# Go, Blago, go! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 19, 2008, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974 "2008-12-19T20:55:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/101 "2009-01-27T11:19:24Z")
> [@buttonjockey308](#): > > I think the same thing about Drew Peterson. He KNOWS something more than he’s letting on or perhaps will ever let on. I mean, he could be that big of an asshole, but something tells me there’s more to it. Latest similarity - Blago hired Peterson’s PR guy! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/102 "2009-01-27T21:40:04Z")
nevermind. Jesus, the balls on this guy. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/103 "2009-01-28T02:13:17Z")
I’m watching him on the Rachel Maddow show. This guy is killing me. Seriously, he’s hilarious. His “defense” is unbelievable. He has the right to demand Obama agree to political favors in exchange for his selection of the Senate seat because this country has _freedom of speech_, and he was speaking in the privacy of his own home anyway, so it wouldn’t get all “entangled” with Government stuff. I don’t want him to ever go away. ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/104 "2009-01-28T03:21:06Z")
Now that the Good Blago Press Blitz is over, I’d give it two days before the wolverine curled up on his head gets on up and goes for the jugular. Kee-Razzzyyyy! ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/105 "2009-01-28T04:01:18Z")
Rachel never laid a glove on him. He might be (he probably is) guilty as heck of criminal charges, but that is not yet proven. He almost certainly will be tossed out of office, but not for criminal violations. To somehow link the impeachment to the pay-for-play thing is false. The DA refuses to release the tapes. Without them, nobody really knows what is on them. The Senate cannot use them to judge him, he cannot use them to defend himself. The impeachment is for local political reasons. He did good with the Rachel Maddow interview. Handled himself well. I expected sharper questions from her. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/106 "2009-01-28T04:02:04Z")
What _is_ he trying to accomplish with this press blitz anyway? Obviously it won’t change his forthcoming removal from office. Influence potential jurors? Seed a market for a future book deal? That’s gotta be it. To jail or not, this publicity is gold for a book deal. Or maybe a radio show … when he’s out of jail that is. **Paul** , removal from office is just being fired, not being found guilty of a crime. He deserves to be fired. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/107 "2009-01-28T04:10:20Z")
The US Constitution requires “high crimes and misdemeanors” for impeachment. While he may very well be guilty of such things, the most damming evidence, the tapes, is not yet available. He will be removed for basically political reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/108 "2009-01-28T04:14:24Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > What _is_ he trying to accomplish with this press blitz anyway? … My WAG – a book deal. Imagine Wile E Coyote could come to life and write his memoir. It would be very similar. That, or he’ll run for office again afer he’s impeached. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/109 "2009-01-28T04:19:01Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > The US Constitution requires “high crimes and misdemeanors” for impeachment. The Illinois Constitution has no such requirement. Check the other threads - somebody posted a link. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/110 "2009-01-28T04:24:30Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > The US Constitution requires “high crimes and misdemeanors” for impeachment. While he may very well be guilty of such things, the most damming evidence, the tapes, is not yet available. He will be removed for basically political reasons. He’s not being tried under the US Constitution, he’s being tried under the Illinois Constitution, which has no such requirement. Dammit, **Oslo Ostragoth** beat me. But here’s the cite: > [@](#): > > SECTION 14. IMPEACHMENT > The House of Representatives has the sole power to > conduct legislative investigations to determine the existence > of cause for impeachment and, by the vote of a majority of > the members elected, to impeach Executive and Judicial > officers. Impeachments shall be tried by the Senate. When > sitting for that purpose, Senators shall be upon oath, or > affirmation, to do justice according to law. If the Governor > is tried, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall > preside. No person shall be convicted without the concurrence > of two-thirds of the Senators elected. Judgment shall not > extend beyond removal from office and disqualification to > hold any public office of this State. An impeached officer, > whether convicted or acquitted, shall be liable to > prosecution, trial, judgment and punishment according to law. > (Source: Illinois Constitution.) From: [Illinois Constitution - Article IV](http://www.ilga.gov/commission/lrb/con4.htm) And, note also ( **Boyo Jim** , I’m looking at you) that if he impeached that he would be disqualified from holding any public office in Illinois. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/111 "2009-01-28T04:39:53Z")
And damn you for beating me with the quote! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/112 "2009-01-28T04:41:34Z")
