Jun 11, 2008 6:19 pm US/Central
Madigan Absent From Meeting Today With Blagojevich
Blagojevich And Madigan Feud Continues To Escalate In The Aftermath of Impeachment Investigation Memo
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Madigan's memo calls for an impeachment investigation of Gov. Blagojevich.
CBS
The feud between Gov. Rod Blagojevich and House Speaker Michael Madigan continues to escalate as a memo pushing for an impeachment investigation circulates behind the scenes.
As CBS 2's Mike Parker reports, the governor met with legislative leaders in Chicago today, but Madigan was notable by his absence. He sent State Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie in his place.
"We're here to talk about the budget, not about impeachment," Currie said.
The blood feud between Madigan and Governor Blagojevich is running redder than ever because of a 12-page memo the Speaker has sent to his fellow House Democrats. It suggests they call for an "impeachment investigation" of what it calls "criminal activity" in the administration. Madigan says legislators should, in his words, "excise a tumor when it is first discovered."
"It's a document that lays out a scheme for his candidates and his incumbents to lie to both the press and the public," said House Leader Tom Cross.
The memo states that if House members are asked, "So, neither Madigan nor his staff has had any involvement with you or preparing you to make this announcement?" The memo gives them the answer, "I researched this issue on my own."
"Clearly the Speaker's office put a lot of effort in, and yet he says to his candidates and his members, 'Tell them we had nothing to do with it'," Cross said.
"I think that it's something we shouldn't even be dealing with," said Senate President Emil Jones. "I personally don't see any basis for such. It's just a diversionary tactic."
The governor would not talk with reporters about the impeachment memo. Instead, he dispatched a state democratic committeeman to say that he, the spokesman, is "personally offended" by what he called Madigan's "vendetta against the governor."
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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