I asked for the Olympics, I got a prison. How's that for being born under a bad sign?

U.S. to Pick Illinois Prison to House Some Guantánamo Detainees

The Obama administration about to announce that it has selected a prison in northwestern Illinois to house terrorism suspects now being held at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. It's a big step toward shutting down the military detention facility in Cuba.

Now when we say 'selected' does that mean there really were other bids, or did they just collect the papers and give it to Illinois anyway? How hard was the bidding process there?

An administration official said President Obama had directed the federal government to proceed with acquiring the Thomson Correctional Center, a maximum-security prison in a rural village about 150 miles west of Chicago. Much to the delight of the impoverished state that Mr. Obama left behind.

My guess, on the stage that conducts Illinois political theater, this is a breadcrumb thrown to the cronies in Springfield that hadn't gotten any love from Mr. Obama.

I'd really support this plan if former Governors George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich (when they convict him) get to stay there too.

Rod "Pay to Play" Blagojevich Arrested

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.

If you think our President-Elect has popped his scandal cherry, don't count on it. No listened to us when we told the Nation he was going to bring the Chicago Machine politics to Washington. So no one will listen tomorrow either.

Perp Walk

Notice the subtle yet obvious gang sign Mrs. Ryan is throwing out. Guess we know who is "holding it down" on the outside now?

Evil Santa's goin'... to Jail

George Ryan says he's going to report to prison today with a clear conscience.

He says he's innocent, and he still intends to prove it.

He didn't apologize.

He didn't so much as admit he made any mistakes.

His defiance couldn't have been more complete if he flipped us the bird and cut a fart.

I sincerly hope that his time in the minimum security prision allows him the time to reflect on how his actions, and his appointees of cronies and theives took the lives of children.

I hope his heart is taxed with the guilt and suffering that the parents of those children. May that weight fill his blackened heart... and it will either save him, or kill him.

Either way, in some small candle of what's left of the fair and blind legal system - there was a small victory today.

The Ryan Chronicles

1994: A truck crash kills six children in Wisconsin. Police discover that the driver of the truck has a valid driver's license and speaks only Spanish. This seems odd as the truck driver's license test is given only in English. The state decides to see what's up. Folks in the government say, "Uh, nothing."

2000: Current Secretary of State Jesse White makes a statement saying that at least 175 truckers driving around this country that seem to have bought their licenses between 1990 and 1998. Former Secretary of State George Ryan (1991-1999) claims, "Would I have tolerated it? Hell no, I wouldn't have tolerated it, not in a second." U.S. Attorney Scott Lasser claims that Ryan is not a target of the investigation

Later in 2000: 30 people are charged in "Operation Safe Road," a federal investigation into over $170,000 in bribe money. Apparently it was used to purchase tickets to Ryan fund-raisers. Lasser refuses to tell the press that Ryan is no longer a target or who came up with the name "Operation Safe Road." Dean Bower, one of Ryan's closest advisers and the Inspector General for the Sec. of State under Ryan's tenure is accused of racketeering, mail fraud, obstruction of justice and lying to FBI. Whoops. 1,000 truckers are ordered to retake their trucker driver's license. Of the first 510 that took it, 171 passed. Maybe Killre will have an explanation.

2002: Ryan announces that he will not seek reelection. he will need to spend time with his family. While he can.

2003: Ryan is indicted on 18 federal racketeering, fraud and conspiracy charges. A Longtime Chicago hobby of ghost payrolling is discovered. On the payroll are Ryan's daughters, his son-in-law, his housekeeper, and his adopted sister. They admit that they did very little for his campaign.

2005: Ryan goes to court. Gets a lawyer pro-bono by James Thompson's (Ryan's boss while he was lieutenant governor from 1983-1991) and proceeds to prove his innocence. Or his lack of guilt.

2006: Ryan is found guilty on all 18 charges against him. The judge throws out two of the counts due to lack of proof. Ryan appeals and remains free during his second trial. During the second trial 2 jurors are dismissed because they did not reveal a criminal history. The replacement jurors contain one who was previously removed due to discussions he had about the case when talking to his work. (I am fairly sure this was the second trial but if it was the first I stand corrected.)

2007: Verdict is upheld and Ryan is given (regiven?) 6 1/2 years in the slammer. Luckily, he put a moratorium on killing people in prison. It should make him a little more popular. Thompson claims he is taking this one to the Supreme Court.


Dumb F: The trial was a sham and the man is guilty. He should probably be let free or retried but unfortunately for him he did not work in California where it is much easier to get a proper verdict. And I do not mean that snarkily. {O.J. should have been found innocent. I think he was guilty and I think the police planted evidence. Once evidence is tampered with you do not know how far it went hence he has to be let go. Luckily, he was dumb enough to get caught again.}

Evil Santa Still in Jail

An appeals court upheld the conviction of former Illinois Governor George Ryan on fraud and racketeering charges and rejected his request for a new trial Tuesday. (Story)

Incredible when the system works. Golf clap reserved, however, Illinois. He's still free and not in an orange jumpsuit. It'll probably take weeks or months before a proper perp walk from this somavabich.

Meanwhile, the children he killed are still dead. And his cronies continue to line their pockets, unabated.