The quiet indictment of Rod Blagojevich
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Jamie Floyd | Bio
In Session
As you may know – or you may not – Rod Blagojevich has been indicted. The former governor of Illinois was finally indicted last week.
The announcement was exceptionally quiet, especially given the fanfare that followed his arrest late last year on charges of conspiring to gain financially from his appointment to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama. In a press conference held by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, he called the charges against Blagojevich “a truly new low” and gratuitously added that “the conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave.” The 76 page FBI affidavit was laced with cuss words, the best bits read aloud, with seeming glee, across the 24/7 spectrum. There was also the unprecedented media tour conducted by the still-sitting governor on every outlet (including ours) to save his seat and perhaps change the course of criminal events.
It didn’t work.
Last Thursday, the feds handed down their indictment on 16 counts, including racketeering, fraud and extortion counts. Coming nearly four months after federal agents roused the governor out of his home in a pre-dawn arrest and weeks after lawmakers dumped him from office, the indictment of Blagojevich, his brother and four former top insiders was anti-climactic.
But that’s a good thing, if you ask me. This case shouldn’t be tried in the court of public opinion. It should be tried in a court of law. And now, it will be.
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Filed under: Crime & Punishment • In Session • Jami Floyd • Rod Blagojevich |
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GOVERNORS OF CALIFORNIA ,NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY AND ILL
If you can get rid of the Governors of California, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois for being stupid, why can't we get rid of the Governors of South Carolina and Louisiana for being stupid? The people of these states need the stimulus money. If you will go to the internetfree press, you will find out more than you know.
Audio Tape?
Guilty. it shouldn't take more than five minutes in court to get this crook in jail.
Although I certainly do not love Rod like I do you, AC, I do kind of admire him, notwithstanding any problems he may have caused himself and others. Do please journalistically fair with him. Part of that will include observing the judicial proceedings, particularly as regards the prosecution (let’s not forget even the fresh Ted Stevens injustice). Thx!
It's quite comical to see Rod Blagojevich, who actually didn't ardversely impact anyone other than himself, portrayed as the worst of the worst.
While Blagojevich allegedly committed crimes, the damage he did is non-existent when compared to Alan Greenspan, Barney Frank, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG, Lehman, Bear Stearns, Countrywide, Bank of America, WAMU, Wells Fargo, Madoff and countless others.
Although I certainly do not love Rod like I do you, AC, I do kind of admire him, notwithstanding any problems he may have caused himself and others. Do please journalistically fair with him. Part of that will include observing the judicial proceedings, particularly as regards the prosecution (let's not forget even the fresh Ted Stevens injustice). Thx!
You will not hear anymore about this because it will be hushed by the liberals who do not want to look any worse than they already do.
I feel sorry for Blagojevich. It's not his fault that he is mentally handicapped and disabled. That's nature and questioning nature does not get us far. That said, and for his own sake, he should be put behind bars and locked up forever in a dark room. This indeed will be fair as he will not, and should not get another opportunity to prove to the public that he is a sick man – he is not. He is just disabled.
The judge needs to pus a gag order on Blagojevich when the trial starts so the former Governor doesn't have daily press opportunities or tours the late night talk shows again. Listening to Blagojevich's protestations of innocence again is not something I want to do – I would like to see him convicted and put in jail and not hear from him again.