Rod Blagojevich

“ However, as much as I'd love to participate in the Senate trial and in the Senate process, under the current rules that the Senate provides, they're not allowing me to participate in that process. To participate in a process that denies fundamental fairness, fundamental due process [2] , to be part of a process that doesn't allow for calling of witnesses and worse than that, doesn't allow for me or any citizen to challenge charges that are brought against me, is a fundamental violation of the Constitution, it is a trampling of the Constitution. ”

“ In short, you can have all the witnesses you want, it doesn't matter because that document alone is going to be accepted as fact.
That is a gross violation of every constitutional principle that exists. It's a violation of the freedoms we enjoy as Americans. It's a violation of the cornerstones of the principles that we have to protect us as individuals, to protect our civil liberties, and protect the ability to be able to answer false accusations in a fair way. If they can do this to a governor, they can do this to any citizen in Illinois. ”

“ So the principle of whether I stay in office or not is far, far less important than the broader principles of protecting our Constitution and protecting the rights of individuals, the rights of individuals accused falsely or not so falsely. To give them a chance to be able to have their day and protect themselves and let the truth decide what in fact is the truth. ”