From the days of Al Capone, Chicago has enjoyed a reputation of a gangster corrupted city. Today Illinois is known as the number one nanny state in the union, but the thousands of cameras around the city and suburbs are trained on the common citizen. Who’s watching the Chicago pols?
Governor Rod Blagojevich is the latest casualty in Illinois politics. He played the familiar pay for play game, but tried to take it to a national level and extort money or favors for assigning Obama’s US Senate seat.
In the Illinois House and Senate, handing down your seat usually means gifting it to a son or daughter. The latest incidence of that practice came from Emil Jones, Obama’s political benefactor, as he resigned late in the year and attempted to get his son on the ballot. This is old hat. Nationally it’s hardly big news and politicians don’t see it as “appalling.”
It’s just one of the perks of being in power in IL.
“The democratic process is often messy. Diverse constituencies fight fiercely for their priorities. Their elected representatives use the influence they have to meet those needs, including sometimes the exchange of favors–consideration for jobs being just one.” David Axelrod, Chicago Tribune 2005
Patrick Fitzgerald is known as an honest US Attorney and is working to bring some semblance of law and order to Illinois…he’s been investigating the “crime spree” in IL for the last three years, but how long he will be able to keep his job is questionable. He was appointed by President Bush.
My guess is -Blago is only a small part of the crime spree and Tony Rezko was at the core of the investigation before his indictment and conviction. Fitzgerald hinted it wouldn’t end there and it didn’t. Rezko was tied to everyone from City Hall in Chicago to IL Congress to the Governor’s mansion.
If Rezko sang to the feds, as it appears he did, the repercussions will be felt far and wide.
If Blago goes to jail, he’ll be the fourth Governor of IL to have that distinction. But Blago isn’t willing to lie down and roll over…if he goes he’ll try to take as many as he can with him. Tony Rezko was tied to Blago, Obama, and banked with Giannoulias but he was especially close to Blagojevich and his operations.
Rumor has it Rezko gave up Blago to the feds.
Who will Blago offer up to the feds?
Curious about how Illinois politics work? Read this excellent article by Scott Simon
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122912965021703363.html
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