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This is amazing. Now, Blago is a typical scumbag politician, but he has done nothing different from most in Congress – Democrat or Republican. Every earmark has had a price paid to the legislator who promoted it. That is a fact, has actually happened, and can be proven. What Blago has done in this matter is nothing more than talk. At last glimpse speech was still a freedom. He cannot be indicted on anything that happened, as nothing did.

At this point his only “crime” was to threaten to withhold business with the Bank of America. Not doing business with a bank should not be illegal, however to challenge any part of the banking system has proved to be quite detrimental to one's life – politically or otherwise. Spitzer was looking into illegalities in the Wall Street functions, JFK actually began printing money through the government (Silver Certificates) rather than through the privatized Federal Reserve Bank Company, Abe Lincoln chose to finance the Civil War through the government rather the bank, and there are others that could be mentioned. In Blago's case arrests came the day after he threatened to stop doing business with Bank of America... the timing was just too coincidental.

Imagine how fast these politicians gave away our money to the banks, without even taking time to look into the matter as one would normally do, or one would hope one would do. They were too afraid to oppose the banks. It was actually an armed robbery.  

by Dennis Kaiser (20 articles, 0 quicklinks, 35 diaries, 730 comments [137 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Jan 1, 2009 at 2:56:59 PM

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The charges against Mr. B are bogus, yet it was interesting how everybody, in lockstep, shouts about how bad a guy he is. The "bad guys' are the FBI, the U.S. Justice Department and the CIA. The first two have been totally discredited by their use of so-called "sting' operations to jail innocent Moslems. They use their power to undermine democratically elected officials. They are the worst kind of criminals. The FBI should be banned in every state by state law, and should no longer be permitted to operate beyond the boundaries of Washington, D.C. Congress should hold hearings on the Justice Department's many attempts to undermine democratically elected public officials by mounting bogus charges against them. The U.S. Justice Department at this time, including its FBI jackboot henchmen, have absolutely ZERO credibility. I have one problem with this otherwise excellent article. We are not dealing with a "disservice," but with a blatantly criminal act. I SUPOPRT Mr. B at this time, and hope he feels the support of millions of Americans who want him to win this battle. In fact, he has already won against the cowards by just standing up to them.

by Peter Duveen (13 articles, 0 quicklinks, 15 diaries, 197 comments [30 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Jan 1, 2009 at 4:03:26 PM

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I never heard of Blagojevich until a couple of days before the government came out against him. I remember thinking what a stand up guy he was for taking up for the window factory workers against Bank of America. I had never seen a major politician do that sort of thing (usually it’s the other way around), and then lo and behold, a major media offensive turned this guy into the devil. After this happened, the talk around the lunch-room table was about what a crook he was rather than the plight of the workers. Astoundingly, BOA gave in. I guess the indictment was supposed to be payback.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Obama is involved in this, otherwise it would not have happened at all (would you piss off your soon to be new boss?). On economics, Obama’s choices are basically closet Republicans-DLC types who are moderately “liberal” on social issues, but are pro capitalist and pro “free market”.

What probably happened is that Blagojevich refused to seat Obama’s DLC type of candidate in favor of one of his local favorites. I’m guessing that now, behind the scenes, Blagojevich must have the goods somehow on team Obama, hence the long delay on the official indictment (they are probably going to let the case die once it is out of the media spotlight and public memory).

I’m not saying that the Governor is an angel here either-he’ probably just as crooked as everyone else in both parties. This is what happens when you bite the hand of your master’s master.

by Mark Whittington (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 30 comments [9 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Jan 2, 2009 at 2:06:52 AM

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In response to Mary MacElveen's argument that two wrongs make a right, I will stipulate that, without any enthusiasm, I voted for President Clinton in 1992 and in 1996, and I voted for Barack Obama to become President.  I also thought that President Clinton was a lying scumbag, and that he should have resigned for obstruction of justice, but it is true that the attempt to impeach him was almost entirely a partisan endeavor conducted by politicians who were even more corrupt than President Clinton.

It is unfortunate that an intelligent person such as Mary MacElveen has become an active spokesperson on behalf of government corruption.  Although it has not been determined whether criminal charges against Governor Blagojevich can be prosecuted successfully, and although the U.S. Attorney should not be conducting a trial of Governor Blagojevich via the public media, any person who defends Governor Blagojevich has lost his/her own moral compass.  It is theoretically possible that Governor Blagojevich did not take actual steps to sell a U.S. Senate vacancy, but it is evident that he wanted to do so, and it is unlikely that all of his scheming was idle talk.  There is also evidence that Governor Blagojevich was engaged in other plans involving extortion and bribery that cannot be excused just because he is a Democrat.  If we had access to taped conversations of President Bush and Vice-President Cheney, I doubt that Governor Blagojevich's defenders would wait for the completion of a criminal trial to voice their disgust about plans that were discussed by those two clowns.

