2 Democrats Talk About Impeaching Governor Blagojevich

The Chicago Sun-Times reports:

The impeachment drumbeat at the Statehouse grew louder Wednesday, a day after the blockbuster accusation by a former state official that he got his state job after pouring money into Gov. Blagojevich's campaign fund -- including a $25,000 check in an envelope he presented to the governor.

Two House Democrats said discussions on a possible impeachment resolution targeting Blagojevich accelerated after Tuesday's disclosure by Ali Ata, whom the governor appointed to a $127,000-a-year post running the Illinois Finance Authority.

In his surprise guilty plea to federal corruption charges, Ata said he gave two $25,000 campaign contributions to the governor and then got Blagojevich's assurance of landing a state job in which Ata "could make some money." Ata is expected to testify against indicted former Blagojevich fund-raiser Tony Rezko.

State Rep. Jack Franks (D-Woodstock) and Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago) said a decision on impeachment could come within two weeks.

"We now find ourselves in a very different environment, where an individual has pled guilty to being a co-conspirator in transactions involving the governor," Fritchey said. "Can state government be effectively led by a governor who is apparently at the center of some very significant allegations of wrongdoing?"

It's only the beginning for Rod Blagojevich.