The regular Session of the 96th General Assembly will please come to order. Will the Members please be at their desks? Will our guests in the galleries please rise? The invocation today will be given by Dr. Maryam Mostoufi, the Islamic Society of Greater Springfield, Springfield, Illinois.
(Prayer by Dr. Maryam Mostoufi)
Please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Senator Jacobs.
(Pledge of Allegiance, led by Senator Jacobs)
Madam Secretary, Reading and Approval of the Journal. Senator Hunter.
Senate Journals of January 14th and 15th, 2009.
Senator Hunter.
Mr. President, I move that the Journal just read by the Secretary be approved, unless some Senators has additions or corrections to offer.
Senator Hunter moves to approve the Journals just read by the Secretary. There being no objection, so ordered. The following Senators are appointed to the committee to escort the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court into the Chambers: Senators 1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 3rd Legislative Day 1/26/2009 Silverstein, Kotowski, Koehler, Lauzen, Dillard, and Cronin. Will the Committee of Escort please report to the rear of the Chamber to escort the Chief Justice into the Chamber? Members and our guests, please arise. I would ask all staff to please retire to the rear of the Chamber. On behalf of the Senate, I’m pleased to welcome you to the Chamber, Mr. Chief Justice.
Mr. President, I again attend the Senate in accordance with your notice and in fulfillment of my responsibilities under Article IV, Section 14 of the Illinois Constitution for the purpose of joining with the Senate in the trial of the impeachment of Rod R. Blagojevich, Governor of the State of Illinois. The script allows me some brief remarks at this time and I exercise my right to -- to tender those remarks to you, Senators. This is a solemn and serious business that we are about to engage in. Both you and I have taken an oath to do justice, in essence, to be fair. I know that I and I’m sure that you come to this Chamber and these proceedings prepared to be true to that oath. So it should be. Madam Secretary, please call the names of each Senator and record their attendance.
Althoff, Bivins, Bomke, Bond, Brady, Burzynski, Clayborne, Collins, Cronin, Crotty, Dahl, DeLeo, Delgado, Demuzio, Dillard, Duffy, Forby, Frerichs, Garrett, Haine, Harmon, Hendon, Holmes, Hultgren, Hunter, Hutchinson, Jacobs, Emil Jones, John Jones, Koehler, Kotowski, Lauzen, Lightford, Link, Luechtefeld, Maloney, Martinez, Meeks, Millner, Munoz, Murphy, Noland, Pankau, Radogno, Raoul, Righter, Risinger, Rutherford, Sandoval, Schoenberg, Silverstein, Steans, Sullivan, Syverson, Trotter, 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 3rd Legislative Day 1/26/2009 Viverito, Watson, Wilhelmi, and Mr. President Cullerton.
Try that again. In conformance with Article IV, Section 14 of the Illinois Constitution and the Senate’s Impeachment Rules, the Secretary will administer the Oath to Senator Watson, who was unable to be Present when the Oath was previously administered. Senator Watson, please rise and raise your right hand. Madam Secretary, please administer the Oath and make a record of the Senator’s response.
Do you solemnly swear that, in all things pertaining to the trial of the impeachment of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich, now pending, you will do justice according to law? Senator Watson responds “I do”.
Thank you, Senator. Please be seated. President Cullerton.
Thank you, Mr. Chief Justice. Pursuant to the Impeachment Rules adopted under Senate Resolution No. 6, I move that the Senate resolve itself into an impeachment tribunal, for the purpose of commencing the trial of the impeachment of the Governor.
President Cullerton moves that the Senate resolve itself into an impeachment tribunal for the purpose of commencing the trial of the impeachment of the Governor. Seeing no objection, it is so ordered. The Senate is now resolved into an impeachment tribunal. 3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 3rd Legislative Day 1/26/2009 (Refer to Impeachment Tribunal Transcript)
Senator Righter, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. Inquiry of the Chair, if I might. I -- I just wondered if the House Prosecutor could please inform the Body of what witnesses he intends to call tomorrow and in what order he intends to call them just for organizational purposes on our side.
We can do that. I think I’ve already informed Senator Radogno of that, but we can hear from the House Prosecutor.
Senator, we will begin tomorrow with the testimony of Dan Cain, the special agent. Our best estimate is that he will take us beyond the lunch hour into the early afternoon. Our hope is that we will finish Mr. Cain tomorrow and then have the testimony of Chapin Rose. And that may be all we get to tomorrow. That’s our best estimate that will be all we get to tomorrow.
There being no further business for the Senate, the Senate itself will stand adjourned to the hour of 9:45 on Tuesday, January 27th. The Senate stands adjourned. 4