After what has happened in the last
few days, it's more likely that Gov.
Rod Blagojevich will be indicted or impeached or both.
• The Tribune reported on Sunday that convicted political fixer
Tony Rezko has talked to federal prosecutors and may cooperate in
their investigation of the governor's administration. At closing arguments
in Rezko's trial, a federal prosecutor told jurors that his crimes
involved "the highest levels of power in Illinois." Rezko has refused to
help investigators—until, apparently, now.
• The Illinois appellate court on Friday issued a ruling that could
provide reason for the legislature to remove Blagojevich. He decided to
spend tens of millions of dollars to expand a state health care insurance
program even though the legislature wouldn't approve it. The court told
Blagojevich to stop the program—and said his administration can't even
identify how many people have enrolled in it.
Federal prosecutors will pursue their investigation of the Blagojevich
administration's notorious pay-to-play politics. Having the cooperation of
Rezko, once one of Blagojevich's closest confidants, would greatly help to
determine if the governor was involved in criminal wrongdoing. All the
rest of us—lawmakers, political leaders, citizens—can do is wait for the
prosecutors to complete their investigation.
But Blagojevich's attempt to go
around lawmakers and spend money they didn't approve for a vast health
care program may be just as insidious as his pay-to-play politics. His
effort to expand health care through the program known as FamilyCare was
soundly rejected by the Illinois legislature. But he did it anyway,
spending millions of dollars to broaden eligibility for state-funded
health care to people with higher family incomes.
The Illinois secretary of state said the governor had no authority to do
that. A legislative rule-making body said he had no authority to do that.
But he did it anyway.
In April, Cook County Circuit Judge James Epstein issued an injunction to
block the governor's program. The appellate court on Friday upheld that
injunction. The reviewing court's ruling lends credence to the belief of
many critics, including this page, that Blagojevich has been completely
reckless in this effort. As a result, thousands of people may have paid
premiums for health coverage that now will evaporate.
Earlier this year, this page strongly supported a movement to give voters
the chance, through a constitutional amendment, to recall public
officials. We said at the time that impeachment of the governor shouldn't
be pursued. But this court ruling on his health care gamble gives reason
to revisit that.
Democratic Rep. Jack Franks has encouraged House Speaker
Michael Madigan to convene a committee to investigate if articles of
impeachment are warranted. That seems like a sound idea.
That's not a call for impeachment. That's a call for the House to
investigate. The governor should be deeply concerned about such an
inquiry. He might once have been able to count on the Illinois Senate to
block his removal if the House voted to impeach him. But his ally and
chief enabler, Senate President
Emil Jones, retires in January.
There are several Democratic candidates to succeed Jones as leader of the
Senate. Let's hear what they have to say about allowing another vote on
recall and whether they would promise an honest hearing if the House were
to approve articles of impeachment.
Every member of the Senate should be on record answering those questions.
Heads-up, Sen.
Debbie Halvorson. You're scheduled to visit the Tribune editorial
board on Monday with Republican Marty Ozinga to talk about your race for
Congress. These will be the first questions we ask.
Illinois will have to put up with another two years of Blagojevich as
governor if he serves his full term. That won't be pretty. He gets more
reckless and isolated by the day as he tries to assert influence over a
legislature that ignores him as much as it can.
Do we really have to put up with this for another two years? It's starting
to look like the answer will be: No.