# Governor Blagojevich taken into custody this morning **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 9, 2008, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-blagojevich-taken-into-custody-this-morning/476386 "2008-12-09T14:09:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-blagojevich-taken-into-custody-this-morning/476386/81 "2008-12-10T18:35:06Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > Obama and G-Rod did many deals together. You also heard G-Rod mad because Obama wouldn’t give him nothing. > > People say “Oh that means Obama’s clean.” No it doesn’t. All it means it that NOW Obama wouldn’t give him anything. Who knows what Obama said he’d give before the election and then backed out. > > With ALL the corruption agains G-Rod I want to know WHY the FBI waited till AFTER the elections? Why not do it before? Even without the buy a senate seat, issue there was more than enough. > > Perhaps it was done now because Obama promised something then backed out saying “I’m president now, you can’t touch me.” Then Obama decided to get G-Rod back so his candidate could be appointed, so he worked with the FBI to close it now. > > The timing is way too perfect for Obama NOT to be involved in getting G-Rod. > > I’m not saying Obama DID anything. I’m sure HE didn’t. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t have his people do it and just look the other way, like Reagan did with Abscam. > > We all know Reagan didn’t DO anything, but we all “know” Reagan wasn’t as in the dark as he said he was. Hey, don’t look under your bed, there’s a boogey man there. :eek: The timing here was pretty clearly explained by Fitzgerald. Rod the Mod has been under investigation for a while - he and his pals selling the statehouse to the highest bidder for jobs, contracts, etc. In the course of that, they wiretapped and when they heard these latest conversations about senate seats, **which are conversations they wouldn’t have until after the elections** , and about people being fired from newspapers and millions of dollars going to kid’s hospital, they decided they needed to act fast to prevent anything really harmful happening due to his greed. Fitzgerald isn’t the kind of guy that gathers half the facts before he jumps in. He’s worked on cases until he KNOWS he’s got the goods, then goes in. Most likely, he’d have bagged Blago soon enough, I think the timing had nothing to do with any tin hat conspiracies, but just what he said - it was disgusting and offensive and had the immediate potential to cause a lot of harm unless he stepped in now. ---
**Author:** ![PharmBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/74df32/32.png) [@PharmBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PharmBoy)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-blagojevich-taken-into-custody-this-morning/476386/82 "2008-12-10T19:09:45Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I dunno. I think we all know Obama is the cleanest politician in Illinois, which is kinda like being the skinniest guy at fat camp. Well, that MIGHT be true, but the press was so absolutely in the tank for him that who knows what skeletons are in his closet. Hell, we may never know, what with the media running interference for him. Before everyone starts attacking me for being a Bush-lover (I’m not, believe me - nor was I that fond of McCain, frankly), my comment really has nothing to do about politics. It is clear that the press was in the tank for one candidate this time around, and that is always bad, whether or not you like the guy they’re in the tank for. An objective Fourth Estate is our best protection against tyranny. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-blagojevich-taken-into-custody-this-morning/476386/83 "2008-12-10T19:13:13Z")
> [@PharmBoy](#): > > It is clear that the press was in the tank for one candidate this time around, and that is always bad, whether or not you like the guy they’re in the tank for. Believe it or not, this is an opinion and not accepted as fact by everybody. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-blagojevich-taken-into-custody-this-morning/476386/84 "2008-12-10T19:21:12Z")
> [@PharmBoy](#): > > Well, that MIGHT be true, but the press was so absolutely in the tank for him that who knows what skeletons are in his closet. Hell, we may never know, what with the media running interference for him. > > Before everyone starts attacking me for being a Bush-lover (I’m not, believe me - nor was I that fond of McCain, frankly), my comment really has nothing to do about politics. It is clear that the press was in the tank for one candidate this time around, and that is always bad, whether or not you like the guy they’re in the tank for. An objective Fourth Estate is our best protection against tyranny. This simply isn’t true. While Obama is more interesting, likeable and intelligent, has better organizational skills and knew the direction he wanted to take his campaign and the Nation, there were plenty of people covering the McCain side of the race. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-blagojevich-taken-into-custody-this-morning/476386/85 "2008-12-10T19:26:23Z")
Yep. the media like Fox news with 24 hour a day pro McCain coverage and anti Obama. Then yell radio with 24 hour Rush and Hannity and the usual suspects ,who love fair and balanced coverage. Every station listening to the owners and letting McCain get away with anything. Some tank. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-blagojevich-taken-into-custody-this-morning/476386/86 "2008-12-10T19:34:29Z")
What would it take to clean up Chicago politics? My boyfriend and I are planning to move there in a couple years, and we’re both concerned about the level of corruption. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-blagojevich-taken-into-custody-this-morning/476386/87 "2008-12-10T19:45:09Z")
Hercules could divert a river… Seriously, unless this affects your work directly I’m not sure it’d be a big factor in a decision to move there. It’s a great city, and in several years in the area, I never had to bribe the mayor to ride the El. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-blagojevich-taken-into-custody-this-morning/476386/88 "2008-12-10T19:51:58Z")
Oh, we’re moving there, corruption or no. Anyway, we’d be the biggest hypocrites on God’s green earth if we refused to move to Chicago from Boston because of [corruption](http://wbztv.com/local/dianne.wilkerson.extortion.2.883506.html) and [political scandal.](http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2008/06/facing_charges.html) ---
