UPDATED 11:40 A.M

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s attorney will address the Illinois House impeachment committee on Wednesday, the committee’s chairwoman said this morning.

The comment, by state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, was the first indication that Blagojevich intends to cooperate with the impeachment probe launched against him following his arrest last week on federal corruption charges. Blagojevich, a Democrat, is accused of attempting to auction off the vacant U.S. Senate seat of President-elect Barack Obama and other crimes.

Currie, speaking to committee members in the body’s first meeting this morning, said Blagojevich’s newly hired attorney, renowned Chicago criminal defense lawyer Ed Genson, had responded to a request to participate in the probe, but wouldn’t be available in Springfield until Wednesday.

Currie said Chicago-based U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who brought the charges against Blagojeivch that have rocked Illinois and riveted the nation for the past week, was non-comittal when asked by committee staff if his office would provide information for the impeachment inquiry.

The committee took no action this morning and adjourned for the day after brief opening remarks by some of its 21 members.

"This is a grave and sobering time in the history of the state of Illinois," said committee member Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, reflecting the somber but determined tone of many of the speeches. "... It goes to the heart of the (need for) an honest and open government."

Blagojevich was arrested at his Chicago home Dec. 9 on federal corruption charges, including the allegation that he had plotted to sell off his authority to appoint a replacement to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Obama. He was later released on a recognizance bond as he awaits a January court date. He has ignored calls from Obama and others to step down.

Unlike the federal "crimes and misdemeanors" standard, there is no specific criterion that Illinois lawmakers have to meet to impeach a chief executive. Under the 1970 state constitution, the House determines by a majority vote whether there is cause for impeachment. If so, the case is tried in the Senate,
which can remove the executive by a two-thirds vote.

Among the committee’s topics of discussion are likely to be issues that arose prior to Blagojevich’s arrest. Some lawmakers have been clamoring for Blagojevich’s ouster for as long as a year, on grounds that he has refused to work with the Legislature or to carry out basic functions of his office.

The new impeachment committee consists of 12 Democrats and nine Republicans from the House who will call witnesses, hear testimony and consider evidence. It is expected to meet each day except holidays like Christmas Eve and Christmas until it has a recommendation to offer to the full House.



OUR EARLIER STORY:

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Illinois’ impeachment committee against embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich begins work today in Springfield.

The committee, created Monday night by a unanimous House vote, will take evidence on allegations of abuse of power by the second-term Democratic governor.

Blagojevich was arrested at his Chicago home Dec. 9 on federal corruption charges, including the allegation that he had plotted to sell off his authority to appoint a replacement to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

Unlike the federal "crimes and misdemeanors" standard, there is no specific criterion that Illinois lawmakers have to meet to impeach a chief executive. Under the 1970 state constitution, the House determines by a majority vote whether there is cause for impeachment. If so, the case is tried in the Senate, which can remove the executive by a two-thirds vote.

Among the committee’s topics of discussion are likely to be issues that arose prior to Blagojevich’s arrest. Some lawmakers have been clamoring for Blagojevich’s ouster for as long as a year, on grounds that he has refused to work with the Legislature or to carry out basic functions of his office.

The new impeachment committee will consist of 12 Democrats and nine Republicans from the House who will call witnesses, hear testimony and consider evidence. It is expected to meet each day except holidays like Christmas Eve and Christmas until it has a recommendation to offer to the full House.

The initial meeting is set to begin today at 10 a.m. in room 114 of the Statehouse.

The Legislature faces "a serious, grave and sobering activity" state Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, the bill's sponsor, said in floor debate before the unanimous vote. "All 118 of us are angry," Lang said. "All 118 of us feel betrayed."

Accused of trying to auction off President-elect Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat and other federal crimes, Blagojevich remained defiantly on the job Monday. The governor showed up for work at his Chicago office and signed a bill into law, ignoring calls for his resignation that radiated from Springfield to Washington.

"Impeachment talk's nothing new for this governor," Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero told reporters in Chicago, shrugging off the creation of an impeachment committee that meets for the first time today — one week after Blagojevich's arrest stunned Illinois and the nation. "They've been talking about it for a long time."

