Speaker's memo is impeachment 'how-to'

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., June 11 (UPI) -- The speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives is instructing legislative candidates how to call for impeachment proceedings against the state's governor.

State Rep. Michael Madigan, House speaker and one of Illinois' most powerful Democratic Party leaders, has circulated a memo to prospective candidates informing them of the best ways to call for impeachment hearings aimed at embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, media reports indicated Wednesday.

Madigan's memo, obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune newspapers, compares fellow Democratic Blagojevich to a cancerous tumor.

"One thing we learned from the (imprisoned former Republican Gov.) George Ryan case is that we should excise a tumor when it is first discovered, not leave it in the body to continue to spread and do further harm," the newspaper quoted the memo as saying.

Blagojevich since 2005 has been embroiled in controversies alleging corruption and malfeasance, and was prominently mentioned in the trial of Antonin "Tony" Rezko, who was convicted on June 4 of accepting kickbacks in return for exercising political influence.

"This is another example of the pettiness, silliness and backroom games that Speaker Madigan has been playing for months to prevent progress," Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff told the Sun-Times.