Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich and his Chief of Staff, John Harris, were arrested today by FBI agents on federal corruption charges alleging that they and others are engaging in ongoing criminal activity: conspiring to obtain personal financial benefits for Blagojevich by leveraging his sole authority to appoint a United States Senator; threatening to withhold substantial state assistance to the Tribune Company in connection with the sale of Wrigley Field to induce the firing of Chicago Tribune editorial board members sharply critical of Blagojevich; and to obtain campaign contributions in exchange for official actions – both historically and now in a push before a new state ethics law takes effect January 1, 2009..
Lots of links at Drudge, where the headline reads “Grand Jury subpeonas issued on Rezko/Obama land deal.”
Chicago Tribune;
In one charge related to the appointment of a senator to replace Barack Obama, prosecutors allege that Blagojevich sought appointment for himself as Secretary of Health and Human Services in the new Obama administration…
The criminal complaint filed today against Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich contains a remarkable section detailing the Democratic politician’s alleged attempt to cash in on his ability to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama. Attached to the U.S. District Court complaint is an FBI affidavit, excerpted below, alleging that Blagojevich was caught on wiretaps noting that the Senate seat “is a f***ing valuable thing, you just don’t give it away for nothing.” He was also recorded saying that unless “I get something real good,” he would appoint himself to the vacancy. “I’m going to keep this Senate option for me a real possibility, you know, and therefore I can drive a hard bargain. You hear what I’m saying. And if I don’t get what I want and I’m not satisfied with it, then I’ll just take the Senate seat myself.” According to the surreptitiously recorded conversations, Blagojevich spoke with associates about the possibility of trading the Senate post for either an ambassadorship or a Cabinet post. The Democratic politician, according to the affidavit sworn by FBI Agent Daniel Cain, “analogized his situation to that of a sports agent shopping a potential free agent to various teams.” Blagojevich, 51, and his chief of staff, John Harris, were arrested this morning on political corruption charges.”
Watch how quickly the cheerleaders on Fitzgerald’s Plame and Conrad Black investigations turn…
Media watch side note – as per the usual pattern, the word “Democrat” remains conspicuously absent…
Indeed – “by arresting Blagojevich before Inauguration Day, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has done the one thing that absolutely prevents Barack Obama from removing him from his position.”
Which is what I meant by “strikes fast”.
If being seen on a surveillance video carrying some plain brown cardboard boxes in another country gets you a minimum of 6 years and “Don’t nobody leave this room” gets you at least 9 and as many as 33 years, this guy might want to consider calling Iggy for some advice on how to get a fresh start in Ottawa.
Mr. Fitzgerald, in protecting us Chicagoans from the indignity of indicting a sitting US Senator, has applied for unemployment insurance, pre-dated for January 21, 2009. Too bad.
The federal prosecutor in this case had to move now to get these indictments because when Obamarama takes over the White House he will no doubt fire all the federal prosecutors and install his own people in those positions. There is no way this one would go ahead with Obama’s man/woman in there. That, baby, is Chicago Style Politics.
Just who the devil does he think he is, a Liberal bagman?
It’s Fitzmas!
Nothing of note here. And they don’t have to say DemocRat.They said Illinois.Says it all.
“Watch how quickly the cheerleaders on Fitzgerald’s Plame and Conrad Black investigations turn…”
Or the reverse
I wish I could be as optimistic about Mr. Fitzgerald keeping his job. I’ve seen how Mr. Axelrod spins indictments.
I can just see it now: “He serves at the pleasure of the President, and besides, he’s done his job, and deserves a vacation.”
Ahhh, the secret Democrat handshake.
I don’t know what to do, I hate Fitzgerald for what he did to Black & Libby but I love what he is doing with Blagojevich. Can’t compute, system overload….
But, but, when the Speaker of the house (Nancy P) said ALL her people “dem’s” would be good.
I guess good in her words means something else.
Didn’t the Bush administration fire some prosecutors or something, and didn’t the media have a lot to say about it. Will they have the same reation when O fires all republicans.
After listening to “Bloggo’s” crap on the radio after the University shooting in DeKalb?
I pray he gets Rollo The Mad Dog Rapist for a cellmate.
Ironically, former Governor, George Ryan got canned for corruption as well.
Illinois politics 101…be corrupt.
“Change” we can count on…
Business as usual in the USA. This one is right out of the republican playbook. Those pesky copy-cats using conservative business tactics!
Exactly MaryT, actually it ain’t looking that bad for Blago the Messiah can pardon him Jan. 20th, and use Scooter for a precedent.
Personally, I have seen corruption on both sides and am beginning to believe the whole political system is like this from Top to Bottom, from Country to Country. I am getting jaded.
,
This isn’t the Rod Blagojevich I knew …..
This isn’t the Rod Blagojevich I knew …..
Mary T writes: “Didn’t the Bush administration fire some prosecutors or something, and didn’t the media have a lot to say about it. Will they have the same reation when O fires all republicans.”
Well, if history is any precedent, no. Clinton fired all of the federal prosecutors without a peep from the media. When Bush came in he kept most of them, ultimately firing, I believe, 9 of them after reviewing their performance and finding it wanting. And, yes, then there was a media outcry. As of January 20th, it will be back to “hope and change as usual”.
But how can this be? How could there possibly be anything untoward with the Messiah??
