Rod Blagojevich Out, Former Gadfly Pat Quinn In

Illinois senators removed Governor Rod Blagojevich from power Thursday, handing the job to lieutenant governor and former gadfly Pat Quinn.

The Illinois senate voted unanimously to convict Blagojevich and bar him from holding political office in the state again.

Quinn served for two terms under Blagojevich, but the pair was never close, with Quinn admitting that he hadn’t spoken to Blagojevich for over a year. Prior to that, Quinn was a former state treasurer and tax attorney, best known as a gadfly for his efforts to cut big government and “protect the little guy.”

The decision by the Illinois Senate puts an end to Blagojevich’s attempts to court public opinion, with a tour of talkshows this week. Blagojevich was caught last year trying to sell President Barack Obama’s Senate seat apparent attempt to auction off President Obama’s former U.S. Senate seat. An investigation also found that Blagojevich was passing legislation favorable to business interests in return for political donations.

(img: AP)