Senate Ready for Trial

The Illinois Senate named House Democratic lawyer David Ellis as the lead prosecutor in its upcoming impeachment trial of Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Ellis, an aide to House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, led the House impeachment committee’s legal effort that led to the committee’s endorsement of impeachment. The House earlier this month voted 114 to 1 to impeach the governor, and the new House that was sworn in last week again voted in favor of impeachment.

The Senate, led by new President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, named Ellis and approved rules for the trial after the new Senate was sworn in by Blagojevich last week. The Senate voted unanimously in favor of the trial rules that were modeled after those used for the U.S. Senate trial of President Bill Clinton. The Senate also approved an initial schedule for filings with the trial set to begin on Monday.

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