Blagojevich Ousted by Unanimous Vote

"If I thought I had done something wrong I would have resigned in December. I didn't resign then and I'm not resigning now because I have done nothing wrong." ~Rod Blagojevich

"I am immune to his speech giving, because we've seen those tricks before. He can look sincere, he gives a good speech and he's a good performer. Perhaps he can get a job in the arts." ~Illinois State Senator (unnamed in source)

The Illinois State Senate voted unanimously to remove Governor Rod Blagojevich from office. The Senate then voted unanimously to bar Blagojevich from ever serving public office in the state of Illinois again.

After embarking on a week-long media tour, where he compared himself to Gandhi and MLK and derided the impeachment proceedings as a "witch hunt," Blagojevich suddenly reversed course and gave an hour-long speech to the Senate earlier today. It was not enough to save him.

Impeachment prosecutor David Ellis rebutted Blagojevich's closing statement:

When the camera's on, the governor is for the little guy, the little
people. When the camera's off, what are his priorities? 'Legal, personal, political.' Nothing in that statement about the people of Illinois.

Ellis also emphasized the fact that Blagojevich did not agree to appear under oath to be questioned.

Lieutenant Governor Patrick Quinn was sworn in as Illinois' new governor soon afterward. Gov. Quinn will have to deal with an estimated $5-billion shortfall in the state budget.