accomplishments in life outside the field of politics.  Tonight President Obama chose Al Arabiya Television for his first televised interview on policy since becoming president.  ABC aired a more superficial interview on Jan. 20.  Both Clinton and Obama try hard to ingratiate themselves to whomever they are talking to at the time.  Obama told the interviewer from Al Arabiya that he knew how to respect Muslims becuase he had Muslim relatives and "I have lived in Muslim countries." 

There's potential for a Blago acquittal

Today, we heard from Senator Rickey Hendon (D-Chicago) a potential for Blagojevich's acquittal.  If someone slows down the process enough, there could be a fatal flaw in the House's case.  And here it is ... all speculation from a non-lawyer, but here's what could happen.

Hendon complained today in  a question as to why all the 13 charges were placed under one article of impeachment.  Why, he asked, aren't there different accusations placed under differing headings, rather than all lumped together?  The House's prosecuting attorney simply answered that that's the way the House decided to do it.

Geraldo beats up Fritchey on Fox's Cavuto

Government that “works?”

by Eric Wallace, PhD

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. Those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government. ~ President Obama

In President Obama's inaugural speech he mentions that the "stale political arguments" regarding the size of government are obsolete. From his perspective, it's not the size of government-- but whether government "works" that really matters. Well, if you are anything like me a red flag immediately went off when he said this. How is government supposed to work? This frankly is the fundamental question, which distinguishes the two major parties from each other.

Middle-Class Protection?

While we're focused on the impeachment proceedings, we can't forget about what's happening today in DC... 

Better be careful when talking about Obama's artificial stimulation package...crazy things can begin to appear.  The NRCC asks today:  Does Bill Foster Agree with Speaker Pelosi that Taxpayer-funded Contraception will “Stimulate” the Economy?

Washington- Just weeks after Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL) cast his vote to elect Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House, Pelosi made “no apologies” for her intention to spend hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on family planning services to somehow “stimulate” the economy.  Pelosi defended her efforts to include this funding as part of the Democrats’ so-called “stimulus” bill during an interview on Sunday when she appeared on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos.

Nancy Pelosi “seemed to imply babies are somehow a burden on the treasury.” (Drudge Report, 1/26/09)

Day One: IL Senate Impeachment Tribunal

From the GOP side: Day 1 of Impeachment Hearings

Pretty cool idea, Senator Rutherford.  As a Republican member of the Illinois
Senate impeachment committee, Rutherford has an inside track on what's happening, and has taken the initiative to get it out into the public's hands.  Kudos.

Act 4 of Blago's Media Circus: ABC's "The View"

Despite appeals to do his renowned Nixon "I Am Not a Crook" impression, Blagojevich got a little sympathy from The View's Whoopi Goldberg, who asked, "Where's the Supreme Court?" for the Senate refusing to allow the governor to bring witnesses into the impeachment trial.

Blagojevich appeared at 10:00 am on "The View" this morning minus Elizabeth Hasselback, who's out due to a death in the family.  Barbara Walters was off-site, but directly interviewed Blagojevich one-on-one before the panel joined them. 

Walters went straight for the jugular:  "Did you try to sell Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat?" 

Act 3 of Blago's Media Circus: Good Morning America

Oprah Winfrey was one possibility Governor Blagojevich considered to fill Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat, he told ABC's Good Morning America's Diane Sawyer this morning.  After the Today Show broadcast its pre-taped interview, the governor took his case to the American people live on GMA.

Blagojevich said if legislators in the Land of LIncoln can ignore the 6th Amendment and deny him -- even as governor -- the right to call defense witnesses, it could happen to anyone, something, he said, was "scary."

Act 2 of Blago Media Circus on NBC's Today Show

Governor Blagojevich told Today Show's  Amy Roebuck he thought the FBI arrest phone call was a practical joke and that the Senate impeachment panel should allow him to bring in witnesses that could prove his innocence.  

