Octopus Overlords

Later on November 5, Blagojevich said to Advisor A, "I've got this thing and it's [expletive] golden, and, uh, uh, I'm just not giving it up for [expletive] nothing. I'm not gonna do it. And, and I can always use it. I can parachute me there."

triggercut wrote: Josh Marshall makes the same point as ILB: *everyone* knew that Blago's phones were tapped, that everything he did was under surveillance for corruption....and yet this.

What a comically inept dirtbag.

ImLawBoy wrote:Fitzgerald called it a "crime spree of government corruption." Awesome.

Throughout the intercepted conversations, Blagojevich also allegedly spent significant time weighing the option of appointing himself to the open Senate seat and expressed a variety of reasons for doing so, including: frustration at being "stuck" as governor; a belief that he will be able to obtain greater resources if he is indicted as a sitting Senator as opposed to a sitting governor; a desire to remake his image in consideration of a possible run for President in 2016; avoiding impeachment by the Illinois legislature; making corporate contacts that would be of value to him after leaving public office; facilitating his wife's employment as a lobbyist; and generating speaking fees should he decide to leave public office.

ImLawBoy wrote:Obama should be relieved that this came down after the election. The FBI agent in charge just said that "if Illinois isn't the most corrupt state in the US, it's certainly in the running" (or something like that - not an exact quote).

Brian wrote:

ImLawBoy wrote:Obama should be relieved that this came down after the election. The FBI agent in charge just said that "if Illinois isn't the most corrupt state in the US, it's certainly in the running" (or something like that - not an exact quote).

Isn't that sort of a tradition though?

ImLawBoy wrote:That's what kills me. It's no secret that he was under all sorts of investigation for corruption, and he's so arrogant that he's still trying to sell Obama's Senate seat? That takes some balls.

triggercut wrote:(who is clean, which is why his star took so long to rise in Chicago)

LawBeefaroni wrote:

triggercut wrote:(who is clean, which is why his star took so long to rise in Chicago)

So long?

triggercut wrote:

LawBeefaroni wrote:

triggercut wrote:(who is clean, which is why his star took so long to rise in Chicago)

So long?

Yep. A guy with Obama's credentials usually gets tapped by the Southside machine to run as soon as he arrives. Obama wouldn't play ball with Bobby Rush and even had the gall to run against him. When Obama finally got his state senate seat, the machine guys thought it'd be good, 'cause it would get him out of Chicago--they were already afraid of him. When he declared for the Illinois Senate Seat in 2003, Rush and his people were hopeful of squishing his candidacy early on.

ImLawBoy wrote:The Lt. Governor just called on Blago to resign!

Shall the Illinois Constitution be amended to establish a recall process for the office of Governor and other statewide elected officials?

llinois law allows Blagojevich to make an appointment while in jail.

Mr. Sparkle wrote:The race to impeach is on. Why? Because:

llinois law allows Blagojevich to make an appointment while in jail.

Can he appoint himself while in jail? Because that would be extra super awesome.

$iljanus wrote:

Mr. Sparkle wrote:The race to impeach is on. Why? Because:

llinois law allows Blagojevich to make an appointment while in jail.

Can he appoint himself while in jail? Because that would be extra super awesome.

Wow, what a strange state.

$iljanus wrote:

Mr. Sparkle wrote:The race to impeach is on. Why? Because:

llinois law allows Blagojevich to make an appointment while in jail.

Can he appoint himself while in jail? Because that would be extra super awesome.

Wow, what a strange state.

Mr. Sparkle wrote: TPM is reporting that the Illinois AG isn't sure whether appointing people from jail is cool or not...

ImLawBoy wrote:There is that whole "innocent until proven guilty" thing to consider.

A 76-page FBI affidavit alleges that Blagojevich was intercepted on court-authorized wiretaps during the last month conspiring to sell or trade Illinois U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama for financial and other personal benefits for himself and his wife. At various times, in exchange for the Senate appointment, Blagojevich discussed obtaining:

• a substantial salary for himself at a either a non-profit foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions;
• placing his wife on paid corporate boards where he speculated she might garner as much as $150,000 a year;
• promises of campaign funds - including cash up front; and
• a cabinet post or ambassadorship for himself.

Just last week, on December 4, Blagojevich allegedly told an advisor that he might get some (money) up front, maybe from Senate Candidate 5, if he named Senate Candidate 5 to the Senate seat, to insure that Senate Candidate 5 kept a promise about raising money for Blagojevich if he ran for re-election. In a recorded conversation on October 31, Blagojevich claimed he was approached by an associate of Senate Candidate 5 as follows: We were approached pay to play. That, you know, hed raise 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the other guy would raise a million, if I made him (Senate Candidate 5) a Senator.

On November 7, while talking on the phone about the Senate seat with Harris and an advisor, Blagojevich said he needed to consider his family and that he is financially hurting, the affidavit states. Harris allegedly said that they were considering what would help the financial security of the Blagojevich family and what will keep Blagojevich politically viable. Blagojevich stated, I want to make money, adding later that he is interested in making $250,000 to $300,000 a year, the complaint alleges.

ImLawBoy wrote:Oh, there's no doubt in my mind that he's guilty. That "innocent until proven guilty" thing doesn't extend to us here. I'm just saying that, from a legal standpoint, I'm not sure what right there is to keep Blago from governing even under indictment. I haven't done any sort of research on the issue, so it's just my first thoughts on the issue, but it seems to me that someone shouldn't have the government taking away too many of their rights until they've been proven guilty.

Of course, we suspend some of those rights depending on the circumstances (keeping people in jail pending trial, for example, if they are a flight risk or if the crime was particularly heinous), so there are exceptions. I just don't know that this falls into an exception. (Sure looks like Madigan will try to fit it into one, though!)

Mr. Sparkle wrote: EDIT: Nevermind. Here it is. Wow.