Blagojevich Bites the Dust

Goodbye Democrat Governor Rod Blagojevich.

After a four-day trial, the Illinois Senate voted 59-0 to convict him of abuse of power, automatically ousting the second-term Democrat. In a second, identical vote, lawmakers further barred Blagojevich from ever holding public office in the state again.

Mr. Blagojevich responded that such an action was "un-American" because, "You haven't proved a crime, and you can't because it didn't happen ... How can you throw a governor out of office with insufficient and incomplete evidence?" Whether or not it can be proven that he broke the criminal code of Illinois or any Federal anti-corruption laws will be up to the respective state and federal tribunals in legal proceedings to come. But evidence of several abuses of power seemed to be clear enough to oust him from the State's top executive position when not one lawmaker in a majority-Democrat state senate rose in his defense today.

"He failed the test of character. He is beneath the dignity of the state of Illinois. He is no longer worthy to be our governor," said Sen. Matt Murphy, a Republican from suburban Chicago.

Ousting corrupt megalomaniac career politicians is proof that we are governed by a nation of laws, not of powerful men who dictate them. There is no reason to tolerate blatant corruption such as evidence that shows intent to accept consideration for a top political appointment ("The Senate seat is a f---ing valuable thing, you just don't give it away for nothing"). Kudos to the legislature of Illinois for not dragging this on any longer. Rule of Law is the clear winner today.