Rod Blagojevich. The Illinois House of Representatives voted to impeach state governor Rod Blagojevich in a near-unanimous 114-to-1 vote with three representatives not voting. Blagojevich is facing charges of attempting to sell the state's opening for United States Senator when president-elect Barack Obama takes office on January 20. The vote will now move to the Illinois State Senate , where a two-thirds majority will be needed to officially remove Blagojevich from the position of Governor of Illinois . Blagojevich was arrested on December 9 on suspicion of corruption charges, and was recommended for impeachment after an investigation from the United States House of Representatives . Blagojevich is the first United States governor to be impeached since 1988, when Evan Mecham of Arizona was impeached after a year and three months on the job. At the beginning of the voting debate, impeachment committee leader Barbara Flynn Currie , a member of the United States Democratic Party and representing Chicago  said that Blagojevich's alleged actions: "Show a public servant who is prepared to turn public service into an avenue for private benefit. They show a public servant who has betrayed his oath of office, who has betrayed the public trust, who is not fit to govern the state of Illinois." Jack D. Franks , a Democratic representative also on the committee, also spoke, saying that "it’s our duty to clean up this mess and stop the freak show that has become government in Illinois. I believe we’re finally doing what we should have done a long time ago." If Blagojevich's impeachment is ratified by the State Senate, he would immediately be removed from the office of governor and the state's Lieutenant Governor, Pat Quinn , would become the state's acting governor.
Rod Blagojevich. The Illinois voted to impeach state governor Rod Blagojevich in a near-unanimous 114-to-1 vote with three representatives not voting. Blagojevich is facing charges of attempting to sell the state's opening for United States Senator when president-elect Barack Obama takes office on January 20. The vote will now move to the , where a two-thirds majority will be needed to officially remove Blagojevich from the position of . Blagojevich was arrested on December 9 on suspicion of corruption charges, and was recommended for impeachment after an investigation from the . Blagojevich is the first United States governor to be impeached since 1988, when of Arizona was impeached after a year and three months on the job. At the beginning of the voting debate, impeachment committee leader , a member of the and representing Chicago , said that Blagojevich's alleged actions: "Show a public servant who is prepared to turn public service into an avenue for private benefit. They show a public servant who has betrayed his oath of office, who has betrayed the public trust, who is not fit to govern the state of Illinois." , a Democratic representative also on the committee, also spoke, saying that "it’s our duty to clean up this mess and stop the freak show that has become government in Illinois. I believe we’re finally doing what we should have done a long time ago." If Blagojevich's impeachment is ratified by the State Senate, he would immediately be removed from the office of governor and the state's Lieutenant Governor, , would become the state's acting governor.
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House of Representatives
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Illinois State Senate
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Governor of Illinois
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United States House of Representatives
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Evan Mecham
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Barbara Flynn Currie
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United States Democratic Party
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,
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Jack D. Franks
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Pat Quinn