Well yes, but don’t they have to prove the evidence was illegally obtained?
It’s a good thing it wasn’t gotten from the Martin’s and given to Rep. Jim McDermott. Then transcripts would be published and all would know about Obama’s dirty deal with Blago. Oh wait, Blago is a Democrat, never mind.
“Well yes, but don’t they have to prove the evidence was illegally obtained?”
Says who? Impeachment isn’t a court proceding. It is closer to a congressional investigation. And, in a state that has never had an impeachment, my guess is that they’ll make the rules as they go.
Who cares? There is no "exclusionary rule" in impeachments. The Illinois Constitution says:
ART IV, SECTION 14. IMPEACHMENT
The House of Representatives has the sole power to conduct legislative investigations to determine the existence of cause for impeachment and, by the vote of a majority of the members elected, to impeach Executive and Judicialofficers. Impeachments shall be tried by the Senate. ... No person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of the Senators elected.
Judgment shall not extend beyond removal from office and disqualification to hold any public office of this State. An impeached officer, whether convicted or acquitted, shall be liable to prosecution, trial, judgment and punishment according to law.
A simple majority of the Illinois House of Representatives can impeach the Governor because they don't like the cut of his coat, and 2/3 of the Illinois State Senate can remove him for the same reason, if they agree that what the Governor has done is impeachable.
Impeachment is as close as you can get to a bill of attainder. With a bill of attainder, when Parliament believed someone needed killing, but they couldn't convict the person of a capital crime, they just passed a law sentancing him to death. The debate on the bill was the trial, and there was no appeal. If Parliament wanted you dead, you died.
Yes I know bills of attainder are not allowed in the country -- except in the very narrow sense of impeachment. The Illinois legislature decides what is impeachable, and upon conviction the political death sentance is imposed -- the removed official cannot hold another public office in the state.
Exactly. What else is Blago’s lawyer going to say?
He has to either get evidence thrown out or sets up a squeal deal for Blago.
Those are his choices.