Ill. impeachment panel airs grievances

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Dec. 29 (UPI) -- A panel of Illinois lawmakers called to consider the impeachment of Gov. Rod Blagojevich says it's OK for them to air their grievances about him.

The committee of Illinois House of Representatives members have so far mostly focused on long-held complaints of abuse of power by Blagojevich, with the hearings mainly serving as a public venue for legislative gripes, The State Journal-Register in Springfield, Ill., reported Monday.

The committee was set to hear from Blagojevich attorney Ed Genson, who insists there isn't enough evidence to support impeachment. The panel will make a recommendation to the full House of Representatives by next week, the newspaper said.

Legislators defend their airing of anti-Blagojevich grievances as a vital part of determining whether there's enough evidence to go ahead with an unprecedented impeachment of a sitting Illinois governor, the Journal-Register said.

Blagojevich has been charged by U.S. prosecutors with, among other counts of corruption, attempting to sell the vacant U.S. Senate seat of President-elect Barack Obama in exchange for campaign contributions and personal favors.