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Blagojevich Busted by John M. Curtis Copyright
December 9, 2008 Caught red-handed in an FBI sting operation, 52-year-old Illinois Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief-of-staff John Harris were taken into custody at 6:15 a.m. for trying to sell President-elect Barack Obma’s senate seat. Like governors of other states, Blagojevich was responsible for replacing Obama’s empty senate seat. FBI agents recorded Blagojevich driving a hard bargain for the seat he believed commanded a hefty price on the open market. Blagojevich wanted a quid pro quo for the privilege of getting Barack’s empty seat. Outlining his case, U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald, the tenacious prosecutor responsible for convicting Vice President Dick Cheney’s soon-to-be-pardoned chief of staff I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, called Blagojevich’s actions “staggering” corruption, something denied by the governor’s attorney, telling the press his client had no intention of stepping down. Blagojevich’s attorney Sheldon Sorosky insisted the U.S. attorney was playing politics. “He didn’t do anything wrong,” Sorosky told reporters after Blaglojevich’s arraignment in federal court. “A lot of this is just politics,” implying his client was framed. But, like O.J. Simpson who was just sent to Nevada state prison Dec. 5 for kidnapping and armed robbery, Blagojevich was tape-recorded, giving Fitzgerald an open-and-shut case. No, the Illinois governor did “nothing wrong” other than trying sell Obama’s senate seat to the highest bidder, shunned and rebuffed by Barack’s transition team. When asked about the sting, Barack said he was “saddened and sobered,” by the allegations, putting his once good friend in hot water. Barack said he had “no contact with the governor or his office. And so I was unaware what was happening,” denying any involvement. On Nov. 23 his chief strategist David Axelrod told Chris Wallace on FOXNews that Barack talked to Blagojevich about his senate replacement. Barack’s close friend and advisor Chicago lawyer and businesswoman Valerie Jarrett was rumored to be on the short-list. Jarrett reportedly took herself out of the running Nov. 12, e-mailing her intent to the Chicago Tribune. Questioned about the inconsistency, Axelord reneged, saying he misspoke when he told Wallace Barack had talked to the governor. Speaking Nov. 9, Axelrod said he was “mistaken,” clarifying that that Barack “did not then or any anytime discus the subject.” Unlike the former Weather Underground radical and now University of Illinois Education professor William “Bill” Ayres, Barack actually had a close relationship with Blagojevich, helping him get elected in 2003. Blagojevich supported Barack’s run for U.S. senate in 2004. FBI tape recording reveal a Mafia-like Blagojevich, expressing expletives about the president-elect, apparently shunning overtures of pay-to-play. In one taped conversation with an FBI agent, Blagojevich said he knew Barack wanted his old friend Valerie Jarrett on top of the list. “They’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. ‘F’ them,” said the governor. Saying he didn’t want give “[this] mother’F’-er [Obama] his senator. ‘F’ him. For nothing? ‘F him,” said Blagojevich in a 76-page affidavit, displaying the most vile, filthy, out-of-control outbursts, all because he didn’t get what he wanted. When asked whether Blagojevich planned to resign, Sorosky said, “not that I know of, no.” Illinois Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn said there was no way the governor could fulfill his constitutional duty. Obama agreed, calling for Blagojevich’s immediate resignation. Whether it’s today or tomorrow, Blagojevich will be forced out. His conduct is far more egregious than New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, forced to resign his office March 12 for paying for a high-priced call girl. Blagojevich wanted to sell Barack’s seat to the highest bidder, arrange a lucrative corporate board job for his wife Patti and blackmail the Chicago Tribune to fire editorial board members critical of his policies. “The breath of the corruption laid our in these charges is staggering,” U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald said in a statement. Before the latest revelations about Obama’s senate seat, Fitzgerald was investigating Blagojevich for pay-to-play with state contractors contributing to his re-election campaign, including a state-contracted concrete operator agreeing to raise $500,000. “If they don’t perform, ‘F-em,’” said Blagojevich, in Fitzgerald’s shocking complaint. When the FBI arrested Blagojevich at 6:15 a.m. at his Chicago home, he asked whether it was a “joke.” He became so out-of-touch with reality, he couldn’t separate fact from fantasy. “They allege that Blagojevich put a ‘for sale’ sign on the naming of a United States senator, involved himself in pay-to-play schemes with the urgency of s salesman meeting his annual sales target, and corruptly used his office in an effort to trample editorial voices of criticism,” said Fitzgerald, expressing the outrage over the governor’s Mafia-like behavior. Whatever Chicago’s history of organized crime, Blagojevich must stand accountable for betraying his office, subverting Illinois state laws and trashing the U.S. Constitution. “He didn’t do anything wrong,” said Blagojevich’s attorney, believing it’s OK to act like Al Capone. Apart from acting criminal, he’s quite obviously insane. John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma. |
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