Maybe Super Prosecutor Fitzgerald Screwed Up

Lots of hand-wringing going on today about whether or not Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s senate appointment has “standing” or whether the Illinois Secretary of State or Senate Majority Leader will derail the appointment.

The only dispassionate view to be heard was former Illinois Gov. Jim Thompson on NPR’s All Things Considered.  He points out that the Governor is still governor, he’s not been impeached and Illinois law states that he has the authority and duty to make the appointment.  Thompson also points out that the Secretary of State’s duty to certify the governor’s appointment is only administrative under law – Jesse White, the official in question, doesn’t have discretionary authority.  He’s just a pass through.  Finally, Thompson – who is an attorney – said that the U.S. Supreme Court decided decades ago that senators may only contest the seating of a new senator under questions of age, citizenship or residency.  Any attorneys or jailhouse lawyers out there can comment.

Thompson also made another point.  This January will see the 111th Congress considering legislation of greater than usual importance.  The country is in two wars and a recession.  The financial system is still in intensive care and what’s left of our manufacturing sector is a ship dead in the water.  Illinois deserves its full complement in Congress.

Unfortunately, the only way to get there is for the governor of Illinois to make the appointment.

This all got me thinking about what’s made Blago a household name outside of Oak Park and Evansville.  Federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has been investigating the governor by some accounts since 2003.  Fitzgerald gets some juicy stuff on tape and makes the arrest, holds the press conference.  My question is, did Fitzgerald move too soon?

There’s a lot of unnecessary drama unfolding in Springfield and Chicago if the Illinois governor tried to sell a senate seat.  Or, does the Illinois governor just have a big, foul mouth?  Should Fitzgerald have waited for a deal to be made?  If this was a better movie, the good guys would’ve had the money exchange hands on tape and then G-Men would’ve burst through doors and swung in through the windows on ropes.

But, instead, we’ve got f-bombs on tape and one big-mouth, preening politician being himself – a douche bag.  If there was more to Fitzgerald’s case, perhaps the governor would’ve resigned by now or there would be more for the Illinois legislature to work with in impeachment proceedings.

If what they say about Roland Burris is true – that he’s an upstanding public servant not tainted by Chicago’s political cesspool – perhaps the wise thing to do is let the man take his seat unencumbered in the Senate.  Just forget that Captain Hairbrush appointed him, put it out of your mind.  The people of Illinois do deserve both of their votes in the Senate, don’t they?

Transcript: Rod Blagojevich appoints Roland Burris to U.S. Senate | With Bobby Rush | December 30, 2008

(Source: CNN)

GOV. ROD BLAGOJEVICH (D), ILLINOIS: Thank you very much.

Merry Christmas. Happy holidays. Happy new year. Feliz navidad y prospero ano nuevo.

The people of Illinois are entitled to have two United States senators represent them in Washington, D.C.

As governor, I am required to make this appointment. If I don’t make this appointment, then the people of Illinois will be deprived of their appropriate voice and vote in the United States Senate.

Therefore, I am here to announce my intention to appoint an individual who has unquestioned integrity, extensive experience, and is a wise and distinguished senior statesman of Illinois. This man actually once was an opponent of mine for governor.

(LAUGHTER)

So I’m here today to announce that I am appointing Roland Burris as the next United States senator from the Illinois.

Read more

Obama Transition Team Investigates Themselves: Surprise! Everything’s Cool

• Obama Report: No improper contact with Governor – New York Times
• Obama team releases report on Blago contacts – Washington Post
• Obama review clears staff - Reuters

Full Text: Obama Transition Office Report on Contacts with Blagojevich

Click Here for PDF of the Obama Transition Team’s Report

Text: Rod Blagojevich Statement to the Media | December 19

(Source: Chicago Tribune)

“Thank you very much. I’m here to tell you right off the bat that I am not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing, that I intend to stay on the job and I will fight this thing every step of the way. I will fight, I will fight, I will fight. Until I take my last breath. I have done nothing wrong.   “And I’m not going to quit a job the people hired me to do, because of false accusations and a political lynch mob. Now that’s what I’m going to do. Let me tell you what I’m not going to do. I’m not going to do what my accusers and political enemies have been doing. And that is talk about this case in 30 second sound bites on ‘Meet the Press’ or on the TV news. Now I’m dying to answer these charges, I am dying to show you how innocent I am. And I want to assure everyone who is here and everyone who’s listening that I intend to answer every allegation that comes my way. However, I intend to answer them in the appropriate forum, in a court of law, and when I do, I am absolutely certain that I will be vindicated.

