It’s rare when government officials call upon the press to bail them out of hard times.

After all, we’re just part of the evil liberal media that’s out to run smear campaigns against those elected officials who have done no wrong.

So on Friday, when the esteemed executive of Illinois, the honorable Gov. Rod Blagojevich, called upon all state newspapers to publish editorials outing the governor’s impeachment trial as a conspiracy by the Illinois General Assembly to raise taxes, the editorial board at The Daily Eastern News jumped at the chance to answer the governor’s call.

But we chose to do the opposite.

One of Blago’s arguments against the impeachment is that the trial is slanted against him, creating an unfair and hostile environment in which he doesn’t stand a chance of keeping his position.

But of course, an impeachment trial is always going to be slanted against somebody. What conceivable way could an impeachment trial operate without the intent of a governing body to remove an official from office? Is there any way a trial for removal from office could not be construed as being against the official in question?

If there is, the people of Illinois would love to hear it, because we’ve been in stitches ever since Blago rose to the (empty) Executive Mansion in Springfield.

From your daughter’s desperate cries for attention during another inane speech, to accepting an exorbitantly large check – $1,500, to be exact – for her birthday (or was it her christening?), to being blindsided with questions by Rochester High School students at the 2008 State Fair, the Blagojevich administration has provided enough laughs to make up for an entire season of “The Daily Show.”

It’s a good thing George W. Bush was in office at the same time. Otherwise Blago might look foolish.

Now, Gov. Blagojevich, do you understand why we’ve chosen to address your reply as such?

You like to think the General Assembly’s movement to remove you from office is unfair, but it seems you’ve been blissfully unaware of your own actions as governor.

Your choice to live in Chicago while Springfield worked diligently to maintain a decent Executive Mansion is unfair.

Your treatment of state workers in Springfield throughout the later half of the 2008 summer was unfair.

Your closure of state parks, including Coles County’s Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site, is unfair.

Finally, the pay-to-play scandal – which was even recorded, if you remember correctly – is unfair.

After six years of the same tired nonsense, the Illinois legislature is finally doing what is fair: Your removal from office couldn’t possibly come sooner.

The editorial is the majority opinion of The DEN editorial board. Reach the opinions editor at: [email protected].