NYT reports:
Gov. Rod Blagojevich of Illinois was arrested on Tuesday morning and charged with corruption, including an allegation that he conspired to profit from his authority to appoint President-elect Barack Obama’s successor in the United States Senate, prosecutors said.
This guy seems to be, in addition to allegedly corrupt, remarkably stupid. He’s been under investigation for months, right? He knows the US Attorney is after him. Yet, apparently, he does this:
A 76-page affidavit from the U.S. Attorney’s office in Northern Illinois says that Mr. Blagojevich was heard on wiretaps over the last month planning to “sell or trade Illinois’ United States Senate seat vacated by Pres-elect Barack Obama for financial and personal benefits for himself and his wife.” … According to the statement from prosecutors, Mr. Blagojevich told an adviser last week that he might “get some (money) upfront, maybe” from one of the candidates hoping to replace Mr. Obama.
Awesome.
At least he’s not (as far as we know) obscenely, blatantly, appallingly corrupt!
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p>I know there’s no shortage of corruption in politics, but this is just unbelievable. Even for Illinois.
Well, so much for Sal and Cognos, Vitale, Soony’s kid, Ace Ticket’s, etc. being in the headlights. Sal should thank the IL governor, but he probably won’t.
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p>Que sera!
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p>Diane and the goon squad (blockers) were at federal court yesterday. It’s good these guys have nothing to do while she cries poor mouth and gets us to pay for Max Stern.
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p>Diane why did you resign? We could be calling you “the honorable” during the trial, if only you were still in the Mass. Senate.
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p>What are we to do? We don’t have Wilkerson to kick around any more!?!
Whether it’s a State Senator or City Councillor here or a Governor there, I think Sal only gets a temporary stay.
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p>Assuming there’s enough there that they can get him on, I think every scandal increases the likliehood they go for him full bore.