“Rudyard Kipling wrote, if you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs, and blaming it on you, if you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, and make allowance for their doubting too, if you can wait, and not be tired by waiting, or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, or being hated, don’t give way to hating. Now I know there are some powerful forces arrayed against me. It’s kind of lonely right now. But I have on my side the most powerful ally there is, and it’s the truth. And besides, I have the personal knowledge that I have not done anything wrong. To the people of Illinois, I ask that they wait and be patient. Sit back and take a deep breath. And please reserve judgment. Afford me the same rights that you and your children have. The presumption of innocence. The right to defend yourself. The right to your day in court. The same rights that you would expect for yourselves.

“And one last thing. To all of those, to those of you who have expressed your support of Patti and me during this difficult time, I’d like to thank you for your thoughts, I’d like to thank you for your prayers and I’d like to thank you for your good  wishes. Patti and I cannot express to you how grateful we are for your kindness. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays.”

What Did Rahm Emanuel Get Caught Saying on Tapes? Probably Nothing.

News reports this morning are saying that President-Elect Barack Obama’s chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel’s voice was captured during wire taps of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.  Surprise, surprise.

The speculation in the media will begin about what Emanuel said to Blagojevich or his staff, and it may border on hysterics.  Ultimately, I don’t think they’ll find Emanuel did anything wrong. Read more

Transcript: IL Atty General News Conference | Blago ‘Unfit to Serve’ | December 12

Lisa Madigan Newser on Blagojevich Court Filing

(Source: Chicago Sun-Times)

MS. MADIGAN: Good afternoon.

This morning, my office filed pleadings with the Illinois Supreme Court, requesting that Governor Blagojevich be temporarily removed from office. In the alternative, we have asked that the Illinois Supreme Court declare that he is prevented from filling the U.S. Senate vacancy, acting on legislation, directing contracts, directing the activities of the Illinois State Finance Authority, directing the activities of the Toll Highway Authority, and directing the disbursement of state funds. Read more

Saturday Morning Clips – Auto Industry, Blagojevich Dominates the News

Automobile Industry Update

• Automakers, workers, Michigan pin hopes on White House – Detroit Free Press
• Chrysler’s supplier issues expand – Detroit Free Press
• GM to slash production – Detroit Free Press
• GM moves closer to bailout; Wagoner in talks with Bolten – Bloomberg
• White House ready to aid auto industry - New York Times

Blagojevich Not Bleeping Going Bleeping Anywhere

• Blago could decide future by Monday – Chicago Sun-Times
• Rahm Emanuel talked to Blago’s office about senate seat – Chicago Tribune
• IL AG: Blago unfit to serve, goes to court – Chicago Tribune
• IL AG: Petitions court to remove Blago – New York Times

Blagojevich News Roundup

• Blagojevich Arrested – Chicago Tribune
• Op-Ed, John Kass: Governor has one choice left: Sing? – Chicago Tribune
• Ill. Governor from reformer to defendant – Chicago Tribune
• Details of the arrest – Chicago Tribune
• Blago’s Lawyer: He’s sad, surprised and innocent – Chicago Tribune
• Obama says no discussions with Blagojevich – Chicago Sun-Times
• Blago calls Obama a ‘mother-fucker’ – Chicago Sun-Times
• Ill Governor in corruption scandal – New York Times

Full Text: Unsealed Blagojevich Criminal Complaint – United States District Court, Northern Illinois

Blago Affidavit Click Here

Sunday Papers – November 30 – National – Economy, India, Pakistan, IL Cuts, Ted Stevens, Bill Clinton, Illegal Immigration, Opinion, Obama, Etc.

National

• Bill Clinton to name donors in deal with Obama – New York Times
• India faces reckoning as toll nears 200 – New York Times
• Attacks imperil U.S. role among two rivals – New York Times
• Mumbai Siege Tales – Washington Post
• Defiant Pakistan rejects Indian charges – Washington Post
• Auto dealerships in trouble – New York Times
• The General as Lobbyist – New York Times
• Healthcare: U.S. ‘Not getting what it pays for’ – Washington Post
• Economic rescue could cost $8.5 trillion – Los Angeles Times
• Illegal immigrants going home, labor market at risk – Miami Herald
• Opinion: What Would Keynes Do? – New York Times
• Op-Ed, Joseph Stiglitz: What Obama Needs to Do – New York Times
• Magazine: Google’s Gatekeepers – New York Times
• The Joint Chiefs and Obama – Washington Post
• Op-Ed, David Ignatius: Bush’s Iran Policy Has Failed – Washington Post
• Op-Ed, David Broder: Governors look to Obama on economy – Washington Post
• Illinois’ budget doomsday – St. Louis Post Dispatch
• Will Alaska pay price for ousting Stevens? – Anchorage Daily News