Also, from all I’ve heard, while the attempt to sell a Senate seat is the most salacious allegation, aren’t there several others, like trying to get Tribune reporters fired, that are on a much better legal standing? Does anyone have any information about how much evidence Fitzgerald’s office is willing to share with the Illinois Senate? I’d heard a while ago that legislators (I think way back when the impeachment issue was in the House committee) were meeting with Fitzgerald about the issue, but never what ever came out of it. I’d find it hard to believe that he wants to be in the position of protecting Blagojevich just for the sake of being extra tight-lipped about an ongoing investigation. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/113 "2009-01-28T04:44:11Z")
> [@waterj2](#): > > And, note also ( **Boyo Jim** , I’m looking at you) that if he impeached that he would be disqualified from holding any public office in Illinois. But he could still run for President. Imagine Blago vs. Palin 2016! And we think things are effed up now. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/114 "2009-01-28T04:45:42Z")
> [@waterj2](#): > > … > And, note also ( **Boyo Jim** , I’m looking at you) that if he impeached that he would be disqualified from holding any public office in Illinois. **I** didn’t say Illinois. This is a man of the world. He will run for President, possibly President of the World! ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/115 "2009-01-28T04:56:47Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > The DA refuses to release the tapes. Not true: [State senate hears Blagojevich wiretap tapes](http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/blagojevich/1399494,blagojevich-impeach-trial-tapes-listen-012709.article). And she never laid a glove on him? Really? She all but got him to say that yes, he was expecting serious compensation for his nomination and he backpedaled to say ‘well, uh, I wanted a good jobs bill’. Except that the tapes have him talking about things for his wife, for him, jobs for **them** , etc. He’s at least got conspiracy charges in his future, no matter how often he insists that “just” talking about it - even though he did more, he had his staff go talk to candidates and such - isn’t really illegal. He’s also full of shit about his rating. He’s been in the tank for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/116 "2009-01-28T11:36:01Z")
Sorry, I was cheering for Rachel, but I thought she did not go for or get blood. The governor handled her perfectly. She never laid a glove on him. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/117 "2009-01-28T12:59:21Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] Sorry, I was cheering for Rachel, but I thought she did not go for or get blood. The governor handled her perfectly. She never laid a glove on him. [/QUOTE] I don’t think the point was Rachel laying a glove on him. It was more in the nature of a documentary of his public implosion. The idiot knows he will be impeached; he’s gridlocked state government for several years and is widely hated. His most optimistic approval numbers lately have been 7%. He’s done as governor, just dragging out the process in the loudest, most technicolor way possible. What I find most amazing about his tawdry media blitz is that he seems oblivious to the looming criminal proceedings. No wonder his hired-gun defense lawyer quit with pointed comments about clients needing to _listen_ to legal advice. Blags has always been an attention whore but this media orgy won’t salvage a public legacy for him. It sure put a helluva lot of juicy, ill-considered statements right out there for the prosecution attorneys though. Watch for his criminal trial to be another ego-circus. Blags will love it. He’ll go for the win against the OJ fiasco. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/118 "2009-01-28T14:27:05Z")
So as I understand it he’s not participating in his trial, how can he do that? I understand he can’t speak and he can’t call witnesses, but how can he just decide not to show up? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/119 "2009-01-28T14:47:34Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > So as I understand it he’s not participating in his trial, how can he do that? I understand he can’t speak and he can’t call witnesses, but how can he just decide not to show up? How? Unless he’s under arrest and delivered in cuffs, he can go anywhere he wants. I’m sure he has some kind of note-taker there to give him the highlights. ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/120 "2009-01-28T15:04:59Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > If they don’t have any solicitation of a _quid pro quo_ from anybody, I’m not convinced they can convict him of anything. I’m starting to wonder if the quotes on tape were all just a lot of bluster and bullshit from Blago trying to impress people around him and make himself look like some kind of big operator. I wonder if it’s enough to be guilty of conspiracy if you mouth off about what you’re going to get from this or that deal if you never actually attempt to make the deal. Interesting. Course, there are those of us who think gross stupidity should be criminalized; so, as the Queen of Hearts would say, “Off with his head!” Anyway. On to the real reason I dropped by: Last night it occured to me that all of the folks who have been allowed to interview the Blagosphere on his Last World Tour have been _women_. Is this correct? And if so, what does this say about B-Rod? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974.md?page=7)