Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich got a rare bit of good news from Springfield on Thursday, emerging bruised but victorious after senators rejected a recall measure aimed at knocking him out.
The governor stayed behind the scenes during the boisterous Capitol debate, even as his name was being connected yet again to ‘pay-to-play’ allegations at a federal corruption trial in Chicago.
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State senators failed by three votes to approve recall legislation, keeping the issue off the November ballot. Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago) ripped the bill, saying it would worsen gridlock that has “paralyzed” Springfield.
Not that Blagojevich, a former Golden Gloves boxer, escaped further haymakers.
Sen. Mike Jacobs (D-East Moline) said recall is a “giant hoax” but suggested Blagojevich “do the right thing” and quit.
Failing that, “we have a chance to do what we want to do, and that’s impeach the governor of Illinois,” Jacobs said.
Sen. Dan Cronin (R-Elmhurst), who sponsored the recall measure, said state government “is hemorrhaging with scandal and corruption” and opposing recall is a vote to “protect the status quo.”
But recall failed, leaving Republicans shouting for a second chance as Democrats adjourned until next week.