Rod Blagojevich and the Declaration of Independence

When most people think of the Declaration of Independence, they think of "taxation without representation" and the Boston Tea Party.

But of the 27 particulars laid out against King George, only one deals with taxation. Only seven deal with the use of military force.

The bulk of the charges against King George are based on his attacks on the Legislature, undermining, ignoring, harassing, bypassing, and in other ways weakening them however he can, including my favorites:

"He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good."

"He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures."

"He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only."

"He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people."

"He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise;"

"He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:"

You may also recall that Blagojevich attacked judges early on in his administration, vetoing appropriations for a salary increase for judges, a move that was derided by lawmakers and later overturned by the courts:

"He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries."

And how Blagojevich has repeatedly been criticized for using state workers for political purposes, to harass members of the legislature, shake down contractors and others for political contributions, and advance his own political campaign:

"He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance."

It would appear that Rod Blagojevich is misreading the Declaration of Independence as a Playbook. Unlike some of his earlier moves, violating the Administrative Procedure Act by ignoring the ruling of JCAR is a clearly impeachable offense. The General Assembly should not take this one lying down.