Mayor Daley defends Blagojevich

The Chicago Sun-Times reports:

Mayor Daley and Gov. Blagojevich have spent the last six years clashing over everything from education and CTA funding to casino gambling and business taxes.

Daley is one of the last people you would expect to defend Blagojevich.


But, that’s what happened Tuesday when talk turned to impeaching the embattled Democratic governor.

”You can’t be impeaching people because you dislike ’em politically or things like that. I disagree with that,” Daley said.

“America is a democracy. You vote for a person and they have the responsibility for that position for the elected time….You elect people to government. I don’t believe in” undoing the will of the electorate.

Last week, Springfield was abuzz about a 14-page memo that House Speaker Michael J. Madigan (D-Chicago) sent to Democratic legislative candidates outlining “talking points” in favor of launching impeachment proceedings against Blagojevich.

It referred to corruption under Blagojevich as a “tumor” and said “criminal activity in the Blagojevich administration is no longer theoretical. It is proven.” The memo accused Blagojevich of abusing his power and acting “like an absentee governor.”

In making the case against impeachment, Daley made the same argument he used last fall to oppose amending the state’s constitution to give voters the power to recall Blagojevich.

But, that doesn’t mean things are hunky-dory between the mayor and governor. Far from it.

Daley defending Blago.