The Illinois State Senate concluded its impeachment trial of now-former Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Thursday, removing the Northwestern alumnus from office unanimously, 59-0.
The case had drawn nationwide attention since Blagojevich, Weinberg ’79, was arrested Dec. 9 and charged with corruption. Transcripts of profanity-laced phone calls laid out charges that the former Illinois governor had tried to sell President Barack Obama’s Senate seat and attempted to force the firing of Chicago Tribune editorial board members, among other accusations.
Many NU students said they were not surprised by the decision to oust the embattled governor. Still, they disagreed on the causes of Blagojevich’s downfall, and about what should be next for the former governor – barred from seeking public office again – and the state.
College Republicans President James D’Angelo, from Champaign, Ill., said he’d been “suspecting” Blagojevich for a long time. The Weinberg senior volunteered to work for Judy Baar Topinka’s campaign when Topinka, Medill ’66, ran against Blagojevich in 2006.
“Even back then, we said, it’s not a matter of if this guy’s going to be indicted, it’s when,” D’Angelo said. “The only thing I was surprised about was just how blatant Blagojevich was. … Some of the things he said were just ridiculous.”
Blagojevich, a Democrat, was the first U.S. governor to be impeached in more than 20 years. The former governor, who was in his second term, was convicted after a four-day trial.
Blagojevich boycotted the first three days of the trial but made a speech to the Senate on Thursday, arguing that legislators “haven’t proved a crime, and … can’t because it didn’t happen.”
The plea had no effect. Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, who received a law degree from NU in 1980, signed the governor’s oath of office Thursday evening.
For Weinberg sophomore Zach Ciszon, Blagojevich’s arrest in December threw a new light on a joke he’d heard the former governor make.
When Ciszon and a friend saw Blagojevich at a Chicago Bulls game in November, his friend asked Blagojevich who he planned to appoint to President Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat. Blagojevich responded: “Hey, if you have a resume, just send it to me,” Ciszon said.
“Obviously, it was a joke, but with everything that just happened, it kind of makes you wonder,” said Ciszon, of Cary, Ill.
Ciszon said he was “impressed” by how fast the impeachment trial proceeded.
“I thought Blagojevich might have gotten that trial he was looking for, but now we can finally move on from the circus that was Rod Blagojevich,” he said.
Blagojevich’s decision to appoint Burris to the seat when the governor was already under public scrutiny is what cost him, said Weinberg freshman Jonny Adair, who has campaigned for U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk of the 10th Congressional District of Illinois since 2002.
“The fact that Blagojevich actually appointed someone to the Senate does deserve his impeachment,” he said. “Knowing the pressure he was under and knowing that everyone publicly knew that he was suspected of selling the Senate seat, I don’t think he should have appointed someone to the Senate.”
Several students, many of whom are Illinois natives, were not surprised by the conviction.
Even outside of the Blagojevich scandal, the political climate of Illinois makes for plenty of disillusionment with the local government, D’Angelo said.
“I think a lot of people who would be great leaders in the political realm just refuse to because they don’t want to be a part of the pay-to-play politics in Illinois,” D’Angelo said. “They can’t do it because they don’t want to pull the corruption card, which is unfortunate because I think we deserve the best out there.”
Nationally, Chicago politics has a notorious reputation, said Weinberg senior Lily Becker, president of College Democrats.
“I don’t think every Democratic politician in Illinois or Chicago is corrupt, and I don’t think Blagojevich is representative of Illinois politicians,” the Weinberg senior said. “He’s just the extreme, and I think it’s been blown out of proportion.”
Ultimately, voters have the responsibility to monitor and oversee the local and state government, said SESP freshman Brittany Fawcett.
“We’re not holding our politicians accountable plain and simple, and I think as voters we need to start doing that,” the Glencoe, Ill., native said. “It’s very upsetting that we’ve had bad representation in Illinois politics, but what’s even sadder is that the voters have allowed it to happen.”
Christina Chaey contributed to this report.
