A Crook For The Ages: Every newsperson, every website, every blogger in the United States at this very moment has an opinion on the latest inductee into the Corrupt Politicians Hall of Shame. If it weren't for such a tough name to digest, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich would be a household name for the ages. If any of the criminal charges brought against him are true, he will make yesteryear's Tammany Hall and Tom Pendergast look like a bunch of kids playing dice on the streets of New York and Kansas City. Nearly all of the charges against Blagojevich came from court-appointed wiretaps. Thus, they probably are true. Whether they all stick is another matter. The obvious conclusion in the court of public opinion is he is guilty as hell. Blagojevich will go to the head of the class in college political science courses discussing politicians breaching the public trust.
California More Weird That Crooked: What a shame. Politicians have a thankless task. Most do the best they can even if some of them aren't the brightest lights in the room. All we ask as voters is at least be honest. Blagojevich is the latest in a series of corrupt Illinois governors, all of whom had associations with the political power players in Chicago, a city better known for physical toughness than ethical standards. Otto Kerner, a Democrat who was governor from 1961 to 1968, was convicted in 1973 for bribery, tax evasion and other counts. Dan Walker, a Democrat who was governor from 1973 to 1977, pleaded guilty in 1987 to bank fraud, misapplication of funds and perjury. The charges were not related to his service as governor. George Ryan, a Republican who was governor from 1999 to 2003, was convicted of corruption in 2006 for steering state contracts and leases to political insiders while he was Illinois secretary of state and then governor. William Stratton, governor from 1953-1961, was later indicted but then acquitted on charges of income tax evasion. Illinois and Chicago in particular don't have a monopoly on political corruption. They just get caught more often than not. I was raised in California where politics is as rough and tumble as anywhere. The liquor license scandals in Los Angeles were notorious. Nefarious dealings in Sacramento where governors exchanged jobs with senators was the norm when the Republicans were in power. Gov. Earl Warren returned so many favors he was appointed Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. House Speakers Jesse Unruh and Willie Brown remain political legends in the state. Whether any of them were on the take, no one knows. There were no wiretaps in those days.
The Teflon Politician: What is sad is that skeptics point to the Blagojevichs' and others in the latest criminal crop from Congress and the state capitols and justify their opinion that all politicians are crooks. Public opinion paints a broad swath. It stains those who do good.
It should not be understated that Barack Obama's transition team rejected overtures from Blagojevich for political favors in exchange for his senatorial replacement appointment.
With a dirty Chicago political infrastructure, the Tony Rezko influence maker, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and other creeps at his feet, it is a miracle Obama has remained Teflon clean.
So far.
1 comment:
While I'm sure a full investigation will confirm that Governor Blagojevich (forget the name, he HAS to be a Russian) has only committed fifty percent of the rap sheet so far presented, you've got to love his "business as usual" aire. I mean, if you believe cable news, his actions are just typical of Chicago politicos. If so, how embarrassing to get caught with your hand in the cookie jar. I just hate it when our politicians behave like those third world tyrants, robbing the public chest for their own aggrandizement. How selfish? This would be so much more juicy if the gov didn't get caught, but in fact was able to pursue his ultimate goal of the presidency in 2016. To think that he literally bought the election! Now, that would put Chicago on the map in a way much more impressive than the current president elect, who won the election the old fashion way. To think of the possibilities! Mr. Blagojevich could have Elliot Spitzer as Attorney General and John Edwards as special counsel to the president. The world would be their oyster.
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