Blagojevich, 52, a second-term Democrat, is accused of plotting to auction off his power to appoint a replacement to the vacant U.S. Senate seat, as well as trying to profit from legislation and state spending. He remains free on a recognizance bond pending a January court date.

The Illinois House voted 113-0 Monday evening to create an impeachment committee to examine evidence of abuse of power. That eventually could lead to a House impeachment vote and a Senate trial.

Five House members weren't on the roll call.

House Speaker Michael Madigan, a Democrat who called for the creation of the committee, said it will meet until it has a recommendation to offer to the full House.

Unlike the federal "crimes and misdemeanors" standard, there is no specific criterion that Illinois lawmakers have to meet to impeach a chief executive. Under the state constitution, the House determines by a majority vote whether there is cause for impeachment. If so, the case is tried in the Senate, which can remove the executive by a two-thirds vote.

Among the committee's topics of discussion are likely to be issues that arose prior to Blagojevich's arrest. Some lawmakers have been clamoring for his ouster for as long as a year, on grounds that he has refused to work with the Legislature or to carry out basic functions of his office.

Among those voting in favor of setting up the impeachment committee was Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Collinsville, an old friend and roommate of Blagojevich and widely viewed as his closest ally in the Legislature.

"Was it a hard vote? I think it had to be done," Hoffman said afterward. "We need strong leadership right now. It wasn't an easy personal vote, but it needed to be done."

Hoffman said he hasn't talked to Blagojevich since the arrest, and "I don't plan to." He hasn't specifically called on Blagojevich to resign, as Obama and others have, but said: "If it were me … I'd resign."

The Legislature returned to Springfield Monday in special session to consider whether to change state law so that the U.S. Senate vacancy would be filled by a special election rather than by a governor's appointment.

However, Madigan and his Democratic majority by late afternoon had postponed that idea, in part because the U.S. Senate leadership has said they won't seat any appointment that Blagojevich tries to make.

Illinois House Republicans were infuriated by the development. Republicans insist there is still a danger that Blagojevich might try to make a Senate appointment, and that the whole appointment process is under so many questions now that a special election is the only way to ensure the legitimacy of whoever eventually is seated.

House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego, argued that a special election is "the only way we can begin the healing in this state."

But Cross also acknowledged that "as Republicans, we benefit from a special election." That, some Democrats say, is what's really behind the GOP's all-out campaign to keep the special-election idea alive.

The proposed special election would be a chance for Republicans to take over the Senate seat. If a senator is instead appointed by Democratic Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn if and when he ascends to the governor's office, it's likely a Democrat would get the post.

In addition, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, a Democrat and Speaker Madigan's daughter, has filed a motion asking the state Supreme Court to remove Blagojevich from office under a legal provision designed to deal with chief executives who have become incapacitated. The court hasn't said whether it will consider that motion.

The 12 Democrats appointed to the impeachment committee are Reps. Barbara Flynn Currie (the chairwoman), Edward Acevedo, Monique Davis, Mary Flowers, John Fritchey, Connie Howard, and Arthur Turner, all of Chicago; Julie Hamos, Evanston; Frank Mautino, Spring Valley; Jack Franks, Woodstock; Lou Lang, Skokie; and Gary Hannig, Gillespie.

Republicans on the committee are Reps. Jim Durkin, Countryside; Suzanne Bassi, Palatine; Patti Bellock, Westmont; Bill Black, Danville; Mike Bost, Carbondale; Roger Eddy, Hutsonville; Chapin Rose, Charleston; Jim Sacia, Freeport; and Jil Tracy, Quincy.

Blagojevich on Monday reported to work at his Chicago state office, as he has done each day since his arrest. He also has been seen several times going into the Chicago office of defense attorney Edward Genson, who confirmed Monday that he has been hired by Blagojevich.

Genson often is sought out by the rich and famous. He helped win an acquittal for R&B superstar R. Kelly in June on charges of videotaping himself having sex with a girl who prosecutors claimed was as young as 13 and he represented media mogul Conrad Black in his 2007 trial.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.