Blago Ousted; Can't Hold Office Again

By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 29, 2009 4:59 PM CST
Blago Ousted; Can't Hold Office Again
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich delivers his closing argument at his impeachment trial Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009, in Springfield, Ill.   (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

The Illinois Senate voted unanimously today to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich and remove him from office, the Chicago Tribune reports. Senators also barred him from holding any future office in the state. Blagojevich, accused of essentially putting a Senate seat up for sale, appeared before the body earlier in the day to assert his innocence. "You haven't proved a crime, and you can't because it didn't happen," he said.

Blagojevich's ouster—he's the first governor in 20 years to suffer the fate—makes Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn, a Democrat, the state's new governor. Blagojevich is now done as an Illinois politician, and more trouble awaits. Federal prosecutors are expected to indict him by April on corruption charges.
(More Rod Blagojevich stories.)

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