"Give me a chance" to bring Rahm Emanuel, Valerie Jarrett and Jesse Jackson Jr as defense witnesses to the Senate impeachment trial, he said.  But witnesses probably won't help his cause though, because,  he said, "The fix is in ... you could bring in 15  angels, saint, Mother Teresa and it wouldn't matter."

Act 1 of Blago's National Media Circus

After launching his Chicago area media blitz Friday, Governor Blagojevich moved on to the national circuit, beginning with a teaser on Sunday's NBC Today Show.  The entire pre-recorded interview is scheduled to appear during Monday's 6 am CST hour:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Ready to retire? Not so fast

On this past weekend's Illinois Review topic of the back-breaking debt Illinois has accumulated in unpaid pension funds, commenter Frank Goudy shared a perspective deserving its own posting ... Thanks, Frank.  Keep the discussion going:

As of December 2007 the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund was 97% fully funded.  Compare that to the figures above for the other state retirement systems.

Why? IMRF requires BOTH employee and employer full contribution.  No IOU's from either party.  Of course, for this articles above listed systems, only the EMPLOYEE is required to make a full contribution.  The matching amount by the state has been "deferred" or only partially funded.

Abortions are Good for the Economy

By Matt Gauntt

Granted, that is not my view, but it appears to be Nancy Pelosi's.

The Drudge Report quoted Nancy Pelosi on ABC's This Week discussing the inclusion of hundreds of millions of dollars for "family planning".

"Well, the family planning services reduce costs........One of the initiatives you mentioned, the contraception, will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government.

Who wants those pesky little children around anyway??  This is the same Nancy Pelosi, that opined about the Catholic Church's confusion on the issue of abortion and said that Roman Catholicism has been back and forth on this issue.

High Noon Monday

The Illinois Senate will launch the trial of Governor Rod Blagojevich's impeachment at noon on Monday.  Since the governor told reporters of his strong attachment to Western classics, how better to prepare than to remind ourselves of Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly's memorable "High Noon"? 

The similarities are astounding -- Gary (Rod) and Grace (Patti) are abandoned by townspeople (Democrats), ungrateful for his years of fighting off the town's biggest threat -- horse thieves and killers (conservatives and Republicans).  Note:  Gary and Grace ride out of town safely after standing against the bad guys alone -- together.  Stay tuned...

Obama's Cartoon Network

by Cal Skinner

“Hey, Dad. Barack Obama's on Cartoon Network.”

I ran in with my camera, but missed it. “Don't worry. It'll be on again. Obama is on between every program." “Call me the next time,” I said.  It was Inauguration Day and between every program this was what our kids saw.

Posted first on McHenry County Blog.

Is AP Obama's Baghdad Bob?

by Sam Pierce

Remember Baghdad Bob, the Iraqi Information Minister that gave us hours of enjoyment with his outrageous quotes? (Quotes like the one below can be found at: http://www.welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com/)

“Now even the American command is under siege. We are hitting it from the north, east, south and west. We chase them here and they chase us there. But at the end we are the people who are laying siege to them. And it is not them who are besieging us.”

"Bipartisanship" is code for "spread the blame"

COMMENTARY:  Coming from Democrat-controlled Illinois, we conservative Republicans are old hands at spotting liberals' political tricks.  Those in the DC Beltway will have to learn to be alert and live by this rule or die by ignoring it:  "Never, never, never give liberal Democrats the benefit of the doubt."

Take Obama's symbolic gesture to bring in Republicans to discuss the need to pass his trillion dollar artificial economic stimulus plan.  Obama let those at the table know he was "listening" to their concerns, but, he said, after all "I won" on Election Day. 

IR Weekend Question: Does your pastor preach against abortion?

We all know that church denominations hold strong positions on life issues, but we're just curious about Illinois pastors -- does your pastor preach against abortion?  If so, how often?

IL state employee retirement pensions severely underfunded

Terry Savage lays out a dire scenario in the Sun-Times for those state lawmakers and Chicago city employees expecting a retirement pension. 

Here's a look at the dire situation for the retirement plans of state workers ranging from police to judges to university professors to members of the Illinois General Assembly. All are counting on generous state pensions, but may soon wake up to a brutal reality.

