UPDATE: Multiple sources now reporting that the Feds have charged Blagojevich with criminal charges stemming from Federal corruption statutes.
The Chicago Tribune is reporting that the Feds have at long last come to haul off IL Gov Rod Blagojevich. This, of course, is no surprise, given that Blagojevich was exposed as a crook during his election campaign and the Rezko sharks have been circling him for months. The interesting part of this story is that despite knowing that he was the subject of a Federal investigation, the Feds think that he simply can’t stop his pay-for-play ways:
A source said today that Gov. Rod Blagojevich was taken into federal custody at his North Side home this morning. The U.S. attorney’s office would not confirm the information, and a spokesman for the governor did not immediately return a phone call for comment.
A three-year federal corruption investigation of pay-to-play politics in Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration has expanded to include his impending selection of a new U.S. senator to succeed President-elect Barack Obama, the Tribune has learned.
Federal authorities got approval from a judge before the November general election to secretly record the governor, sources told the Tribune, and among their concerns was whether the selection process might be tainted. That possibility has become a focus in an intensifying investigation that has included recordings of the governor and the cooperation of one of his closest friends.
Now, the title of this article has a question mark because the article seems to say that Blagojevich has not been charged yet. That said, if you are a sitting State Governor, the Feds do not come to take you into custody from your house absent an extremely compelling reason. Stay tuned, folks, this one isn’t *nearly* over.
*The story is, as of this moment, single-source, and it’s so incredible on its face that we should wait for independent confirmation before getting *too* excited.
Moe Lane
Steve Maley
Dan McLaughlin
Neil Stevens
Daniel Horowitz
Two for two
Warner Todd Huston (Diary) Tuesday, December 9th at 9:50AM EST (link)So, if Roddy boy goes to jail, too, that will be the last two Illinois guvs in a row to the hoosegow!
And imagine. This guy thought that he was going to go on to be president!!
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Supposedly
ScottSenffner (Diary) Tuesday, December 9th at 9:58AM EST (link)According to there is a news conference at 11:00 am CST and his chief of staff, John Harris was arrested as well. There are reports now of some of the counts he is being charged. This is all according to a local radio station in Chicago (www.560wind.com).
And good riddance!
deltar (Diary) Tuesday, December 9th at 9:59AM EST (link)Blagojevich: Self-absorbed blowhard, and probably a crook too. I’m glad to see the handcuffs coming out for another terrible Illinois politician.
Thank you Leon for making my day a little brighter :-)
JadedByPolitics (Diary) Tuesday, December 9th at 10:02AM EST (link)nt
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Just reporting the news, ma'am. :-) -nt
Leon H. Wolf (Diary) Tuesday, December 9th at 10:06AM EST (link)-nt
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We can’t stop here. This is bat country.
How terribly embarrassing (nt).
kowalski (Diary) Tuesday, December 9th at 10:06AM EST (link).
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Glad the USDOJ had the time to go someplace
Achance (Diary) Tuesday, December 9th at 10:07AM EST (link)other than Alaska! ‘Course, nothing will come of it once The One takes office. DOJ will either drop the charges or tank the case.
In Vino Veritas
I don't think
Leon H. Wolf (Diary) Tuesday, December 9th at 10:08AM EST (link)Obama will be able to touch this with a ten-foot pole, actually. If he does, we will know something fishy is afoot, and so will the rest of America.
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We can’t stop here. This is bat country.
The Democratic culture of corruption in IL
newred Tuesday, December 9th at 10:10AM EST (link)The Chicago Sun-Times says the
same thing.
Here is the
complaint.
Don’t forget to mention the man is a DEMOCRAT. The MSM will try their best to overlook that part.
This is stupid....i just went through the the top 4 stories...and look what i didnt find..
speciallist (Diary) Tuesday, December 9th at 11:09AM EST (link)the top four Articles don’t tell you what Party he’s from….
CNN – no mention…they do mention a ‘senior dem source’ for something
Reuters – no mention…..they refer to Obama as a ‘fellow Dem’ way down the page..
Fox news…no mention….WTF!!!!!
