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Blagojevich to appear before Illinois Senate
Reporting from Springfield, Ill. -- Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich will come to Springfield to make the closing argument in his impeachment trial Thursday, state Senate President John J. Cullerton said.Blagojevich, who has boycotted the impeachment trial so far, will not take questions from senators, Cullerton said. Cullerton broke the news to the Senate as he was going over scheduling. The Senate had been expecting final witnesses today and a single closing argument Thursday morning from House prosecutor David Ellis. Now, they expect the governor to appear before the Senate. Under the trial rules, he has to ask for permission to speak. It's a motion the Senate is expected to approve. "I've been informed that the governor would like to come here tomorrow," Cullerton told the Senate. "We would have to give him permission to do that -- I would urge us all to give him that leave so he can argue as his own attorney." Blagojevich spokeswoman Katie Ridgway said she "can confirm the governor will be down in Springfield to speak before the Senate" to make the closing argument. The announcement came several hours after Cullerton challenged Blagojevich to stop giving national television interviews and to take questions directly from lawmakers at his impeachment trial. In "hiding out in New York and having Larry King asking questions instead of the senators, I think he's making a mistake," Cullerton said outside Senate chambers. "He should come here and answer the questions and provide the context that he claims these statements are being taken out of." Cullerton also took issue with Blagojevich's complaints that the trial is unfairly stacked against him. Posted by: Steve White 2009-01-29 |
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