What on earth am I going to tell the commenter who left me this little ditty:
Jac in Kentucky has left a new comment on your post “The Forbidden SNL Skit”:
what planet are you living on? obama is going to clamp down on free speech? i think obama is going to clamp down on the tailspinning economy, the hemorrhaging of north american jobs, the poluting of the earth, the trampling of human rights, and the terrorism that threatens the entire world. bash him all you like, but he’s going to make this planet (that includes canada) a safer, happier, and better place to live, whether you like it or not.
Robert W.
They live on Planet Rightoid. It’s an unusual planet, the right hemisphere is in perpetual darkness
Apparently the phones have been taped for 5 YEARS!!!
Rahm Emmanual, Obama CoS, bragged about him and Obama being the reason B was elected….ooops
Axelrod refused to work with Gov B because he didnt like the “people around him”
Pretty powerful stuff, if true. 5 years of tapes, you have to wonder whats on those tapes and who the heck else has been investigate dfor 5 years? Wonder if Mayor Daley is on those tapes?
This guy sounds like an incredible piece of work.
When ar ethe next Illinois Gov elections?
He should have put it up on E-bay http://newsbusters.org/blogs/mark-finkelstein/2008/12/09/blago-should-have-put-it-ebay“ rel=”nofollow nofollow”>via Newsbusters
And some people think that this kind of activity isn’t done everyday in every political office across the continent.
Ignorance isn’t bliss, it’s just ignorance.
It’s sad to see dem posters attempt to minimized this as business as usual, just like Republicans, etc. Even commentators on CNN are shocked at the scope and corrupt cynicism of this administration. And he actually used an obscenity when referring to the obamessiah!
BHO:
Change you can…buy
Aren’t these the people who complained about Sarah Palin?
If Mr. Fitz thinks he can use this to keep his job I think he is as mistaken as the jury in the Black case. Seems he might end up the ‘victim’ in one of his own out of control prosecutions.
If they have been taping Blago for 5 years , then they have the goods on Obama and Rezko and Wright and Flager and Ayers. Fitz might be thinking this is his ticket to something bigger.
I don’t. You don’t mess with the mob. Even Fitz should understand that.
If Kennedy was a product of the mob, Obama is their man in SPADES. ( no pun intended)
And more than that, Obama is the man of international interests.
We are in for a very bad time.
As Obama said to McCain during the campaign: ‘Mr. Mcain does not know what he is up against. I DO NOT INTEND to lose’.
Words to the wise for Mr. Fitzgerald.
In a land with an free and open press, it would be impossible to fire Fitzgerald, however, this is America where Obama is protected from the release of damaging information. Just this morning on NBC this list was shown
http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2008/07/top-senate-recipients-of-fanni.html
However the names were blanked out in the video segment, you know why? Because Obama’s name was third from the top. John “Effin” Kerry’s name was second, and the author of the economic crisis, Chis Dodd’s name was first.
I no longer believe in the US system of government. It is structurally flawed in so many ways. For one thing, a ‘democracy’ without open access to information from all sides of an issue is no democracy at all, and another, long serving legislators are impossible to remove, and accrue incredible power. Enough power that you can track the rise of a district’s congressman by the real estate values. There is just no way to get people to put their home district’s interests below that of their country.
When dealing with Chicago politics, always remember the rule of rats:
For every rat you see, there’s 10 you don’t.
Posted by: Tim in Vermont at December 9, 2008 5:18 PM
That’s why smaller government is the best solution. Corruption and malfeasance is an inevitability with people involved.
Whether crooked cops, bent politicians, or civil servants using positions for gain, the only way it can be fought is for it to be contained.
Which means smaller government, and more personal reliance. Which means more individual freedom. Which breeds liberty.
And so on.
Conservatism is dead.
Bets that Billary won’t let him talk?
The man is now “political dynamite” if he cuts a deal.
“I no longer believe in the US system of government. It is structurally flawed in so many ways.”
Actually, structurally, it’s pretty good – probably the best around. The failure is at the bottom, with the voters.
“Vinni, what’s this guy’s problem? We could have slipped him a few mil to keep his hand out of the till until Valentine’s Day. All he had to do was ask, capiche?
Nomination for “Best comment”.
“20. oldmath:
Anyone know the party affiliation of this Blagojevich guy? I looked all through the Chicago Trib article and all I learned was Richard Nixon bugged the Democrat party Headquarters.”
““I want to make money””
http://pajamasmedia.com/richardfernandez/2008/12/09/blag/#comments
Doug; This isn’t the Rod Blagojevich I knew
They never are until the sun comes out. Suddenly they go all funny & toasty……
Well, the more things “change”, the more they stay the same, eh?
All those same old, recycled Clinton appointments… and now, this…
Meet the new Democratic President. Same as the old one.
I don’t believe that this stuff is exactly what the star-struck Obama worshippers-voters were hoping for.
*Sigh* The Democrats fooled ’em with Clinton; shame on the Democrats. But… the Democrats fooled ’em again with Obama. Shame on the voters.
Wait till they come calling on Clinton again.
Waiting to see the interview with the PM on CBC–who did beautifully!–I watched the segement on this story.
Not once was it mentioned that this guy is a DEMOCRAT.
CBCPravda, for sure.
(Peter Pansbridge looked dull witted. The PM was prime ministerial.)
You guys are right. If I am going to waste my vote, it will be on the Libertarian from now on.