Illinois Governor Arrested...

[Zeb_Carter]

Illinois Governor Arrested on Corruption Charges

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff were arrested in Chicago Tuesday on two counts each of corruption charges relating to trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat.

the rest of the story.

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Looks like I'm gettin' out of here just in time.

 

[3113]

I guess Illinois will be getting a new Governor as well as Senator.

 

[DesertPirate]

Weren't people saying that Illinois/Chicago politics had changed?
Nice to know there is some consistancy somewhere.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I guess Illinois will be getting a new Governor as well as Senator.

Looks like. Of course they have been after him for years.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Weren't people saying that Illinois/Chicago politics had changed?
Nice to know there is some consistancy somewhere.

The only change has been the people doing the politics.

 

[DesertPirate]

The only change has been the people doing the politics.

Idon't think anything has changed there since Colossimo, Torrio, and then Capone.
Other than the names, it's now the Daley machine.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Idon't think anything has changed there since Colossimo, Torrio, and then Capone.
Other than the names, it's now the Daley machine.

Which is just a scaled down version of the old Daley Machine.

 

[DesertPirate]

Which is just a scaled down version of the old Daley Machine.

If anyone wanted to look hard enough I doubt it has been scaled down at all.
Maybe size but not influence or effectivness.
There is probably a connection to the Governors Office.

 

[rgraham666]

Of course there's never been a comparable political machine of the Republican side of the political equation.

 

[OhMissScarlett]

How many governors do we have in jail now?

I somehow doubt that Handsome Rod will be getting a presidential pardon for Christmas.

 

[DesertPirate]

Of course there's never been a comparable political machine of the Republican side of the political equation.

Compared to Chicago? Actually Capone owned them too!

Speaking of Mob ties, don't forget where most of the Kennedy money came from

I do think there was a Republican machine in New York at one time, it obviously disappeared long ago.

 

[AvoidingRealWork]

Oh, for heaven's sake!

When you want to do this kind of thing in Illinois, you call up Mayor Daley, he wheels and deals behind closed doors, and takes his cut. That's how the system works. That's how the system always has worked.

How long has he been governor now?

 

[OhMissScarlett]

Oh, and after having listened to the quotes from the wiretap evidence, I feel inclined to add: WHAT A FUCKING DOUCHE!

Grrr, what a disappointment.

 

[TE999]

Why am I not surprised?

Is it any wonder politicians at all levels (especially Congress) have approval ratings that are in the toilet?

Of course everybodys homeboys are okay, it's those other politicians that are corrupt.

 

[DesertPirate]

Why am I not surprised?

Is it any wonder politicians at all levels (especially Congress) have approval ratings that are in the toilet?

Of course everybodys homeboys are okay, it's those other politicians that are corrupt.

I doubt if many could survive an objective investigation.

 

[Pornguin]

I wonder how long until we hear that Obama has no idea who Blagojevich is, just like Obama had no idea who Bill Ayers or Rev. Wright were.

 

[OhMissScarlett]

I wonder how long until we hear that Obama has no idea who Blagojevich is, just like Obama had no idea who Bill Ayers or Rev. Wright were.

The investigator I heard giving the evidence on NPR already made it a point to stress that the president-elect was in no way involved.

 

[DesertPirate]

This guy is a gem. He was offering taxpayer money to the Tribune Corp. to remodel Wrigley Field if they would fire the Editorial writers calling for his downfall in the corruption investigation!

Give him credit for balls, chutzpah or something!

 

[midwestyankee]

I wonder how long until we hear that Obama has no idea who Blagojevich is, just like Obama had no idea who Bill Ayers or Rev. Wright were.

The investigator I heard giving the evidence on NPR already made it a point to stress that the president-elect was in no way involved.

Seems like Team Obama wasn't interested in playing Rod's game at all:

"Later in the conversation, ROD BLAGOJEVICH said he knows that the President-elect wants Senate Candidate 1 for the Senate seat but 'they’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. Fuck them.' " (page 66 of indictment)

 

[OhMissScarlett]

"Later in the conversation, ROD BLAGOJEVICH said he knows that the President-elect wants Senate Candidate 1 for the Senate seat but 'they’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. Fuck them.' " (page 66 of indictment)

Good for them. It sounds like he was just out for his own gain.

 

[rgraham666]

Good for them. It sounds like he was just out for his own gain.

Won't stop the usual suspects from fulminating about 'evil liberals' though.

 

[OhMissScarlett]

Won't stop the usual suspects from fulminating about 'evil liberals' though.

I know and that's the shame of it. Unfortunately, no party is immune to greed and ambition.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Blagojevich has always been a fuckstick. His approval rating was at 13% going into this scandal, and he was already being investigated for a whole raft of unsavory activities, including his ties to the crooked Tony Rezko. He knew they were watching him. For him to pull off a bone-headed money-grubbing power-grab like this is the height of either stupidity or bare-assed chutzpah.

He's married to the daughter of Alderman Richard Mell, a well-known Daley enemy in the City Council, and there's no love lost between City Hall and Downstate, nor between Mell and Blagojevich either for that matter, so it's not clear who Governor Rod thinks is going to cover his ass or come out on his side. With the former governor George Ryan serving 7 years for influence peddling, Blagojevich's greed and stupidity just kind of take your breath away.

The Land of Lincoln now has had four of its last six governors spend time in the hoosegow, Dems and republicans alike. We're an equal opportunity state.

 

[shereads]

There's evidently something in Brilcreem that either corrupts men absolutely or turns them into football coaches from the deep South. Never trust a pompadour.

 

[shereads]

Illinois Governor Arrested on Corruption Charges

In the old typesetting days, newspapers had to recreate this headline by hand, every time. Now they use a keystroke.