Federal authorities in Chicago have arrested Rod Blagojevich, and they've accused him of attempting to benefit financially from his position to appoint a Barack Obama's Senate replacement... among a phone book of other charges from the ongoing investigation into his pay-for-play style of governing.A 76-page FBI affidavit said Rod was intercepted on court-authorized wiretaps over the last month conspiring to sell or trade the vacant Senate seat for personal benefits for himself and his wife, Patti. (that's last month!! - he's been under the microscope since he took the office. What an idiot!)
The affidavit said Blagojevich discussed getting a substantial salary for himself at a nonprofit foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions.
It said that Blagojevich also talked about getting his wife placed on corporate boards where she might get $150,000 a year in director's fees.
He also allegedly discussed getting campaign funds for himself or possibly a post in the president's cabinet or an ambassadorship once he left the governor's office.
"I want to make money," the affidavit quotes him as saying in one conversation.
U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald said in a statement that "the breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering."
"They allege that Blagojevich put a for sale sign on the naming of a United States senator," Fitzgerald said."
Blagojevich took the chief executive's office in 2003 as a reformer promising to clean up former Gov. George "Evil Santa Claus" Ryan's mess. Ryan, a Republican, is serving a 6-year prison sentence after being convicted on racketeering and fraud charges.Maybe Rod will be George's new cell mate?
UPDATE: Below are excerpts of the complaint:
They're in picture format for those of you behind firewalls. Here at Blasphemes we are always looking out for our readers! Why are they in photo versions? (click on them to make 'em bigger) So that your work filters won't catch you reading the Gov's dirty potty mouth as he tries to sell Obama's Senate Seat.
Then it gets even better.
3 comments:
I am proud to see the FBI doing some of the good work keeping our elected officials honest in the Obama successor probe and our buddy in Louisiana. But where were they years ago when Obama/Rezko situation occurred.
What about Barney Frank's imprudence with the risk portfolio of Fannie and Freddie? What about Nancy Pelosi's dealings with Del Monte'? What about capital hill becoming increasingly socialist ? Are we to assume that they will be prudent with the inherrant challenges that face a capitalist society? Who is that stupid?
Where were they when the super rich used megahedge funders like Goldman Sachs and hired their analysts submit press releases to pump and dump the market price of oil? And why would Warren Buffett want to buy a significant portion of a business that runs like that?
What about George Sorros' foundation writing policies for the Obama administration? What are the ties of this foundation? Who are they?
What about the fact that Obama spent more than George Bush and John Kerry combined in the 2004 election? Where is all that money coming from?
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.
In his Blagojevich news conference, Patrick Fitzgerald was quick to clear Obama of wrongdoing and then commented that "We're in the middle of a corruption crime spree and wanted to stop it." Why did he want to stop an investigation in the middle? Could it be so it wouldn't lead to certain people?
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