Jan 6, 2009 9:39 pm US/Central
Impeachment Committee's Work Nearly Complete
All Signs Point To Impeachment By The Weekend
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Gov. Rod Blagojevich's defense attorney Ed Genson appears at a hearing before the 21-member committee assembled to investigate the possibility of impeaching the governor. (File)
CBS
The Illinois House committee convened to investigate the impeachment of Gov. Rod Blagojevich is nearly done with its work, CBS 2 has learned.
Chief Correspondent Jay Levine reports the committee will be in session Wednesday, but the truth is, all they have left to do is question Roland Burris, Blagojevich's Senate appointee, on Thursday.
Burris is expected to answer a number of questions about the appointment, including when he first expressed interest in the Senate seat and whether he or his associates contributed to the governor's campaign fund.
Burris has already submitted the same affidavit filed with the Supreme Court Tuesday, and his appearance may not have much impact on the proceedings as much of the impeachment report is already written.
The 54-page document, with additional information expected, is split 50-50; half deals with allegations contained in the U.S. Attorney's criminal complaint, like trying to auction off the senate seat, and the other half with past legislative complaints, like spending money not appropriated and doing end-runs around the legislature.
The committee report cites Blagojevich defense attorney Ed Genson's failure to call Blagojevich or any other witnesses.
Attorneys of those caught on tape with the governor, due back in federal court on Thursday, will object to the secret wire taps going to the impeachment committee, making it virtually impossible they'll be available before a trial in the state senate.
"It's premature to know what the House is doing but if the case moved to the Senate, sure they could be used there," impeachment committee counsel David Ellis said.
Right now, all signs point to impeachment by this weekend and a trial in the senate to begin before the end of the month.
Senate leaders are using the impeachment trial of Bill Clinton as a model with Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Fitzgerald getting ready to preside over the historic event.
Don't expect the Governor to be there either.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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