Lou Lang CNN Interview 12/26/2008 regarding impeachment panel proceedings

Illinois State Representative Lou Lang is on that impeachment panel. Thanks for joining us this afternoon on a Friday, representative.

REP. LOU LANG (D), ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY: My pleasure.

LUI: What's the committee's response right now?

LANG: Well, the committee is still reviewing the request by Mr. Genson. Last Monday when the committee last met, Mr. Genson indicated he needed a week to prepare, and that he would be ready this coming Monday with some witnesses. It was only the very next day when the committee was not meeting that he decided he wanted to subpoena these folks that you were mentioning. And I might add that the United States attorney has told the committee that he does not want these people to appear because he's concerned that it will jeopardize his investigation.

LUI: What do you make of his request? You mentioned timing there, but the specific request and who the individuals are on this list -- what do you make of that strategy?

LANG: Well, certainly from a point of view of a defense lawyer, I understand what he's trying to do. And if Mr. Genson wanted to call those folks in a criminal trial I would -- if I was he I would do the same thing.

However, the impeachment panel is not a criminal tribunal. Our job is to put facts on the table and to determine if -- just like a grand jury -- if there are enough facts, if there is enough evidence to charge the governor and send it to the Senate for trial.

The only issue is whether Rod Blagojevich has violated his constitutional oath and/or whether he's fit to continue to be governor of the state of Illinois.

I think Mr. Genson is trying to turn our deliberations into a circus. And I'm not sure the committee is going to let him do that.

LUI: You know, if Governor Blagojevich believes a subpoena of Rahm Emanuel and Valerie Jarrett might actually help his client's case here, why not hear from them?

LANG: Well, certainly that might be valid testimony in a criminal case, but two issues here.

First, it's not necessary to convict Governor Blagojevich of a crime to impeach him. Whether those wiretaps, for instance, are admissible into evidence in the federal court are of little consequence in our committee.

Additionally, Mr. Genson who has had an extraordinary amount of freedom within our committee to question witnesses, told us he'd be ready in a week. The people of the state of Illinois have a right an end to this procedure.

And additionally, the U.S. attorney and the committee have agreed that we will not step on his toes. So we're, I don't think, going to be of a mind, although we haven't fully discussed it as a committee, to allow this side show to take place in the middle of our deliberations.

LUI: So, Representative Lang, your committee, your special group, is charged with coming to a decision at some point. When might we expect to hear from you? LANG: Well, depending on what happens with Mr. Genson's request, and whether there are many more witnesses or just a few, the last I saw we only had a few witnesses left that the committee wanted to call, we could be finished with our deliberations within a week or two, I believe. And then, of course, there will be a report that will go to the full house, and the full house will determine whether there are any articles of impeachment to send to the Senate.

LUI: Illinois State Representative Lou Lang on the impeachment panel there in the state.

Thank you so much for stopping by, giving us the very latest on these requests by Rod Blagojevich's representation. Thank you so much.

Source: CNN.com, Transcripts Aired December 26, 2008 - 13:00ET

Link http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0812/26/cnr.05.html