Gov. Rod Blagojevich Removed From Office

sweatpantsmom — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 23:56:00 GMT

It's over - Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been ousted. The Illinois Senate voted to remove Blagojevich from office on Thursday after an FBI investigation revealed he tried to sell a U.S. Senate seat to the highest bidder. The photo above shows a quote taken from a taped conversation of then Gov. Blagojevich; it was displayed during the prosecution's closing arguments in his impeachment trial.

In a last-ditch attempt to save his job, Blagojevich insisted Thursday he had done nothing wrong and shouldn't be removed from office. In his 47-minute speech he said, "You haven't proved a crime, and you can't because it didn't happen. How can you throw a governor out of office with insufficient and incomplete evidence?"

After he spoke, the two-term Democratic governor then smiled and winked at reporters as he passed the press box on his way out of the Senate.

Each senator was given five minutes to speak before the final vote, among them Republican Sen. Dale Righter of Mattoon who called Blagojevich "a devious, cynical, crass and corrupt politician."

Under state law, the verdict instantly removed Blagojevich and Democratic Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn, one of his critics, automatically became governor.

What a sad chapter in his life and a devastating ordeal for his wife Patricia Mell and his two young daughters who no doubt look up to him - Amy, 12, and Annie, 6.

Source

Laura Fay Is N.Y. Rep. Vito Fossella's Baby Mama

sweatpantsmom — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:23:00 GMT

First Eliot Spitzer, now Vito Fossella - these N.Y. politicians have been making lots of booty calls lately. Staten Island Republican Representative Fossella, who is already facing a drunken driving charge, admitted on Thursday that he had an extramarital affair with former Air Force lieutenant Laura Fay and that the two of them have a 3-year-old daughter together.

Fossella, who was pulled over on May 1 while driving with a blood-alcohol level more than twice the legal limit, faces a mandatory jail sentence if convicted. The arrest had already threatened to end his ten-year career in the House, where he is the only Republican representing New York City.

In a statement Fossella said, "I have had a relationship with Laura Fay, with whom I have a three-year-old daughter. My personal failings and imperfections have caused enormous pain to the people I love and I am truly sorry. ... Over the coming weeks and months, I will to continue to do my job and I will work hard to heal the deep wounds I have caused."

Fossella and his wife Mary Patricia have three children.

Looks like he and Eliot Spitzer will have lots of time on their hands to spend commiserating over bottles of gin.

[photo: PopCrunch.com]

Source

FameCrawler : corruption

Gov. Rod Blagojevich Removed From Office

Laura Fay Is N.Y. Rep. Vito Fossella's Baby Mama