Chicago trib – first mention of Party is 13 para’s down…
UN – FRICKING – REAL
Hopefully that weasel Pat Fitzgerald rolls him
sickofitall Tuesday, December 9th at 10:12AM EST (link)and he gives up the dirt he’s got on Obama, it’s out there for sure. Sure would be nice to see the cuffs applied before next month’s coronation, though actually a perp walk down the White House steps would be even better!
“You have to remember that Adolf Hitler was elected in a democratic Germany.” – Rep. Paul Broun
So they'll just tank the case.
Achance (Diary) Tuesday, December 9th at 10:12AM EST (link)It’s real easy for an experienced advocate to lose a case and nobody can be sure he did it except another experienced advocate. Strategically losing cases is standard fare for government attornies on a change of administration. Often the issue is too hot to just drop no matter how much somebody paid you to drop it, so you just send your attorney in to lose it stylishly. Happens every two, three, or four years everywhere.
In Vino Veritas
I could have sworn I hit "Reply to This."
Achance (Diary) Tuesday, December 9th at 10:13AM EST (link)Anyway, that was in response to Leon.
In Vino Veritas
You are right in general, but Obama is NOT going to tank the case
JSobieski (Diary) Tuesday, December 9th at 10:17AM EST (link)this has “thrown under the bus” all over it
My rules of the road for primary season.
Rule #1: Vote for YOUR first choice in the primaries
Rule #2: Vote for the R in the general.
Rule #3: Don’t let anyone convince you to violate Rule #1 or Rule #2
Rule #4: When in a center-right argument, reaffirm Rules #1-#3–it will help us all to get along better.
Rule #5: If you are using the language of the left, you probably aren’t furthering conservativism
Rule #6: The priority is issues first, candidates second, and supporters third. Nobody is bigger than the issues. Conversely, if you spend your time focusing on supporters, you are wasting everyone’s time.
STOP THE MADNESS!
A reduction in the rate of spending increases is NOT a cut!
In-state tuition for illegals is NOT amnesty!
Requiring someone to pay their medical bills is NOT an individual mandate!
Reducing tax rates is NOT a tax increase!
I will be surprised if Fitzgerald does that.
Moe Lane (Diary) Tuesday, December 9th at 10:17AM EST (link)He has no history of such behavior, to put it mildly.
But Obama can always fire him, if he likes. Which he won’t, before it’s all over.
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Obama won't tank the case.
Tbone (Diary) Tuesday, December 9th at 10:39AM EST (link)To him it’s just another “bump, bump”.
But you can bet this weasel will be singing like a canary.
Envisioning when all that is Left is the Right.
Finally!!!!
cookcountyconservative (Diary) Tuesday, December 9th at 10:48AM EST (link)Happy Days are here again!!!!
Wonder who was looking to buy the Senate Seat – JJ, Jr maybe????
This could get even more interesting.
Odd
rblack198 (Diary) Tuesday, December 9th at 11:01AM EST (link)I’ve read two articles on this and I’ve yet to determine what party this Rod fellow belongs to. Granted I know what party he belongs to, but it sure would be nice to see it in print. Then again I’m sure when Ryan got cuffed and stuffed they only said Gov Ryan . . . right?
A crook is a crook, but party identity should go both ways I think.
check my comment above...
speciallist (Diary) Tuesday, December 9th at 11:10AM EST (link)un frickin real……
See this is the problem with Illinois...
kowalski (Diary) Tuesday, December 9th at 11:14AM EST (link)First of all, it looks like it’s impossible to elect a governor from either party who isn’t corrupt, or becomes corrupt when they’re in office. Now George Ryan went down to giving driver’s licenses for bribes…
Compare that to Blagojevich (allegedly) handing out Senate seats for personal gain.
I truly feel sorry for the honest people in Illinois. They have so many professors who are concerned about nothing but the Rule of Law and right in their own backyard, at the highest levels of their state government, they have had nothing but a streak of people who do everything they can to flout it.
It’s no longer the Land of Lincoln, it’s the Land of Linkin Park.
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And behold The One who came out of the cesspool
Achance (Diary) Tuesday, December 9th at 11:42AM EST (link)as pure as the driven snow! Before long, we’ll be hearing about his virgin birth.
In Vino Veritas