And that's not all. Governor Rod R. Blagojevich also stands accused of trying to get the Chicago Tribune to fire editorial writers who'd offended him -- in exchange for taking Wrigley Field off the company's hands and putting the taxpayers on the hook for its increasingly expensive upkeep.
The criminal complaint against Blagojevich is minimal at this point, but it is supported by a 76-page Affidavit by an FBI agent. You can read the whole thing here.
Now, here's the thing: Blagojevich has been under federal scrutiny for years. Years. There were well-placed rumors about investigations seeming to point directly toward the governor when he was reelected in 2006. (Yes, we reelected him.) The Tony Rezko trial focused on events early in Blagojevich's first term as Rezko was finding various corrupt players for Blagojevich to appoint to this board or that one. Yet, despite the increasing heat, all of the stuff referenced in the FBI affidavit refers to calls taped in the last five or six weeks.
Five or six weeks!
This may be the first political corruption trial in Illinois history where the defendant pursues an insanity defense. Who else but a crazy person would say the things Blagojevich said on tape knowing full well that the federales were circling ever closer?
And it just might work.
8 comments:
I got up and stumbled into the office this morning and was greeted with this news. Was anxiously awaiting your take on it...but hadn't expected this. I like the insanity defense part, and you may be right. Did the man think he was just that invincible? In which case, he's certainly on *something*...or crazy. What's the succession in Illinois? Please don't tell me Jesse White will now be governor? The DMV is a nightmare, what do you think the state would be???? (This from a person who's only lived in IL four years. I learn fast...). Well, regardless of whether our erstwhile gov. is singing like a canary in stir, (where did the '40's slang come from?) I have to take Chris to work in this awful weather and come home and do a PowerPoint presentation for class. Then I need to print photo Christmas cards before New Year's makes them obsolete.
The first time I knew who this was was over the weekend when he went to that window business. He said the state was no longer going to deal with Bank of America.
Then this news breaks.
Holy crap, where there is smoke there is fire, will this reach the president elect???????
i will admit when i first heard this my first thought was "i can't wait to see curmy's take on THIS!". insane? really? more so than my congressman, alcie hastings? ha ha ha
smiles, bee
tyvc
Depends on your version of "just might work". If they prove him crazy, then he'll still have to resign or be impeached, since he will then be "unfit" to be governor. Just another thought, there. He might get out of doing hard jail time if he won an insanity defense, but he still wouldn't be governor.
I'm no longer suprised at what politicians do.
Sad, but true.
I heard just a blurb in the middle of the night on BBC radio-- "The governor of Illinois tried to sell what???" In the cold light of day it made even less sense, so I came here, Cur, knowing you'd give us the skinny on Chicago politics.
Duuuuuude...I'm from Florida, specifically South Florida and God knows there has been some crazy stuff happen here - but even *we* haven't done anything like this!
Yet.
:)
Great post as usual.
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