Rev. Lowery's prayer slap no surprise

For we know that, Lord, you are able and you're willing to work through faithful leadership to restore stability, mend our brokenness, heal our wounds, and deliver us from the exploitation of the poor, of the least of these, and from favoritism toward the rich, the elite of these...

Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen.

During these closing spiteful words at the inaugural, President Barack Obama smiled because he knew exactly what to expect during Rev. Joseph Lowery's benediction.  It was one last chance for the reverend to settle the score with his outdated perception of a bigoted America and a seething disrespect for President George W. Bush, just in case he hadn't done the job well enough at Coretta Scott King's funeral in 2007.  In other words, Lowery was re-interating Jeremiah Wright's "God D*** America," just in more polite terms. 

Senate Republicans' impeachment resource

The Senate Republican Caucus has set up an impeachment trial resource HERE.  For information on the upcoming impeachment trial rules, now being disputed by the governor, they've written the following:

Senate Impeachment Rules
Although it is not a criminal trial, the Illinois Senate adopted impeachment rules which follow legal guidelines.

The Illinois Constitution lays out two decisions that Senators must vote on at the conclusion of the trial: 1) Should the Governor be removed from office?; and 2) Should the Governor be banned from holding future offices?

Key provisions of the impeachment rules include:

Sen. Murphy: Rules Complaint is Theater of the Absurd

from IL Senate GOP's Capitol Connection:

With his impeachment trial scheduled to begin on Monday, Governor Rod Blagojevich called a press conference Friday afternoon to say he won’t participate in the trial, while at the same time urging newspapers to demand changes in the Senate rules governing impeachment.

But, State Senator Matt Murphy (R-Palatine) – one of the members of the bi-partisan panel that developed the rules - quickly responded to the governor’s allegations, saying “This was a little bit more of the theater of the absurd when we’re talking about the rules.”

"Whatever I like"

Illinois' Jill Stanek awarded $100k Life Prize

Congratulations to Illinois' own Jill Stanek for being the recipient of a $100,000 grand prize for her never-tiring national work to end the travesty of abortion.  Last night  Jill was recognized in DC, along with five other national leaders for their tremendous work.  From Family Research Council's weekly update:

Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

For one night, pro-lifers are putting aside all of the negative news in Washington to celebrate some of their own. Thanks to unprecedented generosity by the Gerard Health Foundation, the best and brightest of the movement are being honored this evening as never before. Tonight's Life Prizes, which cap off the Sanctity of Human Life Week, are the first in what we hope will be a long tradition of rewarding the energy and ingenuity of pro-lifers in the trenches. The $600,000 in cash rewards are the brainchild of Ray and Marilyn Ruddy, long-time friends of and philanthropists to the pro-life movement.

The six inaugural recipients include: American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG); Richard Doerflinger, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; Dr. Margaret "Peggy" Hartshorn, Heartbeat International; Kay Coles James, The Gloucester Institute; Lila Rose, LiveAction; and Jill Stanek. We applaud Ray and Marilyn for their investment in the unborn and for thinking outside the box in their mission of creating a culture of life. FRC will be one of the many at the National Building Museum here in Washington D.C. cheering these unsung heroes on. To find out more about the awards, visit www.lifeprizes.org .

Take a moment to thank and congratulate Jill at jill@jillstanek.com.

The Economy: Matt's Stimulus Bill - The Kool-Aid Version

By Matt Gauntt

After watching "The Tarp Song" listed below, and drinking about a gallon of Obama Kool-Aid, it got me thinking.  Maybe I've been wrong all this time.  Maybe the government should be handing out goodies to everyone.  Maybe I've been cynical thinking that prudence and fiscal discipline is what the country needs.  Maybe we should all have some TARP!!

Currently, the brain trust up in Washington DC is considering about $850 billion worth of bailout money to fix the economy.  If you round off the current United States population at 300 million people, then that is about $2,800 for every man, woman and child in the country, or a little over $11,000 for a family of four.

