Though it’s gray and gloomy outside, there’s a little ray of sunshine in my heart knowing that Rod Blowdryer is off to the governors wing at statesville.
Under the Il. Constitution though, Blago can still rule and keep his job, but he’d be a fool to do it, which hasn’t stopped him so far. He is still in charge of picking a replacement, until he’s convicted which could run until the end of his term. Does make me wonder though, how much more information did they get in the month between the election and now? Was this staged to distance Obama from Blago before the election? And who is Senate Candidate #5?
The article I read on this had a sidebar about Governors that went to jail. As I was reading the list, I realized there were no state names next to the people, so I went back up to the title and read it again… It was of Governors solely from Illinois, and only from the last 35 years. Couldn’t believe it. I knew Chicago was rough, but I guess I didn’t realize it stretched to the state government as well.
Unfortunately, MI has already had its political scandal, and Granholm, while stupid and ineffectual, doesn’t strike me as someone that’ll get herself canned for something illegal. Guess we’re stuck with her.
Much of the indictment focuses on the sale of the Senate seat, based on post-election phone conversations. I get the vibe that they indicted now because they wanted to do so before Blago made that appointment. I guess that Senate Candidate #1 is Tammy Duckworth–don’t know about #5.
His wife’s on the tapes too saying the same things Blago says.
Heck, part of the reason Blago got elected the first time was that his opponent had the misfortune to be naed Ryan (and didn’t have the wisdom to put the words “no relation” on all his campaign signs).
I saw a woman I didn’t recognize on a street interview earlier today. I was distracted by work so I didn’t catch her name or even a good look at her face. She was saying a lot of “I know No-TING!” I wonder if she’s #5.
Here, for the record, are all the “clues” in the indictment concerning who Blagojevich’s custom^H^H^H^H^H^H candidates were:
[ol][li]Senate Candidate 1 was one of Obama’s advisors. By November 3, media reports indicated that he/she "was interested in the Senate seat if it became vacant, and was supported by the President-Elect. By November 12, however, “CNN [was] reporting that Senate Candidate 1 does not want the open Senate seat.” Referred to as female (“she”, “her”) in multiple locations in the indictment.[]The name of Senate Candidate 2 was leaked to the press as a possible candidate on November 6; a subsequent editorial in the Chicago Sun-Times on November 7 “indicate[d] references to the specific language and arguments regarding Senate Candidate 2 as a potential candidate for the Senate seat, as discussed by Blagojevich.”[]Senate Candidate 3 is only referred to once in the indictment, obliquely. No identifying characteristics are given.[]Senate Candidate 4 “is a Deputy Governor of the State of Illinois”. Blagojevich believed that if he appointed Candidate 4 and, later, was about to be impeached, he could “count on” Candidate 4 to resign and let Blago move over to the Senate at that point.[]Senate Candidate 5 was “publicly reported to be interested in the open Senate seat” by November 10. Blagojevich’s office leaked Candidate 5’s name to the Sun-Times (in fact, to the same reporter as for #2) later on. Candidate 5 and Blago were supposed to have had a meeting within a “few days” of December 4. Blago claimed to have “had a prior bad experience with Senate Candidate 5 not keeping his word.” Referred to as male in quotes from the wiretaps & bugs. [*]“Senate Candidate 6, based on other intercepted conversations, is believed to be a wealthy person from Illinois.” Blago considered offering him/her the Senate seat in exchange for helping to raise money to start a foundation that Blago would head.[/ol][/li]Marc Ambinder, over at the Atlantic blogs, thinks that Candidate 1 is Valerie Jarrett, Candidate 2 is Lisa Madigan, and Candidate 5 is either Jesse Jackson, Jr. or Emil Jones, Jr.. Candidate 4 is one of the three Deputy Governors of Illinois, Dean Martinez, Bob Greenlee, or Louanner Peters; but which one is not clear.
Hmm…looks like in my earlier post I confused Candidate 5 and Candidate 6. It’s hard to keep track of Fundraiser A and Candidate 4 and Client 9 and all that.
I don’t think that’s been a discussion for years; I’d read an interview with his FIL in Chicago Magazine last year or even longer ago, in which his FIL called him a son of a bitch and said he hadn’t seen his grandkids in a long time. And from my reading of the article, I sure wasn’t sympathizing with Rod on the topic.
The Freepers sure are having a field day. They think A-Rod is going to “rat out” Obama and it’s his turn to be arrested next. Some of them also are hailing Fitz as a hero, conveniently forgetting all the nasty names they called him when he was trying to figure out the Valerie Plame mess and got Scooter Libby out of the picture. They think Obama’s going to fire Fitz immediately after O takes office! How delusional can you get? Pretty damned, I guess. Fitz is a hero and he’ll be gold to the Obama administration.
I was rooting for Fitzgerald to be named Attorney General (well, 2nd choice after Vincent Bugliosi) but I suppose it would have looked bad if Obama named him AG and then Fitz had gotten Blago arrested. I suppose it all worked out for the best.
[/talking out my ass, but it’s all fun to think about]
Take a look at the indictment–Patti Blago is on the tapes too, saying the same things he was saying, along the lines of [paraphrase]: “if the Trib won’t fire those guys then fuck the Cubs.” She comes off as cut from the same stupid venal mold as him. Her Daddy is probably shaking his head as to where he went wrong.
Is there anyone here familiar with IL law? How will this play out?
For instance, is the governor leagally obliged to fill a vacant Senate seat within some certain time frame? Politically, how can anybody now accept an appointment from the guy?
Does he have to be impeached? Does he automatically lose office if convicted of a crime?
Is Patrick Fitzgerald going to get an offer to name the next IL senator in exchange for reduced charges or sentences?