The citizens of Illinois deserve to be represented by two U.S. Senators, but it is my opinion that they did not receive effective representation from Senator Obama during the past two years because he was preoccupied by his quest to become President.  Roland Burris is intelligent enough to understand that his cynical appointment can never be separated from the stench surrounding Governor Blagojevich.  The Illinois State legislature is not obligated to defer or limit impeachment proceedings against Governor Blagojevich due to a potential conflict with the prosecution of criminal charges against Governor Blagojevich, and the delay with regard to impeachment seems to indicate that a harmonic convergence of incompetence and corruption permeates the legislature in addition to the Governor's office.  I can understand the concern for Governor Blagojevich's constitutional rights with respect to criminal charges, but any other defense of Governor Blagojevich is clearly misplaced.  

by Blaine Kinsey (12 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 181 comments [80 recommended, 8 rejected]) on Friday, Jan 2, 2009 at 10:35:47 AM

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In no way am I for corruption in any way shape or form.  If they, (The U.S. Justice Department) have anything to actually indict him on right now, then do it.  If the Illinois State Legislature have any real and hard evidence to impeach him then do so right now.  In my book in order to charge a person without an indictment to follow immediately afterwards is something we should not tolerate as a people.  Justice delayed is justice denied.  But, as of right now, Governor Blagojevich has a responsibility and a duty as the Illinois governor to name a replacement for President-elect Barack Obama.  Those are the powers that are given that governor.

Mary MacElveen!

by Mary MacElveen (371 articles, 0 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 52 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Jan 2, 2009 at 10:44:58 AM

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I am sure that it was not your intent to become an apologist for government corruption, but if Governor Blagojevich were a Republican who had appointed a Republican to the U.S. Senate, you would not have bothered to defend him.  Patrick Fitzgerald should not try Governor Blagojevich in the public media, but it is a common practice for prosecutors to seek delays in criminal proceedings to enable them to gather additional evidence, and any court in the U.S. would rule that the delay sought by Patrick Fitzgerald (and not opposed by attorneys for Governor Blagojevich) does not deprive Governor Blagojevich of his right to a "speedy" trial.

by Blaine Kinsey (12 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 181 comments [80 recommended, 8 rejected]) on Friday, Jan 2, 2009 at 11:49:38 AM

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I am not partisan, and I have written favorable articles on Republicans before.  Check out my column where I cited that Caroline Kennedy is not experienced enough to become senator of my state and even cited that Palin and Peter King had more than she.  If it had been a Republican governor who was not immediately indicted, I would have defended the rule of law.

Mary MacElveen!

by Mary MacElveen (371 articles, 0 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 52 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Jan 2, 2009 at 11:59:40 AM

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There is no case law to support your legal argument, and if you are honest with yourself, you will admit that you would not have bothered to defend Governor Blagojevich if he had been a Republican who appointed a Republican to the U.S. Senate.

by Blaine Kinsey (12 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 181 comments [80 recommended, 8 rejected]) on Friday, Jan 2, 2009 at 12:11:04 PM

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So why single out Mr. B? The intelligence agencies and the FBI have too much power. They have a dossier on practically anyone they please. At any moment, they can wave their magic wand and, lo and behold, they can pull a criminal out of a hat. Any rational person who supports such a system supports corruption. In the Case of Big B, the question becomes, what is more significant, the petty offenses B is accused of, or the wholesale subversion of democracy? I say the latter.

by Peter Duveen (13 articles, 0 quicklinks, 15 diaries, 197 comments [30 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Jan 2, 2009 at 5:10:29 PM

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If someone wants to argue that the Bush Administration is corrupt, I agree, and if someone wants to argue that Congress is corrupt, I agree.  However, it is hypocritical to defend Governor Blagojevich on the basis that his crimes may not be as serious as those in which other politicians and government officials are involved, and I will offer you an apology if it should be determined that anyone had to wave a magic wand to involve Governor Blagojevich in criminal activity.  By defending Governor Blagojevich, you acknowledge that you are content with government corruption as long as it serves your own purposes, and you should not be upset when your political opponents share your moral abyss.

by Blaine Kinsey (12 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 181 comments [80 recommended, 8 rejected]) on Friday, Jan 2, 2009 at 6:57:23 PM

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Let's say you had a mass murderer or an accomplice to the same crime accusing someone of stealing a chocolate bar from the dime store. There are some who, because the crime was uncomplicated, would immediately call for the arrest of the thief, and leave the mass murderer alone. Criminals are easy to find. It's the process of selection for prosecution that is the "art." The canvas and paint are provided. All we need to talk about is whether this is good art or bad art. I say it's bad art.

by Peter Duveen (13 articles, 0 quicklinks, 15 diaries, 197 comments [30 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Jan 2, 2009 at 8:54:44 PM

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While you may prefer to rank each piece of feces in the sewer, I never proposed that we should absolve murderers of responsibility.   I have seen several comments praising Governor Blagojevich for his recent pro-union gestures, and it just proves how easy it is for Governor Blagojevich to manipulate his more gullible constituents (and those observing from a distance).  The Department of the Obstruction of Justice and the States should devote significantly more resources to investigation and prosecution of white-collar crime in both the public sector and in the private sector.  For the record, I am in favor of prosecuting President Bush and Vice-President Cheney (or, more accurately, Vice-President Bush and President Cheney) for war crimes related to torture of detainees in various locations, and there should be endless prosecutions of the criminals in the financial services industry, but it is also important to prosecute corrupt politicians such as Randy Cunningham, Ted Stevens, William Jefferson, Rick Renzi and Rod Blagojevich.

by Blaine Kinsey (12 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 181 comments [80 recommended, 8 rejected]) on Saturday, Jan 3, 2009 at 11:07:19 AM

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