Illinois Dem Governor Rod Blagojevich Arrested on Multiple Federal Felony Charges, As BuzzFlash Has Predicted for Months
by Mark Karlin
As BuzzFlash has been predicting for months, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has been the target of the federal investigation into Tony Rezko, with U.S. Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald focusing in on an alleged pattern of "pay to play."
In the early morning of December 9, BuzzFlash proved right. Rod Blagojevich was arrested at his north side Chicago Ravenswood neighborhood home and charged with corruption crimes so broad as to be breathtaking. His chief of staff, John Harris, was simultaneously arrested.
In BuzzFlash's most recent entry on the topic, we brought up, as the Chicago Tribune has, that any Obama-replacement Senate appointment by Blagojevich would be tainted by the dark cloud surrounding Blagojevich.
Ironically, the charge against Blagojevich includes the governor seeking to be paid off for appointing a specific senate replacement for Obama (and there is no Obama involvement alleged here, just "Blago" continuing to try and find a way to pad his pockets and campaign fund). The Chicago Tribune may have also a special interest in focusing on Blagojevich's likely criminal conduct over the past couple of years because of one particular count in the complaint: the soon to be ex-governor is accused of threatening to withhold a preferable state financing authority relating to the sale of Wrigley Field -- currently owned by the just-bankrupt Tribune -- if the Tribune did not fire editorial writers who have been critical of "Blago."
The charges are staggering in detailing the greed of Blagojevich -- and that he never let up in trying to trade government favors for cash, political vendettas, and personal gain. Given the scrutiny that has been on him, the thought that he could "sell" the Obama Senate seat appointment is mind-boggling.
Of course, this is only a criminal complaint, not a convicton, but Patrick Fitzgerald -- as we know from the Valerie Plame-Scooter Libby case -- builds his case with care. The feds have taped Blagojevich, appear to have turned Rezko to provide information against him (prior to his sentencing), and gotten other witnesses -- including John Wyma, Blago's former congressional chief of staff and a current lobbyist who benefited from access to Blago, to sing like birds, and packed their complaint with such a diverse array of specific charges that you can pretty much change Blago's contact information to a federal prison right now.
In the end, Obama will be a bystander to Blagojevich's ravenous and clueless greed.
Lt. Governor Pat Quinn, a perennial Democrat gadfly, will become governor once Blagojevich is hounded from office by Democratic state leaders in Illinois, which shouldn't take long, but then again Blago is a rock head who may have to be shoved. But a pair of handcuffs around your wrists may even be a sobering experience to a guy who was pandering for kickbacks even when he knew the Feds were circling the wagons.
As we have noted from the beginning from our perch in Chicago and knowledge of Illinois politics, Obama was never anything but a passing footnote in the Rezko investigation. Rod Blajojevich was the thesis statement that Patrick Fitzgerald has been waiting to write.
And now, with the arrest of the Governor of Illinois, the lead villain in the Rezko affair is finally making his first public appearance in a federal court.
The fallout among Illinois notables and business people who paid to play is going to be big, but President-elect Obama will emerge clear and clean from the legal thicket. That's because he never returned any favors or violated the public trust with Rezko; he just happened to let a crooked fundraiser raise money for him, while offering nothing in return.
But Rod Blagojevich, it would appear, is as crooked as they come, and the next stop for the mop-headed Elvis fan is probably going to be a federal prison farm where he can sing "where fools rush in" to his heart's delight. Oh, and he can also hum "Jailhouse Rock" while cleaning the latrines.
Related Coverage:
The Criminal Complaint Against Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and His Chief of Staff
Master of delusion: IL Gov. Rod Blagojevich thought he might run for president in 2016 -- A BuzzFlash News AnalysisFitzgerald: 'He attempted to sell the Senate seat' -- A BuzzFlash News Alert
Meet Pat Quinn: the man who might pick Barack Obama's Senate replacement -- A BuzzFlash News AlertTHE BUZZFLASH EDITOR'S BLOG: The View from Chicago
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Blago-gate
Illinois needs to IMMEDIATELY change its state motto:
OLD - The Land of Lincoln
NEW - The Land of Stinkin'
Scum
Bill Clinton pulled a similar stunt that sank his career and Democratic Party chances in 2000 with Monica Lewinsky There should be a requirement that underlings must report these activities to save their Parties and the country or face prosecution.
I'm for sending this idiot to the guillotine.
Big city politics such as Chicago is and has been corrupt to the core and more often than not it is Democratic. Republicans are corrupt but it is not as focused on location. They are generally corrupt in favor of big business.
Take all outside money out of politics as well as require term limits and we'd be far ahead.
"Bill Clinton ...
On what planet is getting a blowjob similar to using your office to attempt to sell a Senate seat and extorting money from a children's hospital, among many other things?
I am firmly against capital punishment - but not life in jail
There is no distinctly Native American criminal class...save Congress.
-Mark Twain
I think that Sam Clemmons' observation can be expanded to politicians and special interest (for profit) lobbyists.
It is time that Ryan spend his 60 years in jail and, after a trial, conviction, appeal, habeas writ - then this MF can rot for the rest of his worthless life behind the grey walls of Fort Leavenworth. We should devote a wing: Jack Abramoff, Duke Cunningham, Ted Stevens, Gov. Ryan, et al., ad nauseam.
Every other weasel who breaches his/her oath of office should serve life without possibility of parole. Add these restrictions: no visitors, no mail, and forfeiture of all of their net worth. We do worse to pot sellers. Time to impose some long overdue object lessons.
NO PARDONS!
Bury them in unmarked graves on prison grounds and never tell the world a single word about them once incarcerated. They cease to exist - the harshest penalty one can mete out to a public figure is permanent anonymity.
"In the part of this universe that we know there is great injustice, and often the good suffer, and often the wicked prosper, and one hardly knows which of those is the more annoying."
- Bertrand Russell -
"Blag"
Shouldn't We Be Suspicious?
Absolutely correct, cadawa
That AUSA took Libby down
I have no doubt that the case is substantial.
The fact that BOA gets off because of a corruption charge only compounds the crime - the Gov should have been doing his job and BOA would be put in its place. Now, another reprieve for big banking - thanks to an accused crook.
"In the part of this universe that we know there is great injustice, and often the good suffer, and often the wicked prosper, and one hardly knows which of those is the more annoying."
- Bertrand Russell -
crimes and misdemeanors, high and otherwise
It's a pity
It is a sad commentary on how badly Rove and Bush have destroyed the Departement of Justice that when this announcement was made my IMMEDIATE first thought was how this MUST be political Rethuglican maneuvering.
The Justice Department now works under the PRESUMPTION that anythng they do is politically motivated grunt work for the Rethuglicans and the White House and has NOTHING to do with "justice" or the rule of law.
I pity the poor shlubs who are trying to do good work to get rid of criminals.
not manuvering by gop
The Governor is probably
Illinois Gov. arrested
QUESTION - TO WHOM does the Obama replacement choice fall NOW?
Obama Replacement