Reply #21: You're right. If every politician under suspicion was required to suspend [View All]

[stopbush]

their duties government would grind to a halt.

Worse, it could become a political tool. Suppose a piece of legislation was before a political body. You want to stop it? Simple - get a politically sympathetic judge to issue an arrest warrant for the main player promoting the legislation. Once arrested, the firestorm ensues, demanding the politician not be allowed to promote/vote on the legislation until cleared.

Or, perhaps a president going through the impeachment process should step aside and let his VP run the show until he's cleared. How many DUers would have thought that was a good idea during the Clinton debacle?

Blago may be acting impolitic to appoint Burris, but he is not acting illegally. He stands accused, not convicted and not even indicted.

Some may find it distasteful and politically stupid (or shrewd), but he is still the governor and he should still perform his duties, including making the Senate appointment.

BTW - Fitz asking for a 3-month extension only makes it worse. Is Illinois to be denied their Senator until April? What if Blago is found innocent of all these charges? What if he is removed from office through impeachment and is THEN found innocent? Does he get his job back?