Governors gone wild
Editor’s Note: You can read more Jami Floyd blogs on “In Session.”
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/01/30/blago-closingarg-getty.jpg caption="Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was convicted at his impeachment trial shortly after delivering closing argument."]
Jami Floyd
AC360° Contributor
In Session Anchor
Like a Shakespearean tragedy, the Blagojevich debacle just keeps getting better and better. Narcissism. Corruption. Colorful characters. And farce.
But it’s not funny. Not really. Because whatever really went down in this case, something is rotten in the state of Denmark. And Denmark isn’t the Prairie State. Rather, it’s a political state of mind in which entitlement and corruption have become the order of the day.
Blagojevich follows a long line of governors gone wild. Blagojevich’s predecessor, George Ryan, is in prison. We lost Eliot Spitzer to his own devices here in New York and Jim McGreevey in New Jersey before that. But their alleged crimes pale in comparison to Bernie Madoff and the larger scandals of Wall Street.
Add to that a Bush administration that has thus far escaped accountability for the lies it told: Scooter Libby, Dick Cheney, Alberto Gonzalez. The Bush notion of accountability? “It is what it is.” Our last president passed the buck for his failures — including all that bad intelligence about WMD.
Now a new president is talking about a new accountability. But we won’t get it if we just pat ourselves on the back about Blagojevich and call it a day.
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Filed under: Jami Floyd • Justice Department • Rod Blagojevich |
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Public corruption is rampant in Ohio at the state level; Cuyahoga County at the county level; and Cleveland at the ity level. I could provide news investigations and first hand knowledge which could get me killed but no one does anything to stop it. Obama could be the one. He started with Blago. Blago is a good example of how these narcisstic polititions believe they can't lose their spot as long as they stick together. Bravo Chicago!! Way to start!!
The best thing Illinois did was outlaw Blagojevich from running for office again in Illinois, because sure as heck the people would elect him again and I have seen a dead man get elected to office and that is not as bad as having Blagojevich elected to office again.
I wish California would follow suit with Illinois. Arnold needs to be Impeached. We are losing homes, jobs, and health care for the poor and low income.
No one seems to care what is happening here in California.
Blago has a very cunning mind. The problem is his ego gets the better of him everytime and spoils him. Poor guy! He just doesn't have a clue.
I admire Ex Gov BLAGOJEVICH for fighting for his case till the end.
First of all wire tappings are wrong and even if they did, just releasing parts of it makes no sense.If President of US MR Bill Clinton can escape impeachment by the same Senate when he lied to American People over and over again and finally admitted it , why not this man who has been honest and thus needs a fair trial.
Good luck Mr BLAGOJEVICH
You will win!
We are glad our governor is gone and that we do not have to be humiliated anymore by being associated with him. Quinn or not, in 2010 a Republican will be elected as governor of Illinois. Nothing the Dems can do will stop that.
I really believe Bolanovich correctly represents almost every politician in the world, but especially here in America. You say "Woah that can't be!" But it be. Look at the confirmation process. Two proposed cabinet members in a row with serious tax evasion problems. When leona Hemsley had a tax problem, thy would not let her go back and pay the shortage. Oh No, she had to go to jail and do laundry. How can we as a nation look ourselves in a mirrow every morning knowing that we hold some people to the letter of the law, but politicians are free to screw up on their taxes. I know sopme dirt on Diane Feinstein about a Nanny-Gate, Barbara Boxer overdrawing her own Senate checking account. Both probably 30 years ago, they both still there.
Can we truly blame this very troubled man for all of his behavior??? Especially in a nation where we have created CEO's that jet into the capital to ask for a bailout and wall street exec's who dole out bonuses and then ask to be put on the government dole? We have a problem in this nation with corruption and greed....this governor is part of a collective consciousness gone mad!!!
KSuzanne from San Leandro
He has been impeached and fired.
Unlikely as it may be his actual trial is yet to come and he could conceivably be found not guilty!
Ouch.
What on earth happens then? Frankly the system amounts to allowing potential double jeopardy, can that be right? I think not.
If he has been impeached a court trial should not be necessary and therefore possibly able to overturn his impeachment.
American law seems to want it both ways double jeopardy included!!
Not fair. He has suffered enough already. End this stupidity, or try him twice for the same offence and fail in court then everybody looks stupid apart from him. Not the objective I am sure.
Regards,
Hodgson.
What bothers me the most about the ex-governor of Illinois and former pastor and president of the National Association of Evangelicals is not the measure of their guilt (something that I admittedly know very little about), but the way they seem to incessantly want to hang on to the spotlight, even if it’s by a thread. The result? The unraveling of public confidence and trust in those whom we look to for leadership. For when image becomes everything, character means nothing.
Marc
Pastor
Trinity Life Church of San Diego
He's either a good con artist or a poor misguided soul, I actually feel sorry for him and hope he learns something from this. Maybe he should look into writing a book with a therapist. Maybe it will give a chance to get to the truth, if he's not convicted in a criminal charge that is.
First of all, I think Blagojevich shouldn’t have been impeached until he is charged witha crime. As for your so called expert Jami Floyd who is complaining about the Bush administration corruption. How about this Jami Floyd. Your messiah President William J Clinton lied under oath about Monica Lewinsky. Why isn’t he in prison. I know!!. He is a democrat. They can get away with anything. That seems to be the trend. The Democratic congress at the time got him off the hook. It goes to show the bias that comes from like Jami Floyd and shows likeCampbell Brown of No Bias No bull which should be All Bias, All Bull
What's the saying about "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely"? The problem is that when things are good, we don't care/ pay attention, whatever. We have failed ourselves as a result. We must be vigilant and hold our representatives (at all levels) accountable at all times. Otherwise, we get the government we deserve.
I think the "public interest" in Blagojevich is over-rated. We are more interested right now in accountability for all those dollars in the stimulus packages and where they have gone. Its sort of like buying a pig in a poke and we want to see that pig now – warts and all. If I and my children are going to be paying for these bailouts the rest of our working lives then we deserve to know what we are paying for. Blagojevich, for all I care, can go shave his head and become a monk under a vow of silence. That way we don't have to listen to him anymore – he would either be quiet or he would explode from the pent up exhortations he can't make.