Breaking: Blagojevich impeached

For the first time in its 190 year history, Illinois has impeached a governor. An historic day, and somewhat surprising considering three of our last seven elected governors have gone to prison, and one governor, Len Small, who served from 1921-1929, is considered a rival to Blago for the title of most corrupt Illinois politician ever.

The vote was 114-1 supporting the impeachment of Blago. Only Rep. Milt Patterson voted against impeaching his fellow Chicago Democrat.

Patterson will surely discover his life is now much more complicated than it was when he awakened this morning. Fox 32 Chicago tracked Patterson down, and he laconically told a reporter for that station, "I voted the way I felt."

In a procedural, a second impeachment vote will take place next week. A new General Assembly will be sworn in. Once Blagojevich is impeached a second time, the case goes to the state Senate for trial. That could begin on January 26, Blago's trial is expected to last two weeks, which means that our gangster-governor could be out of office before the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth.

Wouldn't it be great if Illinois Department of Transportation workers are painting over Blagojevich's name on "Welcome to Illinois" signs on February 12?

Glory, glory, hallelujah.

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