Media Guidelines for Trial

              The impeachment trial proceedings are a trial proceeding and not a regular session day.
To ensure access by the media and the integrity of the trial proceedings in which the members of the Senate serve as judges, the following guidelines will be in use:
1. All Senate Rules regarding media apply as contained in Senate Resolution #2 of the 96th General Assembly.
2. All reporters must have media credentials issued by the Illinois Senate.
a. Credentials will be date specific and issued daily to members of the media at a table near the Senate Chamber doors.
b. Each bureau will receive 1 (one) credential per day.
c. Credentials will be available for distribution two hours prior to the start to Senate proceedings (for example, on Monday, January 26, the table will be open at 10:00 a.m.)
3. Gentlemen must wear jackets and ties in the press boxes on the Senate floor.
4. Seating in the press boxes on the floor is established by the Illinois Legislative Correspondents Association.
5. Priorities for the media in the 4th floor public gallery media area are:
a. Illinois media
b. National media
c. Foreign media
6. Reporters using the 4th floor gallery are only permitted in the designated media area. Additional, but limited, seating will be set aside for media in the public gallery. This seating will not be available for cameras.
7. Live shots and interviews from the public gallery, the press boxes or the side corridors are permitted except 15 minutes prior to or during the proceedings. An announcement that the Senate is preparing to convene will take place 20 minutes prior the start of business. A 15 minute announcement will also take place, serving as the final “wrap-up” announcement for the media.
8. In order to maintain the decorum and protocol use of telephones usually provided in the press boxes on the Senate floor as well as cell phones conversations will be prohibited. The use of computers in the press boxes is permitted.
9. Still photographs may be taken without flash from the press boxes on the Senate floor and the media area of the public gallery on the 4th floor.
10. The corridor behind the Senate Chamber will be partially cordoned off during the trial proceeding in order to secure witnesses. This will occur 15 minutes prior to the start of Senate business.
11. TV cameras will not be permitted in the press boxes on the Senate floor due to limited space/seating.
12. Standing in the floor press boxes is prohibited (still photographers are exempted).
Official Tribunal Guidelines
Impeachment Trial of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich
MEDIA GUIDELINES