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Illinois' governor is impeached Blagojevich to fight impeachment
(about 4 hours later)
The Illinois House of Representatives has voted to impeach the state's scandal-hit governor, Rod Blagojevich. Scandal-hit Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich has vowed to fight an attempt by state lawmakers to force him out of office.
Mr Blagojevich was arrested last month and charged with attempting to solicit bribes, as well as "selling" Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat. The Illinois House of Representatives earlier voted to impeach Mr Blagojevich over charges that he tried to "sell" Barack Obama's senate seat.
Illinois's State Senate will now try Mr Blagojevich. If found guilty, the governor will be forced out of office. "I'm confident at the end of the day I will be properly exonerated," Mr Blagojevich told reporters.
Mr Blagojevich denies any wrongdoing, and has vowed to fight to keep his job - and stay out of jail. Mr Blagojevich was arrested last month and charged with soliciting bribes.
'Freak show''Freak show'
The Illinois House voted 114-1 to impeach Mr Blagojevich, although only 60 votes were needed for the motion to pass.The Illinois House voted 114-1 to impeach Mr Blagojevich, although only 60 votes were needed for the motion to pass.
"It's our duty to clean up the mess and stop the freak show that's become Illinois government," said Jack D Franks, a Democratic representative."It's our duty to clean up the mess and stop the freak show that's become Illinois government," said Jack D Franks, a Democratic representative.
Illinois's State Senate will now try Mr Blagojevich. If found guilty, the governor will be forced out of office.
The move to impeach Mr Blagojevich follows an investigation by a 21-member committee of the Illinois House, which looked at testimony from FBI agents who wiretapped phone calls to and from the governor's office about who should fill President-elect Obama's Senate seat.The move to impeach Mr Blagojevich follows an investigation by a 21-member committee of the Illinois House, which looked at testimony from FBI agents who wiretapped phone calls to and from the governor's office about who should fill President-elect Obama's Senate seat.
It is alleged the conversations show that Mr Blagojevich, a second-term Democrat, was trying to use the seat to get himself or his wife a job.It is alleged the conversations show that Mr Blagojevich, a second-term Democrat, was trying to use the seat to get himself or his wife a job.
The panel said the evidence showed Mr Blagojevich was not fit to be governor, and voted unanimously to proceed to an impeachment vote.The panel said the evidence showed Mr Blagojevich was not fit to be governor, and voted unanimously to proceed to an impeachment vote.
Mr Blagojevich will respond to the impeachment vote at a press conference later.
He is not expected to resign, correspondents say.