Tuesday
Dec092008
With (Illinois) Friends Like These...
Tuesday, December 9, 2008 at 16:18
Last night, I was chatting with guests at the US Embassy about an intriguing spin-off drama from Barack Obama's election: who would be appointed by the Illinois Governor to fill his Senate seat for the next two years?
Little did I know that the Illinois Governor was about to be arrested for trying to sell the seat:
Little did I know that the Illinois Governor was about to be arrested for trying to sell the seat:
Federal authorities arrested Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich Tuesday on charges that he brazenly conspired to sell or trade the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by President-elect Barack Obama to the highest bidder....
"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."
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."
tagged Barack Obama, Democrats, FBI, Illinois, Rod Blagojevich in US Politics
Barack Obama, Democrats, FBI, Illinois, Rod Blagojevich in US Politics
Reader Comments (3)
A friend's pointed out to me that Blagojevich was already in the news today:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7772823.stm
Blagojevich has done some good work, but that can't be considered when legal charges are brought. There are Chicagoans who still can remember that Al Capone bought support by being good to the orphans in certain neighborhoods. State politics in Illinois and, especially, local politics in Chicago traditionally have been deeply corrupt. Obama has been lucky to come out of there relatively untainted by those surrounding him.
Obama has been lucky to come out of there relatively untainted by those surrounding him.
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Obama is of the same ilk. He even sought spiritual guidance from V. Gene Robinson - a man who is intent on breaking up his own church.