Governor Chaos

The Sun Times' masthead has the weather as brutal this morning, the Tribune, "Blagojevich Under Siege: At Capitol, chaos likely on the agenda". Looks like Rod and Patti are sticking together for now--hang together or hang separately as they say, with a kiss for the press. The scene in Springfield:

There is a growing push by rank-and-file lawmakers to impeach Blagojevich. House Republican leader Tom Cross of Oswego is expected to meet with Michael Madigan to discuss it on Monday. Jones has not taken a position on impeachment, which could culminate in a trial in the Senate. He has cautioned against a rush to judgment against the governor.

Sure, after all these years, why rush? Jones is a very cautious guy, having been joined at the hip with Blago politically, (and apparently he passed on his caution to his prime Illinois protege, now The One.)

But he does have a point--let's have no rush...to replace one set of bums with another. We want a full airing of the facts, please. Let's shine some healthy sunshine on Illinois. Due process and a special election, please.

The push for a special election to fill the U.S. Senate seat gets an unlikely ally, Blago himself, but no resignation today, the governor has an important bill to sign:

Mr. Blagojevich's spokesman on Sunday denied rumors that the governor will step down Monday. "I'm sure that he's not resigning," Lucio Guerrero said. Instead, Mr. Blagojevich intends to be in his Chicago office Monday signing a bill to give tax credits to film makers if they come to Illinois.

Governor Chaos, movie star? Probably not, but it's likely he'll be singing, one way or another.

P.S. Other reactions: NY Times explores the governor's dark side--but with some sympathy, he's so ronery. In Chicago, Blago's fellow worshipers troubled. Others are not so charitable:

One prominent criminal defense attorney, who asked not to be named, said he alone received calls from three potential clients claiming to be victims of pay-to-play schemes under the governor.

"This is something they've been carrying around that they finally want to talk about," the attorney said.

UPDATE: Incoming Illinois state Senate President. Clout Street:

Cullerton, who’s long been part of the Chicago Democratic political establishment and has long known Blagojevich, said of the charges against the governor: “I’m really outraged and ticked off because of the embarrassment that is unfairly being brought upon our state.”

Outrage? Unfairly? Puh-leeze, sleaze is endemic in Illinois. Some have tried to say Illinois is just as corrupt as other states, but until we got mob-buster Fitzgerald in-- he's an import, not home-grown, the stellar legacy of one-term Republican Sen. Peter Fitzgerald, no relation--much criminality was not even prosecuted. Peter Fitzgerald succeeded Democrat Carol Mostly Fraud. Blagojevich is just the latest big prize bagged by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. (Sun Times The Watchdogs, not online yet, print edition, has a half-page of mug shots.)

More: Tony Blankley on WLS Chicago on the impact of the scandal on President-Elect Obama--apparently Illinois Democrat Governor Blagojevich was just a guy in the neighborhood.