The U.S. Attorney here in Illinois, Patrick Fitzgerald, has generally been considered pretty good at uncovering political corruption, and today he was promoted to awesome: His office just charged Governor Rod Blagojevich on some amazing charges—none of that “misusing the postal meter”-style corruption for our boy Blago. The feds actually arrested him at his home.
I haven’t even checked the Illinois Review site for fear of a fatal dose of glee.
The first part of this AP wire story is classic Chicago politics (yes, he’s the state governor, but he started here in Chicago, where he was my Congressman):
A 76-page FBI affidavit said the 51-year-old Democratic governor was intercepted on court-authorized wiretaps over the last month conspiring to sell or trade the vacant Senate seat for personal benefits for himself and his wife, Patti.
Otherwise, Blagojevich considered appointing himself. The affidavit said that as late as Nov. 3, he told his deputy governor that if “they’re not going to offer me anything of value I might as well take it.”
“I’m going to keep this Senate option for me a real possibility, you know, and therefore I can drive a hard bargain,” Blagojevich allegedly said later that day, according to the affidavit, which also quoted him as saying in a remark punctuated by profanity that the seat was “a valuable thing — you just don’t give it away for nothing.”
I’m always appalled by the raw opportunism in our politicians. It’s pretty obvious that he never considered what would be good for the state, let alone the country.
What’s really amazing is just how much of a loony-tune our governor was:
He also allegedly discussed getting campaign funds for himself or possibly a post in the president’s cabinet or an ambassadorship once he left the governor’s office. He noted becoming a U.S. senator might remake his image for a possible presidential run in 2016, according to the affidavit.
Oh my God! The fool thought he could run for president? Everyone else in Illinois has just been waiting for the indictments to come down.
Update: Apparently, Blagojevich has not officially been indicted yet, merely arrested and charged. The distinction isn’t entirely clear to me, but this post has been modified to reflect the lack of indictment.
My first hint that he was corrupt: he’s a Chicago politician.
I know that sound like a cheap shot, but I used to have relatives who lived in Chicago, before they all, eventually, went over the wall. Yucko.
Yeah, that’s just how we roll.
For example, Blagojevich (indicted, released on own recognizance) used to represent me in Congress, taking over a district formerly run by Dan Rostenkowski (plead guilty, served 15 months), and then taking over the Governorship from Governor George Ryan (prisoner #16627-424 at Terre Haute FCI until 2013).