Senators listen to impeachment deliberations

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Illinois senators are standing up one by one and making the case that Gov. Rod Blagojevich should be removed from office. We’ve yet to hear one voice in support of the governor. We may yet (he has a small clatch of supporters among Chicago Democrats), but so far it looks like there’s no question there are the necessary 40 votes to remove him from office.

The deliberations — meaning, individual speeches by senators — are continuing. These are politicians, and the cameras are rolling, so we could be here awhile. (They each have the right to talk for five minutes; there are 59 of them. Do the math.)

Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn reportedly is standing by and could be sworn in as the new governor immediately after the Senate vote, which could come within a few hours. The swearing-in will be in the House chamber, across the hall from the Senate. Quinn then is scheduled to give a news conference.

If it sounds like everyone in the Statehouse is viewing this vote as a foregone conclusion — they are.

Sen. Kwame Raoul, D-Chicago — who has sided with Blagojevich from time to time in the past — just stood up and called the evidence against the him “overwhelming.”