Illinois governor arrested in scam to try and sell Obama's vacated Senate seat
Welcome to Chicago's culture of Democrat corruption. Governor Rod Blagojevich has just given people a little insight to the problems they have down there. From Chicago Breaking News (Hat tip: Hot Air):
Update: David Patten wonders, what did Obama know and when did he know it?
Trackposted to: Allie is Wired, DragonLady's World, Rosemary's Thoughts, The World According to Carl. Others on the subject include Right Voices, BelchSpeak, Locomotive Breath 1901, Stuck on Stupid, McNorman's Weblog, Michelle Malkin, John Brodigan, The Forum, Cold Fury, Trust But Verify, Jane Q. Republican, Cadillac Tight, Fausta's Blog, Surviving Socialism, DC Thornton, Stop the ACLU, Patterico, Tim Blair (plus, another one), Musing Minds, Sister Toldjah, Gateway Pundit, Leaning Straight Up, The Wide Awake Cafe, Hennessey's View, Pundit & Pundette, Conservative Cat.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, were arrested today by FBI agents for what U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald called a "staggering" level of corruption involving pay-to-play politics in Illinois' top office.Quite right. Besides this disturbing news, Newsmax has just reported that Tony Rezko has connected Obama and Blagojevich both together in his schemes:
Blagojevich is accused of a wide-ranging criminal conspiracy, including alleged attempts by the governor to try to sell or trade the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by President-elect Barack Obama in exchange for financial benefits for the governor and his wife. Blagojevich also is accused of obtaining campaign contributions in exchange for other official actions.
[...]
On the issue of the U.S. Senate selection, federal prosecutors alleged Blagojevich sought appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services in the new Obama administration, or a lucrative job with a union in exchange for appointing a union-preferred candidate.
Blagojevich and Harris conspired to demand the firing of Chicago Tribune editorial board members responsible for editorials critical of Blagojevich in exchange for state help with the sale of Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs baseball stadium owned by Tribune Co.
Blagojevich and Harris, along with others, obtained and sought to gain financial benefits for the governor, members of his family and his campaign fund in exchange for appointments to state boards and commissions, state jobs and state contracts.
“The breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering,” U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said in a statement.
President-elect Barack Obama’s ties to arrested Illinois Democratic Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich run primarily through Chicago slum lord and felon Tony Rezko.All this is coming even before Obama has officially taken office. But will it help to impeach him? I doubt it.
Rezko served as the political godfather for both Blagojevich and Obama, helping both to rise in Chicago and Illinois politics. Obama himself has credited Rezko with helping to his political career.
Rezko raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for both politicians.
Update: David Patten wonders, what did Obama know and when did he know it?
Trackposted to: Allie is Wired, DragonLady's World, Rosemary's Thoughts, The World According to Carl. Others on the subject include Right Voices, BelchSpeak, Locomotive Breath 1901, Stuck on Stupid, McNorman's Weblog, Michelle Malkin, John Brodigan, The Forum, Cold Fury, Trust But Verify, Jane Q. Republican, Cadillac Tight, Fausta's Blog, Surviving Socialism, DC Thornton, Stop the ACLU, Patterico, Tim Blair (plus, another one), Musing Minds, Sister Toldjah, Gateway Pundit, Leaning Straight Up, The Wide Awake Cafe, Hennessey's View, Pundit & Pundette, Conservative Cat.
Labels: political corruption, United States