We know that some of the funds for the bailout went for a nice retreat for the AIG folks, and John Thain, the former head of Merrill Lynch redecorated his office last year for $1.2 million (yeah, I know, that was before the bailout money - but still).  So, why shouldn't we all get some of the money for us to spend?  I'm actually about half serious here.  If (and that is a really big if) spending $850 billion to resuscitate the economy is going to be spent by Washington, why shouldn't you and I spend it?  Does the government think that they could spend the money better?  If every one of us went out and spent that money - right now, wouldn't that get the economy going?

Blago's "Oliver Wendell Holmes" quits

Chicago Tribune is reporting that criminal defense attorney Ed Genson is throwing in the towel on not only the governor's impeachment trial, but now his criminal trial.  At today's press conference, Blagojevich referred to Genson as like "Oliver Wendell Holmes" -- suggestions are Genson's abandoning an out of control client.  Genson represented the governor in the House impeachment proceedings.  The governor was asked to come before the committee, but refused the invitation. 

Blagojevich took his case to the people today through Chicago's WLS AM 890, a press conference later in the day at the Thompson Center and supposedly with Cliff Kelley on WVON late Friday afternoon.  He is scheduled to spend his first day of the Senate's impeachment trial on national tv shows "Good Morning America" and "The View."

I Want Some TARP

Blagojevich Right, But Doing It Wrong

by William Jacobson

 

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich just finished a press conference in which he claimed that he is not participating in the Senate impeachment trial, scheduled to start Monday, because the Senate impeachment trial rules deprive Blagojevich of a fundamentally fair hearing. Blagojevich is right that he is being deprived of a fair hearing, but his trial boycott is the wrong way to go about it.

The two Rules Blagojevich cited in his press conference are Rules 15(f) and 8(b)(thanks to CapitalFax Blog for live blogging the press conference and reprinting the Rules in real time). Rule 15(f) prevents Blagojevich from calling any witness or presenting any evidence if U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald objects:

$165,000 per economic stimulus job

While no guarantee of the number of jobs Obama's $825,000,000,000 economic stimulus would create could be given today in a Congressional Ways and Means Committee, the number being thrown about by Democrats is up to 5,000,000 new jobs nationwide.

So, we pulled out the calculator and entered $815,000,000,000 and divided by 5,000,000.  Guess what that equals?  $165,000 per job. 

Think about it -- those of us making less than $100k a year will be forced to sacrifice hard earned tax dollars to pay for these $165,000 jobs?

Where do we apply?

Not fair, Rod says... "Change the rules"

In today's press conference (carried only by national cable news only), Rod cited these two rules as obstructing justice in his upcoming impeachment trial to begin Monday in the State Senate ...

Rule 8. Rules of evidence governing the trial.

(a) Evidence may be admitted if it is relevant, material, and not redundant. Formal rules of evidence used in Illinois and federal courts do not apply to trials of impeachment before the Senate.

(b) The House Prosecutor or the Governor or his counsel may object to the admission or exclusion of evidence. Any objection must be addressed to the Chief Justice. No objection, however, may be made against all or any part of the House impeachment record filed by the House Prosecutor with the Secretary.

and in addition he cites 15b as a section that keeps him from calling witnesses ... (reads the opposite at face value, doesn't it?)

(b) Requests for the admission of any evidence, including evidence not in the House impeachment record, may be made by the House Prosecutor or by the Governor or his counsel in the form of a verified written motion submitted to the Chief Justice, and a copy provided to the Secretary.

These rules are found HERE.

Looking for ethics reform in Illinois politics

While Governor Blagojevich takes his public appeal circus on the road to win the sympathy of Illinois' down-trodden, who's causes he claims to have championed, Lt. Governor Patrick Quinn forms an ethics committee to investigate how to up end Illinois politics.  One of the new commission members is Rev. Scott Willis, father of the six children killed in the 1994 fiery crash that led to former Governor George Ryan's downfall.   Among those testifying in this clip is United Republican Fund president former Senator Steve Rauschenberger:

McCain Proves the Farce of His Nomination

by Sam Pierce

The silly season of American presidential politics is over and as things calm down, the Republican nominee is back in his comfortable role of Democrat lap dog. The bright side is that “The Maverick” is back in the good graces of the media that temporarily scorned him in favor of “The One.” Therefore the bright side is only a bright side for McCain, his fellow RINOs, and of course the Democrats.

