美国伊利诺伊州州长因涉嫌腐败遭弹劾

英语自学网

　　Illinois Ousts Governor 2009年2月1日
       
        　　Rod Blagojevich became the first U.S. governor in 21 years to be removed from office following a vote by state lawmakers Thursday, nearly two months after he was led from his home in handcuffs by federal authorities on suspicion of influence peddling.
       
        　　The 59 Illinois senators voted unanimously to oust the two-term Democrat, who was the first Illinois governor to be impeached in the state's 190-year history and the first governor ousted since Arizona's Evan Mecham in 1988. The senators then voted to bar Mr. Blagojevich from public office in Illinois.
       
        　　Mr. Blagojevich, 52 years old, still faces federal charges of conspiring to use his office to extract campaign contributions in exchange for signing bills or awarding contracts, as well as seeking to sell President Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat. Authorities are building a case from interviews with federal informants and secretly recorded conversations last fall.
       
        　　Listen to the tapes and read the transcripts.
       
        　　State senators began their trial hearing Monday without Mr. Blagojevich, who declined to present a defense. He asked permission to give a closing argument Thursday, hours before the vote. Mr. Blagojevich was by turns defiant, impassioned and, briefly, contrite during his 50-minute address. 'I have done absolutely nothing wrong,' he said.
       
        　　Mr. Blagojevich conceded he had an impatient governing style and 'sometimes I push too much.' He added, 'It is painful to be in a position like this ... it's painful, and it's lonely.'
       
        　　The ouster of Mr. Blagojevich took effect immediately and thrust Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, a 60-year-old Democrat with a populist style, into the governor's office. Mr. Quinn was sworn in Thursday evening.
       
        　　美国伊利诺伊州州长涉嫌腐败遭弹劾
       
        　　美国伊利诺伊州议会周四通过对州长罗德?布拉戈耶维奇弹劾案，使其成为美国21年来首位遭弹劾的州长。近两个月前，布拉戈耶维奇因涉嫌滥用权力而遭到联邦部门逮捕。
       
        　　伊利诺伊州参议院59位参议员一致同意罢免布拉戈耶维奇。这位连任两届的民主党州长成为伊利诺伊州190年来首位遭弹劾的州长，也是自1988年亚利桑那州州长埃文?米查姆以来全美国首位遭罢免的州长。参议院随后投票禁止布拉戈耶维奇在伊利诺伊州担任公职。
       
        　　现年52岁的布拉戈耶维奇还面临联邦指控，他涉嫌共谋滥用职权，以签署法案或授予合约的权力交换竞选献金，同时企图出售美国总统奥巴马当选后空出来的联邦参议员席位。目前有关部门正在整理与联邦内线人员的会谈，以及去年秋天秘密录制的电话录音，进行定案。
       
        　　伊利诺伊州参议院周一开始就布拉戈耶维奇的弹劾举行听证会，听取电话录音，传阅相关文件。布拉戈耶维奇拒绝出席为自己辩护，但请求参议院允许自己周四在弹劾投票数小时前发表最后陈述。在50分钟的讲话中，布拉戈耶维奇脸上交替出现了藐视一切、激情澎湃以及一度深感懊悔的表情。他表示，我绝对没有做什么错事。
       
        　　布拉戈耶维奇承认，他的管理风格急躁，有时候过于急于求成。他补充说，处在这样的位置是很痛苦的...很痛苦，很孤独。
       
        　　弹劾布拉戈耶维奇的议案立即生效，60岁的副州长帕特?奎恩接替州长职位。民主党人奎恩有着民粹主义风格，他已于周四晚间宣誓就职。