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Blagojevich to fight impeachment | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Scandal-hit Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich has vowed to fight an attempt by state lawmakers to force him out of office. | |
The Illinois House of Representatives earlier voted to impeach Mr Blagojevich over charges that he tried to "sell" Barack Obama's senate seat. | |
"I'm confident at the end of the day I will be properly exonerated," Mr Blagojevich told reporters. | |
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. |