Nicholas Lawrence's News Blog

Thursday, with Democrat Rod Blagojevich impeached from the Illinios Governor seat, the lieutenant governor takes over, reports the New York Times.

Pat Quinn, the new governor, faces much of the same problems Blagojevich faced when he began his term.

A growing deficit and governmental corruption litter the seat and Blagojevich is already expressing dissaproval of Quinn but says Quinm is not one prone to corruption.

But at the same time Blagojevich is saying, "He's going to raise taxes"..."He's going to hurt people." (New York Times)

Officials like Democrat Rep. Jack Franks believe Blagojevich has done "irreparable damage" and many are doubting the ability of Quinn's ability as a Governor. (Yahoo News)

Yahoo News reports Quinn as "sincere but ineffective" being a political outsider, but also reports he uphelds a consensus in his state that their problems need immediate attention.

Posted by lawre200 at 8:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Republican Norm Coleman fights to restore his senate seat by suing to overturn the results declaring Democrat Al Franken the winner, while Franken takes a vacation in Florida, reports the Star Tribune Thursday.

Coleman and his team are arguing to have all 11,000 rejected absentee ballots recounted, which they were against during the original recount, ending on Jan. 5.

The Pioneer Press reports Franken's attorneys are working without his presence in the court room and saying that Coleman is on "shaky legal ground" with their claims for the rejected absentee ballots.

Coleman Attorney, Joe Friedberg, said they withdraw their original objection to the ballots. Earlier statements by the Coleman team said the ballots would "yeild uneven results" (Pioneer Press).

Franken's attorneys held their original stance that everyone's vote is important, no matter the technicalities that caused them to be overlooked.

During the recount 933 rejected absentee ballots were tallied and put Franken ahead by 176 votes which lead to Coleman declaring the lawsuit.

The Franken campaign is displaying confidence that their man is the victor in this lengthy fight. Franken attorney reffered to Franken as "senator-elect" in the courtroom on Thursday reports the Star Tribune.

Posted by lawre200 at 7:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The jurors in the case of the RNC anarchist, David Mckay, are unable to come to a decision Friday, reported the Star Tribune.

The jurors, unable to reach a unanimous decision, were told by U.S. Chief Michael Davis to continue with the deliberation.

Brandon Darby, government informant, has been the source of the controversy, being accused by the defense as convincing Mckay to make and use the Molotov cocktails.

Jeffrey DeGree, defense attorney for Mckay, said, "He wasn't the eyes and ears. He was the mouth — a violent, firebomb-obsessed mouth." (Pioneer Press)

The prosecution fired back asking the jurors why would Darby convince someone to make and use Molotov cocktails, and argued that Mckay had gotten the idea when he attended the RNC Welcoming Committee in Austin, continuing to paint Mckay as an anarchist.

The Star Tribune reports Mckay took the stand in his own defense and said the idea to make the bombs was entirely Darby's.

Mckay faces 10 years in prison if convicted.

Posted by lawre200 at 5:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)