Blagojevich

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The Illinois House committee investigating Gov. Rod Blagojevich has issued a draft report this morning recommending that he should be impeached.

The impeachment committee still has at least one day of testimony ahead of it, but the draft report has already been distributed to lawmakers and posted online (read it here) in anticipation of a possible Friday impeachment vote by the full House.

The draft report cites the federal corruption charges against Blagojevich and controversies surrounding his management of state government in the past six years. It also notes his recent decision to make a U.S. senate appointment despite his pending criminal trial, which has come close to creating a constitutional crisis in Washington.

“The citizens of this state must have confidence that their governor will faithfully serve the people and put their interests before his own. It is with profound regret that the committee finds that our current governor has not done so,” the report states.

It concludes that “the totality of the evidence warrants the impeachment of the governor for cause.”

If the House impeaches Blagojevich, the state Senate would conduct a trial to decide whether to remove him from office.

The impeachment committee today will hear what is expected to be nationally watched testimony from Roland Burris, Blagojevich’s appointee to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama. Among the allegations against Blagojevich is that he attempted to personally profit from his official authority to fill that seat. Burris hasn’t been implicated, but committee members want to details about how he was chosen.

Burris’ testimony is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. in Springfield.