Court Is Asked to Strip Blagojevich of Power

What’s it going to take to oust scandal-ridden Rod Blagojevich from his position as Illinois’ governor? Impeachment? A forklift? State Attorney General Lisa Madigan doesn’t want to waste any more time and is asking the Illinois Supreme Court to help by finding Blagojevich unfit to serve.

AP via Google News:

It is the first time in Illinois history that such an action was taken. The attorney general is applying a rule that was intended to cover cases in which a governor is incapacitated for health reasons.

The Democrat is “unable to serve as governor due to disability and should not rightfully continue to hold that office,” according to the motion. “His ability to provide effective leadership has been eliminated, and the state government is paralyzed.”

The attorney general, also a Democrat, asked the court to strip the governor of his duties until possible impeachment proceedings and his criminal case run their course. If he does not step down and is not impeached or convicted, Blagojevich could go to the court and ask to be reinstated.

The scandal has also begun to impede state business, Madigan said.

Illinois has billions of dollars in unpaid bills, including payments to Medicaid patients, hospitals, pharmacies, nursing homes and schools, and the state has approved $1.4 billion in short-term borrowing to keep cash flowing. But before the borrowing takes effect, Madigan said she has to certify that there is not any legal proceeding threatening the ability of the governor to hold his office.

In light of Friday’s filing by her office, Madigan said she can’t sign that.

“We will not be able to move forward on it until we have a different governor,” Comptroller Dan Hynes said.

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