**Author:** ![Rusalka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecd19e/32.png) [@Rusalka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rusalka)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-blagojevich-taken-into-custody-this-morning/476386/89 "2008-12-10T19:55:38Z")
Something about this simply doesn’t make sense to me. If Blagojevich was “shopping around” to sell this Senate seat, didn’t he run the risk of the candidates blabbing to the feds or the press? If the first guy didn’t take the bait, what incentive would he have NOT to report it to someone? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-blagojevich-taken-into-custody-this-morning/476386/90 "2008-12-10T20:00:44Z")
> [@Rusalka](#): > > Something about this simply doesn’t make sense to me. > If Blagojevich was “shopping around” to sell this Senate seat, didn’t he run the risk of the candidates blabbing to the feds or the press? If the first guy didn’t take the bait, what incentive would he have NOT to report it to someone? It probably never occurred to him. Remember, this guy did all this knowing he was under investigation and that his phones were, in all likelihood, tapped. He even dared them to follow him around and tape him just the day before. ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-blagojevich-taken-into-custody-this-morning/476386/91 "2008-12-10T20:49:47Z")
> [@The\_Weird\_One](#): > > What would it take to clean up Chicago politics? My boyfriend and I are planning to move there in a couple years, and we’re both concerned about the level of corruption. A time machine and two more cows next to unstable lanterns. Seriously though, Chicago is a get-it-done city. Many of the aldermen are in Daley’s pocket because he learned how to be who he is from the godfather of Chicago corruption, his father. On the plus side, because of that, things get done. As a wee lad I remember a phone call being made by my mother early one snowy morning to our ward boss, on whose campaign she worked. Less than 10 minutes later, our street was plowed and our walk shoveled. Granted, not everything works like that and this WAS the late 70’s but still. Chicago, because of and despite that, is a great city. ---
**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:** [December 10, 2008, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-blagojevich-taken-into-custody-this-morning/476386/92 "2008-12-10T20:54:03Z")
> [@buttonjockey308](#): > > Granted, not everything works like that and this WAS the late 70’s but still. > > Chicago, because of and despite that, is a great city. Exactly, stuff does still get done in this city, often quite well from all outward appearances. The corruption part is usually more like “and Daley’s friend’s brother-in-law got the contract for that job after a campaign contribution” rather than “so-and-so skimmed all the money for that project and left the country, so this part of the infrastructure is crumbling.” ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-blagojevich-taken-into-custody-this-morning/476386/93 "2008-12-10T21:05:18Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > I _must_ remember to remind William Jefferson and Larry Craig of that. Well, _somebody_ has to be at the bottom of his class… ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-blagojevich-taken-into-custody-this-morning/476386/94 "2008-12-10T21:10:49Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > I _must_ remember to remind William Jefferson and Larry Craig of that. Not to mention James Traficant, David Vitter, Mark Foley, Bob Packwood, Bob Torricelli… ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-blagojevich-taken-into-custody-this-morning/476386/95 "2008-12-10T21:22:22Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > …With ALL the corruption agains G-Rod I want to know WHY the FBI waited till AFTER the elections? Why not do it before? Even without the buy a senate seat, issue there was more than enough… > > …just look the other way, like Reagan did with Abscam. > > We all know Reagan didn’t DO anything, but we all “know” Reagan wasn’t as in the dark as he said he was. As others have noted, Blago didn’t have a U.S. Senate seat to raffle off until after Election Day. In any event, the Justice Department has a policy (not always followed, I know) of not indicting in politically-sensitive cases in election years so as not to be accused of trying influence the voters. IIRC, the Attorney General himself has to approve going forward with any such cases if timing is of the essence. Abscam broke in Feb. 1980, nine months before Reagan was even elected President. Maybe you mean Iran/Contra? ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-blagojevich-taken-into-custody-this-morning/476386/96 "2008-12-10T21:26:10Z")
> [@buttonjockey308](#): > > As a wee lad I remember a phone call being made by my mother early one snowy morning to our ward boss, on whose campaign she worked. Less than 10 minutes later, our street was plowed and our walk shoveled. > > Granted, not everything works like that and this WAS the late 70’s but still. Wait, what’s so bad about this? Just because she worked for the ward boss? What makes you think it wouldn’t have happened anyway? A few years ago, the intersection of Montrose and Damen, which I crossed every day to get the bus, was totally flooded. It had rained a lot and the gutters were clogged with leaves. After a few days of getting soaked, I called my alderman’s office to complain. The next day, the intersection was back to normal. I was very pleased with my alderman’s responsiveness. ---
**Author:** ![JohnM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/848f3c/32.png) [@JohnM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnM)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-blagojevich-taken-into-custody-this-morning/476386/97 "2008-12-10T21:41:38Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > It probably never occurred to him. Remember, this guy did all this knowing he was under investigation and that his phones were, in all likelihood, tapped. He even dared them to follow him around and tape him just the day before. The best part is that the complaint was sworn on Sunday and ready to go when Blagojevich had his little Gary Hart moment outside the Tribune. The agents must have been pissing themselves in laughter. ---
**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:** [December 10, 2008, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-blagojevich-taken-into-custody-this-morning/476386/98 "2008-12-10T21:52:09Z")
> [@buttonjockey308](#): > > … > > Chicago, because of and despite that, is a great city. Yes, just like alcohol in _The Simpsons_, “…the cause of and solution to all of life’s problems.” ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-blagojevich-taken-into-custody-this-morning/476386/99 "2008-12-10T22:46:00Z")
Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.'s lawyer now acknowledges that he was “Senate Candidate #5,” but denies any wrongdoing: [News, Politics, Sports, Mail & Latest Headlines - AOL.com](http://news.aol.com/article/jackson-jr-says-he-isnt-target-of-probe/272316) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-blagojevich-taken-into-custody-this-morning/476386.md?page=4)