Isn’t it a shame that the media flip-flop-flip on McCain didn’t teach the Republican Party anything. The media migration away from McCain to the complete liberal candidate should serve as a reminder of what will happen when a misguided Republican Party tries to win as just less than Democrat! Of course, we have the “reformers” who will shout “single issue, reach out, er…. moderate, independent, maverick…” and indicate the path to victory is a duplication of McCain’s candidacy only this time with the silencing of all conservative voices.

Oh well, “Mac is back!” and The Washington Obamost is back in his corner:

Friday Funny: Marine and the Reporters

By Matt Gauntt

A little long, but well worth it.

Three reporters and a US Marine were being held prisoner in a terrorist camp.  The terrorist leader asked them what their last wishes were before they are executed.

Katie Couric said "Well, I'm a Southerner, so I'd like one last plate of fried chicken." The leader nodded to an underling who left and returned with the chicken.  Couric ate it all and said, "Now I can die content".

Charlie Gibson said "I'm living in New York, so I'd like to hear the song 'The Moon and Me' one last time."  The terrorists leader nodded to another terrorist who had studied the Western world and knew the music.  He returned with some rag-tag musicians and played the song.  Gibson was satisfied.

UPDATE 1x: Gov tells Don and Roma all; IR live blogs

Or at least something...he's appearing on WLS 890AM this am, beginning at 7:30 AM. 

We'll jot down some of what he says here...listen this am HERE.

UPDATE 1x:  Thanks, Chicago Tribune's Eric Zorn, for the kind acknowledgement of IR's live blogging this am...HERE.

From WLS Studios, beginning at 7:32 am...

ROMA:  Why didn't you submit a witness list?

BLAGO:  Technical process -- if your lawyers don't file a request to appear, you can't bring in witnesses. All I ask is that the Senate give me the same 6th Amendment just let me bring in my witnesses-  for instance, Rahm Emanuel, Valerie Jarrett, Jesse Jackson, Senator John McCain, other governors that helped with prescription drug program.

BLAGO:  I've done nothing wrong, and will vindicate myself... I will say that what I did and what I was doing was in the best interest of the people -- part of a political process -- not that inconsistent with how the process works.  That's why this impeachment process is important.-- by not allowing me to bring witnesses -- w/o due process of law, no witnesses -- how will that affect future governors?

The reason I'm not participating is this is not fair process -- I invite a fair process. tThey want to get me out fast to put a huge income tax on the people of Illinois -- and push through  a gasoline tax increase.  The bill is already there for them to quietly do.

Bill Plante Questions Obama Pay to Play

By Mark Rhoads

According to Politico, on Thursday at a White House press briefing with the new press secretary Robert Gibbs, veteran CBS newsman Bill Plante was one of the most vocal critics, questioning the White House’s handling of Wednesday night’s second swearing in – which was covered by just a four-reporter print pool that didn’t include a news photographer or TV correspondent. 

Bill Plante also asked Gibbs why ABC Television, which paid millions of dollars to host the DC Neighborhood Inaugural Ball, was granted the only Inauguration Day-interview with President Obama – a move he equated to “pay to play.”  What is a TV network that covers the president doing sponsoring an Inaugural Ball in the first place?  That is not only an apprent conflict of interest but it is one in reality if there was a quid pro quo of an exclusive interview in return for the sponsorship money.  Yet the Obama transition office ordered Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, a former president of the nonpartisan Illinois State Society, not to make an appearance at the ISS Inaugural Gala on Monday with 7,000 guests from Illinois because he might be in the same room with corporate sponsors.  The new transparency, its just wonderful.