I know you'll find this hard to believe, but media reports may not be providing the full story on the Blagojevitch case;
I listened to much of day two of the Illinois Senate impeachment trial of Gov. Rod Blagojevich. This was the day when the smoking gun would be revealed, in the form of four audio tapes just released by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. Despite the claims in some of the television and print media, the tapes were no smoking gun.
The tapes purport to show Blagojevich extorting a campaign contribution from a horse race track owner in exchange for Blagojevich signing legislation favorable to the race track. But all the tapes actually show is Blagojevich's chief of staff urging Blagojevich to pressure the race track owner to pay up on a previously promised campaign contribution, and Blagojevich trying to confirm that the payment will be made. Nothing on the tapes states that Blagojevich would refuse to sign the legislation, already passed by a substantial majority in the legislature (including many of the Senators voting on impeachment), if there were no payment. You may be able to make the connection, but these tapes don't do it. We would need much more evidence to show extortion or even conspiracy to extort.
[...]
The other thing that jumped out when listening to the tapes and hearing [FBI agent] Cain's testimony in response to questions from Senators, is how truncated are the excerpts. With an Assistant U.S. Attorney at his side, Cain repeatedly refused to answer questions as to how the excerpts were selected, what else was on the tapes, or who else (including Senators voting on impeachment) was on the tapes (Transcript, 292-293) When Cain refused to answer if any other Senators were on the tapes, the transcript indicates that an unidentified person at the Senate trial said "Thank God." (Tr. 293) So we may have potential targets of, or witnesses in, Fitzgerald's investigation voting on whether that most famous target, Blagojevich, stays in office. Great.
Having aquired a strange fascination with Blago after Obama's election I now feel like Blago groupie. He really is quite a character,quilty or not,and has alot of people sleeping fitfully. If he could be bought you would think he would have taken the money and disappeared. If he is quilty he must have stashed some good evidence away cause he's still breathing. It will take more than an impeachment to shut this guy up. "Methinks something is rotten in Denmark". Go Blago!
I wonder if Fitzgerald prematurely cut-off the investigation -- ie. no actual quid pro quo took place -- in order to protect these unnamed senators.
After following Conrad Black's kangaroo trial absolutely nothing would surprise me where Patrick Fitzgerald is concerned.
This is a sterling reason why we should have a real Justice system that see;s folks innocent until PROVEN guilty. People are partial to bandwagons.
Particularly someone high up they can muster against, with a sense of self rightiousness indignity. The MSM of course wants it bad & radical as they can get. Have to sell those papers no matter how many slurs.
I had the same thoughts as peters. There are shades of the Conrad Black persecution (spelled correctly). Pull only those pieces of evidence that support your theory and bury anything exculpatory.
I would love to hear all of the tapes. I'm sure there are some very nervous people out there.
Blago will never go to trial. Reason? He says he's the "anti-Nixon" - whereby Nixon wanted to suppress the contents of the tapes, he wants all of them out there.
Because of their contents and the number of people it would bring down - that will never happen, IMHO.
My rule of thumb is : if CBC, and msm (outside Fox news) are FOR it , it is likely crooked and intent on enslaving my fellow-countrymen and myself; if the msm are AGAINST something or someone they are covering up for their Liebral/racketeer pals or it/he would empower my fellow countrymen and myself through individual rights guaranteeing my Liberty.
This rule is accurate 9 out of 10 times.
BTW, Glen Beck (Fox news) has an interview with Mr. Blagojevich and so has Greta Live wire. Both worth watching, IMO.
The transcripts are surprisingly short.
Why not just run the whole recorded conversation?
To state the obvious: this is all political.
There is more going on here than meets the eye. Frankly, I don't care. This is just a side-show.
The MSM are as a group the biggest idiots in our society.
Having to depend on them for information is a disgrace.
They are the reason that clowns like Blago and pricks like Fitzgerald get as far as they do in the world.
Well..... that and hordes of people who believe what they see on TV and read in the and papers is factual. Then of course there are the masses who don't even get that well informed.
Question.. Why is Entertainment Tonight on 5 different channels at supper time?
I can't believe I am saying this, but Blago is getting railroaded by a prosecutor and jury that has zero interest in the actual evidence being heard. Probably because they are all implicated in the juicy stuff, since there presumably is some juicy stuff that made Fitz pull the trigger.
It is post democratic rule. Now that Obama has gotten 4.2 billion dollars for ACORN, he can start working on creating a post democratic America.
Tim in VT:
I can't believe I am saying this, but Blago is getting railroaded
You & me both brother. But think a moment. He's the perfect patsy. Mildly corrupt as the majority of politicians are, with Jim Bakker hair, & the carrage of a de-frocked baptist hanging around him like bad air. Elmer Gantry on a bad day.
There is a much deeper story here. We will never hear it from the MSM, you can bank on it.
Like one guy said on here, Its gotten to the point that almost anything the MSM say's, is the inverse of reality.
Rev Dream - thx for the comment on Elmer Gantry - made me look it up and learn something - that's a great reason to come to this website!
He has hair that would make an evangelist jealouse,
he reminds me of Benny Hine. the first time I saw Benny Hine and his fat arse brother , I thought I was seeing a late run of a Second City TV show.
Ladies & Gentlemen-
The foible that is Illinois politics knows no bounds.
Of course my Governor Blagojevich has played pay-to-play here. It's what he was weaned on,right after he left the bookie business. This little spat was Mr. Fitzgerald's attempt to open the corrupt political landscape of Illinois like a sardine can. The tapes are meaningless, unless you get FEDERALLY elected officials on tape making the squeeze.
That would be Rahm, firstly, Obama second, and really, really pretty please Mayor Daley.
This story has legs people, because Blagojevich may not be an English student, but a street smart guy who learns where everyone's weakness is. He's a governor now, but he used to be in Congress, and Rahm took over his seat. That doesn't happen without "street help.
Popcorn please. And another Labatts "50".
Porter I am in agreement....
Blago is no choir boy but what is occuring is a power struggle----Chicago style.....
He must be making O and Rahm nervous...he knows where the bodies are buried and that makes him a liability....I am surprised his brakes haven't failed on the LOOP.......yet.....
maybe a stroke or cardivascular accident.......
He deserves as much sympathy as Beria......
HAH!
Welcome to Chicago. Here's your accordion.
More information: Arrest statement is 75 pages long with direct quotations. Blagojevich performed other acts in broad daylight that support the idea of his unability to perform his job, e.g., buying vaccine that FDA said could not be imported into US. Investigators and reporters have unearthed many different connections between Blagojevich and other Illinois politicians. An impeachment trail has a different purpose than a criminal trial. The previous Illinois governor was convicted on similar charges after most of a family died in a traffic accident caused by a truck driver licensed in Illinois illegally--bribe for license.
John in Chicago area
Open Letter:
http://crimesandjustice.com/2009/01/bye-governor-blagojevic/
He is being singled out.
Society, such as it is and it's periodic fits of morality.
He would have fitted in well in the Liberal Party of Canada. Ah, lovable rogues, ah scamps, tipplers, glad handers, and spreading the wealth to give them their due.
To say nothing of willowy blondes.