Blagojevich Indicted on Multiple Felony Counts

Photo from source, Raw Story

The saga of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is strange in a lot of ways. On of the strangest being that little political hay has been made over the fact that he's a Democrat. After so many years of embarrassing Repbulican scandals, you'd think the GOP wold have been all over this one, tarring the entire Democratic party with a Blago-hair brush.

You have to admit, it's out of character for them to show such restraint. Maybe Blago is such a unique character, the attack just wouldn't play. Or maybe it was just too early after the election for partisan attacks to really stick. Whatever it is, it won't hold. Blago will be remembered as scandal number one, after there are (surely) more Democratic scandals. Being in power will bring out corruption in some of them just as it always does.

[Excerpt]

Blagojevich indicted on 16 federal corruption charges

Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich has been indicted by federal prosecutors, the AP reports."

According to a statement issued by the Justice Department, Blagojevich will be charged along with his brother, two former aides and two business associates," reports Roll Call. . .

Read more at: RawStory

Rod R. Blagojevich Impeached, No Longer Governor

Well, thank goodness that is over. Now, will the ever-bizarre Blagojevich continue to give media interviews, a la Sarah Palin? Or will we be mercifully spared the insane ramblings of at least this politician?

[Excerpt]

Impeached Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been removed from office

The Illinois Senate voted to remove Gov. Rod Blagojevich from office Thursday, marking the first time in the state's long history of political corruption that a chief executive has been impeached and convicted. . .

Read more at: Chicago Tribune

Gov. Blagojevich Impeached

Photo from source, LA Times

This doesn't come as a huge surprise. What's surprising is that Blago is so tenacious, and seemingly convinced that he's a victim, who did nothing wrong. So, there he has something in common with Alaska's governor, Sarah Palin.

[Excerpt]

Gov. Rod Blagojevich impeached by Illinois House

Hours after he became the first Illinois governor to be impeached, Rod Blagojevich today insisted he is innocent of corruption charges and will continue to fight to fulfill his job as the state's chief executive.

At a televised news conference, Blagojevich, 52, argued that the impeachment was expected given his tortured relations with the Legislature. . .

Read more at: Los Angeles Times

Gov. Blagojevich Appoints Obama Replacement?

Photo from source, MSNBC

What the hell, over? This guy has big ol' brass ones, don't he?

[Excerpt]

Race enters fight over Obama's Senate seat

Senate Democrats on Tuesday vowed not to seat embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's pick to fill the vacancy left by President-elect Barack Obama, prompting a House Democrat to object to the nation's only prospective black senator being denied a seat. . .

Read more at: MSNBC

SNL "Really?!?" With Seth & Amy (Blagojevich)

I had an extremely lazy weekend, and blogged almost nothing after Friday evening. It was a nice break, but leaves the blog a little empty. So, since I won't be able to write anything until this evening, here are a couple of quickies. The first is from Saturday Night Live from this weekend, which featured the last appearance of Amy Poehler.  There were more good bits, and solid skits this episode, which featured host Hugh Laurie.  You can check out the entire episode at SaturdayNightLive.com.

Michele Malkin & FOX "News" Making Stuff Up

On FOX "News," they seem to think that Democrats--when faced with a corrupt politician with a (D) after his name--will behave just as Republicans do. Amass the troops! Defend our own! But by and large, Democrats don't do that.

William Jefferson gets no love from liberals, regarding his "cash in the freezer" escapade. Bill Clinton's idiocy in the Lewinsky scandal wasn't championed. Oh, sure, we may say, "Oh, come ON!" about some of the histrionics from the right on those situations, but we don't defend their actions. And if Rod Blagojevich has a Democratic fan club, I've yet to see it.

Yet, here is Michelle Malkin on FOX "News" saying that Democrats are going to turn on former hero Patrick Fitzgerald for investigating Blagojevich. Where'd she get that? Right out of her butt, I guess.

Here's Cenk Uygur of The Young Turks, saying all of this better than I did.

Rod Blagojevich Refuses to Resign

Image from source, AOL News

I'm beginning to think that all the pundits are right, this guy is missing most if not all of his marbles. For what possible reason would he stay in office, with the weight of the charges against him? The fact that nobody is standing up for him ought to be enough to shame him out of office. At least Tom DeLay and Randy "Duke" Cunningham had some supporters, however misguided. What is Blagojevich hanging on to?

[Excerpt]

Blagojevich Ignores Pressure to Resign

With pressure mounting by the hour for him to resign or face impeachment, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich went back to work Thursday in what an aide described as an attempt to "return to normalcy. . ."

Read more (with video, and a heavily skewed poll) at: AOL News

Greenlee Gazette Disavows Blagojevich Ties!

I want to say here and now, that Greenlee Gazette, and its editor are in no way tied to the Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich scandal! I feel it is necessary to make this crystal clear, as Blagojevich's Deputy, Bob Greenlee resigned today. I don't know him! Never met him! Hey, they don't even invite me to the reunions. . .

[Excerpt]

Obama Calls for Governor Under Siege to Step Down

. . .Bob Greenlee, one of three deputy governors in Illinois, resigned on Wednesday, but the governor’s office would not say why. It was unclear whether Mr. Greenlee, 33, had any connection to the “Deputy Governor A” described in the federal affidavit supporting Mr. Blagojevich’s arrest. . .

Read more at: New York Times

Patrick Fitzgerald's Statement on Gov. Blagojevich

We pinned all of our hopes on Patrick Fitgerald during the Valerie Plame-Wilson affair, but our "Fitzmas" never came. This time, there is much less personal investment from me at least--I have a fantasy of seeing Karl Rove frog-marched--but I have a feeling Fitzgerald will do a good job. And he gives a heck of a press conference.



Found at: AmericaBlog

Illinois Governor Blagojevich (D) Busted for Being a Sleazebucket

Photo from source, NYT

There you go, Mom. Happy now? I've criticized a Democrat in my headline, and even put a (D) there, to make it crystal clear! Far be it for me to jump to a corrupt politician's defense, regardless of which letter follows his name. Unlike say, Tom DeLay or Randy "Duke" Cunningham, who had conservatives jumping to their defense.

Look, a sleazebucket is a sleazebucket. If a politician has done wrong, he needs to get his comeuppance. And you have to hand it to the Democrats. When they screw up, they screw up BIG and STUPID!

[Excerpt]

Illinois Governor in Corruption Scandal

The governor of Illinois brazenly put up for sale his appointment of Barack Obama’s successor in the United States Senate, federal prosecutors said Tuesday. . .

Read more at: New York Times