Another crooked Chicago politician goes down!

[Barklessdog]

Here I thought they were going to arrest him because of Rezko.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/blagojevich/1321300,rod-blagojevich-illinois-governor-custody-120908.article

Blagojevich, 51, and Harris, 46, both of Chicago, are each charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery. They were charged in a two-count criminal complaint that was sworn out on Sunday and unsealed today following their arrests, which occurred without incident, the feds said.

He is charged with trying to sell Obama's Senate Seat!  What an idiot and a crook!

Our last governor is in prison now for selling people truck licenses for $50. He only got caught because a family was rear ended at a toll booth by one of his illegal licensed truck drivers. The whole family was burnt alive!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/newsroom/chi-060417ryantrial,0,4525779.story?coll=chi-homepagepromo440-fea

U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald called Ryan's quashing of investigations into the sale of driver's licenses for bribes as secretary of state "a low-water mark for public service."

I sure hope Obama does not turn out to be another crooked Chicago politician. You know that Chicago is called "The Windy City" because of it's corrupt politicians, not the weather.

[Rocker949]

It's baffling that things seem to have been corrupt there for so long and instead of getting better seem to be getting worse. 

[Barklessdog]

The worst part was Baglauvich was known to have criminal ties before he was elected!


It was him or the old red haired haggy women with the man voice. Depinko?

The feds have pretty much indicted most of Mayor Daley's staff over the years, but somehow he stays clean.

[Dave W]

Most Chicago politicians only get caught after years of corruption. Look at Ed Vrdolyak. I remember Mike Royko writing about him 35 years ago. They finally got him after all these years. Whatever he gets sentenced to next month, it'll be less than he ought to get.

[Barklessdog]

The worst thing was some politicians were going to ask Bush to pardon Ryan. Ryan never even showed any remorse for what he did. He should have been charged with manslaughter. That poor family died in the most unspeakable manor. With Baglauavich now I doubt Bush will grant it. I sure hope not.

[Dave W]

I see (satirist) Andy Borowitz already has a story up: Illinois Guv Offers Senate Seat to Arresting Officer 

[kungfusheriff]

I worked as a political reporter for 10 years before jumping ship and accepting a government job last year. In that time I watched and wrote about a lot of corrupt public officials -- a local police chief, for example, was moonlighting as a crack mule while he held office and escaped indictment until this year. I was in the state Capitol when Spitzer admitted the hooker stories were true.

Never have I seen a crook with balls like this guy has. Simply incredible.

[MikeyB5]

Politician and crook are synonyms in my book.

[kungfusheriff]

Not always. My boss used to bum quarters to take the toll highway home.

[Dave W]

WARNING: NSFW LANGUAGE

Who said it -- Rod Blagojevich or Tony Soprano? Take the quiz

[Freuds_Cat]

Hang on a minute!  Is this in the USA or Russia?

I mean look at the list of names you guys just rattled of........

Baglauvich
Depinko
Vrdolyak
Borowitz

[Dave W]

Hang on a minute!  Is this in the USA or Russia?

I mean look at the list of names you guys just rattled of........

Baglauvich
Depinko
Vrdolyak
Borowitz

Blagojevich is of Serbian ancestry, Vrdolyak is of Croatian ancestry. Depinko? I think he means Topinka, who ran against Blagojevich. Czechoslovakian, I think.

That's just the way Chicago is. My ex-wife's dad came from the Lithuanian southside neighborhood. I have no idea if it's changed, but you wouldn't believe the ethnic solidarity there.

Andy Borowitz is Jewish and from Cleveland. I suppose his ancestors may have come from Poland.

Nope, no Russians. Just Americans. 

[gweimer]

Hang on a minute!  Is this in the USA or Russia?

I mean look at the list of names you guys just rattled of........

Baglauvich
Depinko
Vrdolyak
Borowitz

Other names that could be added to the list would be Dan Walker (post-governor problems) and Otto Kerner (from the '60s, whom they aren't mentioning).  Balances things out a little.

The thing that got me was the reading of Blagojevich's comments to the Chicago Tribune about firing some of their editorial staff - more F-bombs than a sailor.  CNN yesterday had a lot of commentary from people in the House in Springfield who suggested that he may have some real issues in terms of chemical inbalance and behavior.

[Barklessdog]

He was dirty before he was elected. There was info out about him being seen with mob people as well as some kind of hiring scheme. Nothing was proven and he was still elected. He was always a rat.


Depinko lost against Ronny because she was tied to & worked under George Ryan as his little license for $$$ scheme was unfolding.

We had two evils to choose from.

[gweimer]

CNN actually referred to him as a punk.