Althoff, Duffy join colleagues in voting to oust Blago

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SPRINGFIELD – After Gov. Rod Blagojevich pleaded for his acquittal on the fourth day of his impeachment trial, local state lawmakers joined their colleagues in the Senate in unanimously voting for his removal.

State Sen. Pamela Althoff, R-McHenry, said evidence presented Wednesday secured her decision to convict Blagojevich.

"I think that yesterday was the nail in the coffin, so to speak, for me," Althoff said. "The information that was presented by Auditor General [Bill] Holland was very compelling and I thought it was very damning to the governor."

Newcomer state Sen. Dan Duffy, R-Barrington, also voted to convict. Before voting, he said he was unmoved by Blagojevich's passionately delivered argument.

"It doesn't change the facts," Duffy said, adding that Blagojevich's half-apology was "arrogant."

Blagojevich originally decided to boycott his trial before announcing Wednesday that he planned to deliver a closing statement Thursday.

State Rep. Jack Franks and other thought Blagojevich's change in tactics was a typical ploy. Franks, D-Marengo, most recently decided against testifying this week in exchange for quickening the pace of the trial and Blagojevich's removal.

"He can't get anything done in this state; we are in absolute gridlock," Franks said. "We cannot keep up with this sideshow. We need to get forward with the state's business."

Althoff said Blagojevich's speech today was a "continuation of the behavior I've watched for the last six years."

"He's wonderful when he's on camera, he's wonderful when he has an audience, but what he says has no substance and is basically filled with misinformation and mistruth," Althoff said.