Da Hawg Frog Blog

When it seems like American politics just can’t sink any lower along comes another opportunist to prove Will Rogers right again. Will said a long time ago, “once a man serves in a political office he is never good for honest work again.”

In a state where corruption has ruled for years, Rod Blagojevich may have just set a new record for malfeaseance. He was arrested this morning and thrown in the slam. I wonder if he got to speak with former govenor George Ryan while he was in there? Anyway the punk from Illinois was jailed on a 75 page indictment.

The governor, who appeared in court in a blue jogging suit, also had to forfeit his passport.

FBI agents arrested Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, early Tuesday on federal corruption charges related in part to the selection of President-elect Barack Obama’s successor to the Senate, the U.S. attorney’s office said.

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald declared Tuesday a “sad day for government.”

“Gov. Blagojevich has taken us to a new low,” he said. “This conduct would make [Abraham] Lincoln roll over in his grave.”

Fitzgerald said the government had bugged the governor’s campaign office and placed a tap on his home phone. (Source: CNN)

Investigation is nothing new for Blagojevich. He has been under close scrutiny for a long time now. As recently as yesterday he arrogantly boasted he had nothing to hide and invited anyone who wished to tape his conversations. Well, they did.

Now the big question is who is going to replace President-Elect Barrack Obama’s vacant Senate seat. The task of finding a replacement lies with the Governor in Illinois. And of course Blagojevich had it all covered. He offered the seat up on E-Bay for the highest bidder.

One big question now is whether Blagojevich retains the right to name Obama’s successor if he remains in custody or even under indictment. The answer is yes, according to Fitzgerald.

Jay Stewart, executive director of Chicago’s Better Government Association, agreed. He said Blagojevich retains the right to fill the senate vacancy until he’s out of office, which won’t happen unless he quits or is removed from office by impeachment.

At a press conference Tuesday, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, a Democrat, said he wants the Illinois Legislature to act quickly to pass a law setting a special election to fill Obama’s seat, in order to prevent Blagojevich from making a tainted appointment or there being a lengthy vacancy in the Senate. (Source: CNN)

Blagojevich is a dirtbag. Reading all the charges against him you wonder how he was able to get elected twice as governor. Maybe he bought the job, that seems to be pretty normal in Chicago.

The breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering .They allege that (Ill. Gov. Rod) Blagojevich put a “for sale” sign on the naming of a United States Senator; involved himself personally in pay-to-play schemes with the urgency of a salesman meeting his annual sales target; and corruptly used his office in an effort to trample editorial voices of criticism…U.S. Atty. Patrick J. Fitzgerald in a news release this morning.

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