From the Tribune

(Editorial):Indict or impeach?
    September 29, 2008
After what has happened in the last few days, it's more likely that Gov. Rod Blagojevich will be indicted or impeached or both.
• The Tribune reported on Sunday that convicted political fixer Tony Rezko has talked to federal prosecutors and may cooperate in their investigation of the governor's administration. At closing arguments in Rezko's trial, a federal prosecutor told jurors that his crimes involved "the highest levels of power in Illinois." Rezko has refused to help investigators—until, apparently, now.
• The Illinois appellate court on Friday issued a ruling that could provide reason for the legislature to remove Blagojevich. He decided to spend tens of millions of dollars to expand a state health care insurance program even though the legislature wouldn't approve it. The court told Blagojevich to stop the program—and said his administration can't even identify how many people have enrolled in it.
Federal prosecutors will pursue their investigation of the Blagojevich administration's notorious pay-to-play politics. Having the cooperation of Rezko, once one of Blagojevich's closest confidants, would greatly help to determine if the governor was involved in criminal wrongdoing. All the rest of us—lawmakers, political leaders, citizens—can do is wait for the prosecutors to complete their investigation.
But Blagojevich's attempt to go around lawmakers and spend money they didn't approve for a vast health care program may be just as insidious as his pay-to-play politics. His effort to expand health care through the program known as FamilyCare was soundly rejected by the Illinois legislature. But he did it anyway, spending millions of dollars to broaden eligibility for state-funded health care to people with higher family incomes.
The Illinois secretary of state said the governor had no authority to do that. A legislative rule-making body said he had no authority to do that. But he did it anyway.
In April, Cook County Circuit Judge James Epstein issued an injunction to block the governor's program. The appellate court on Friday upheld that injunction. The reviewing court's ruling lends credence to the belief of many critics, including this page, that Blagojevich has been completely reckless in this effort. As a result, thousands of people may have paid premiums for health coverage that now will evaporate.
Earlier this year, this page strongly supported a movement to give voters the chance, through a constitutional amendment, to recall public officials. We said at the time that impeachment of the governor shouldn't be pursued. But this court ruling on his health care gamble gives reason to revisit that.
Democratic Rep. Jack Franks has encouraged House Speaker Michael Madigan to convene a committee to investigate if articles of impeachment are warranted. That seems like a sound idea.
That's not a call for impeachment. That's a call for the House to investigate. The governor should be deeply concerned about such an inquiry. He might once have been able to count on the Illinois Senate to block his removal if the House voted to impeach him. But his ally and chief enabler, Senate President Emil Jones, retires in January.
There are several Democratic candidates to succeed Jones as leader of the Senate. Let's hear what they have to say about allowing another vote on recall and whether they would promise an honest hearing if the House were to approve articles of impeachment.
Every member of the Senate should be on record answering those questions. Heads-up, Sen. Debbie Halvorson. You're scheduled to visit the Tribune editorial board on Monday with Republican Marty Ozinga to talk about your race for Congress. These will be the first questions we ask.
Illinois will have to put up with another two years of Blagojevich as governor if he serves his full term. That won't be pretty. He gets more reckless and isolated by the day as he tries to assert influence over a legislature that ignores him as much as it can.
Do we really have to put up with this for another two years? It's starting to look like the answer will be: No.