Governor claims no due process in hearings

[January 09, 2009]  CHICAGO -- "Today's vote was not a surprise," Gov. Rod Blagojevich said in a statement Thursday night. "The outcome was a foregone conclusion, especially when you consider the committee released its report hours before wrapping up testimony."

The governor believes that the impeachment proceedings were flawed, biased and did not follow the rules of law. His team was not allowed to subpoena witnesses, they were never
allowed to cross-examine people and never given the chance to put on any kind of defense. In all, the governor's rights to due process were deprived, the statement said.

When the case moves to the Senate, an actual judge will preside over the hearings, and the governor believes the outcome will be much different.

[Text from file received from the Illinois Office of Communication and Information]