The sorry spectacle of the governor of the State of Illinois being carted off from his home by federal agents, charged with corruption of his office should sober every citizen of the state.
The sorry spectacle of the governor of the State of Illinois being carted off from his home by federal agents, charged with corruption of his office should sober every citizen of the state.
Rod Blagojevich is charged with, among other things, attempting to gain money, positions and jobs for his wife, in exchange for his choice of a person to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate. According to federal wiretaps and other secret recordings, Blagojevich actively shopped the seat, making clear he expected to get something for his choice.
The implication was that there might be an understanding with members of the Obama camp that would have acquiesced to such a deal, but Obama squashed that right away. He released a statement that he had no contact with the governor regarding his choice and was not involved in any way.
That Blagojevich has been charged with corruption is no surprise. Federal authorities have long signaled that he was a target of their probe, even as they hauled influence peddler and Blagojevich’s friend Antonin “Tony” Rezko into court. When Rezko was convicted earlier this year, the speculation was that the feds would offer him a deal to get information on the governor. Blagojevich even hinted that he knew he was being taped.
But despite that knowledge, the 76-page affidavit states that Blagojevich wantonly discussed how he could get his wife a $150,000 job, and he could secure a position in President Barack Obama’s Cabinet, or a cushy union job, by choosing the right candidate. He even talked openly about how he could appoint himself to escape impeachment proceedings.
That doesn’t sound like a man who should be trusted with the executive reins of government in the state. It also doesn’t sound like someone who should be entrusted with the weighty task of choosing the next U.S. Senator to represent Illinois.
Certainly, Blagojevich is innocent until proven guilty. He remains the duly elected governor of the State of Illinois. But his arrest, and the ongoing investigation, casts a pall over every duty he performs for the remainder of his term. Certainly, any selection he makes regarding the senate seat is tainted because he allegedly was thinking not of the state of Illinois and its citizens but of lining his own pockets in his consideration.
We remain convinced that Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is the best person for the job, though we join Rep. Bobby Rush and his coalition that sought to pressure Blagojevich to select an African American for the post.
What the affidavit suggests is that the only pressure Blagojevich considered was greed, which, given the travails of former Gov. George Ryan, serving a six-year prison term for corruption, makes Illinois the poster state for gubernatorial malfeasance.
It is a sorry spectacle indeed.
Copyright 2008 Chicago Defender. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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