'The battle over the fate of Mr. Blagojevich

who could be removed from office as early as next week, seemed to split down separate paths. One: the governor, who is scheduled to appear on “Good Morning America” and “The View” on ABC on the first day of his trial, urging the public to take a hard look at what he described as rushed, unfair trial rules. Two: lawmakers saying they will press forward with or without the governor.

Governors have rarely faced impeachment trials, and never in Illinois. This Senate’s last such trial, against a member of the judiciary, was in 1833. And the State Constitution offers only the broadest of guidelines.

“In terms of institutional knowledge, we didn’t have any of that,” said Eric Madiar, the Senate president’s chief legal counsel, who said he had spent scores of hours in recent weeks working with others on 8 to 10 drafts of trial rules (and consulting books like “Impeachment: A Handbook,” by Charles L. Black Jr., a leading authority on constitutional law). “We needed to further spell out how things worked.”

Lawmakers say they sought guidance from the impeachment trials of President Bill Clinton in 1999 and Gov. Evan Mecham of Arizona in 1988, and the Senate procedures will be largely modeled on those used in Mr. Clinton’s trial. Chief Justice Thomas R. Fitzgerald of the State Supreme Court will preside, though senators, serving as judges and jurors, can choose to vote down rulings they disagree with. Hearsay is allowed. The standard of proof is essentially up to each senator to decide.'>>>

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/24/us/politics/24illinois.html

Useful facts provided here.

I think most of them realize that his mental status is such that he shouldn't be governor. That may not even come up, and they'll probably remove him for other cause, but I doubt they're oblivious to Blago's mental condition.

Wouldn't be the first time ;-)

major editorials mocking blago. He went to both papers asking for support. They laughed at him. blago going all over national tv is going to be messy. I think it's going to harm the IL dem party for the 2010 governor and senate races. It will harm the state, too. But, blago only cares about blago.

and read what I've read today, I'm afraid that the Illinois Senate is about to take an action that it should avoid.

Illinois voter -- expat so I miss some of it

Blago will be gone and should go.

The Dems need to put this and him behind them and move on to be ready for 2010

I will add that it is unfortunate that only about 8% of the state supports the governor.
It makes it too easy to vote for impeachment.
I would like to see a lot of thought go into this and I hope it does