I wonder if it's time for a constitutional amendment banning governors from picking themselves for Senate seats? It's caused trouble in Alaska and now in Illinois in the last few years.

Does this mean Chicago may lose their Olympic bid?

Illinois isn't just corrupt; it's impressively corrupt.

Steve Benen wrote: "Maybe there's some context here that might make that sound less incrimination."

Less like incrimination?

Less incriminating?

With all due respect, I think you need a copy editor ... or perhaps just click that Preview button and give your text a quick read-through before clicking the Post button?

Happy Birthday Blago! He turns 52 tomorrow.

Yesterday Blago was at Republic door and Window and said that he invites anyone to tape him "openly and notoriously"...whatever that was supposed to mean.

Looks like a missed opportunity for Barack Obama's campaign this fall. Think what he could have done with the boast that he's never even come close to being indicted, and he's from Illinois.

Welcome to my hanging?

He was still a better choice in '06 than Judy Barr Topinka.

He was still a better choice in '06 than Judy Barr Topinka.

A lot of us considered that one a wash, NicC. That's why the Green Party candidate got so many votes that year.

He's always been dirty. He's also always been stupid, as this clearly shows. Thank goodness they moved in time to spare us Senator Blago.

Ah, Illinois. Never change.

"He was still a better choice in '06 than Judy Barr Topinka." NicC

Blagojevich used much of his ill begotten campaign booty to run an incredibly rotten campaign against Topinka. Most voters with open eyes, including many Democrats, were sick of Blagojevich . Had the Republicans not been seriously weakened by their war between moderates and right wingers they would have defeated Blagojevich easily.

This is a very merry blues day for Illinois.

SecularAnimnist, don't you have anything better to do than play grammar troll on a breaking news post?

I mean, are you kidding?

The stupidity and hubris is astounding. I just don't get it, but I've never been that powerful. Maybe you really do think you're untouchable when you reach that level.
To discuss what you're going to get in return for a Senate seat...I'm just like "wow, it still works like that"? Not just some indirect benefit or campaign support, but flat out "how much money?" And it would be real interesting to learn which candidate was willing to pay half a million for it.
I said it in the other thread, he needs to step down. Of course he won't.

To the extent there is any suggestion in the quotes above that Obama was willing to be part of a three-way deal, Team Obama needs to get out there right away and make clear that they had nothing to do with this, would never be a part of it, and denounce it strongly. I think reading between the lines when Blago gets mad and starts swearing, one can infer that Obama was not playing ball, but that needs to be made really, really clear.

Looks like Blago was a sort of Democratic Palin/Stevens hybrid.

Good riddance.
.

Here in Illinois, we call him "Gov. Doofus." I always contend that the only reason he was re-elected in 2006 is that he plastered his name all over the open-road tolling signs on the tollways, which Illinois drivers love.

And as for Judy Barr Topinka: It was hard to pick which candidate had worse hair.

There have been at least THREE Illinois governors who have spent time in the slammer. As far as I know, he's the first one to be arrested while still in office. Any historians out there?

With all due respect, I think you need a copy editor ...

With all due respect, I hate nit pickers. If you wrote as much as Steve does every day, and as rapidly, you'd make an error now and again, too.

Reasonable people overlook trivial mistakes. It's one of those internet traditions.

He's definitely mad in that one quote, that he's not getting anything from Obama. God, this guy is dumb, and greedy. Governor isn't good enough, I need more money! Well, why did you run in the first place? Didn't you check the salary beforehand?

It absolutely blows my mind that knowing (1) he's already under investigation and (2) that this would be one of the top two or three Senate seat searches in the post-election days that he'd do this. Is it something in the Lake Michigan water?

Does Illinois have a governor's mansion? I guess the free housing wasn't good enough either.

A partisan observation that has been made many times before -- I find it funny how when a Democratic politician gets caught doing something illegal, Dems have no problem condemning that person and his/her actions.

When its the other way around and a republican politican gets caught for doing something, it's a travesty of justice, he's being framed, the liberals are at it again, etc.

Gotta wonder if the Kennedys approached about buying the seat for Caroline (/ducking)

ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that he is "struggling" financially and does "not want to be Governor for the next two years."

Guess he's taken care of THAT problem!

Gotta wonder if the Kennedys approached about buying the seat for Caroline

No, she's lived in New York most of her life, and doesn't need to move to another state just to take advantage of an open Senate seat like Hillary Clinton did.

The media is going to have a field day with this and Obama, regardless of the lack of connection to him. All sorts of bogus guilt by association.

Do the news stories say how much money he wanted from Obama (or anyone)?

Do the stories say with whom he was negotiating in the Obama camp?

Given the state of Bushie politics these days I wonder if the recent story about the Chicago Tribune maybe going bankrupt could have anything to do with this.

Would we all be amazed if NY governor (replacement for a popularly elected Spitzer) and ILL governor "supposedly clean guy" (replacement for Blag) appoint Independents or Lib Republicans to these open Dem seats?

Don't forget your paranoia! During the Bush era it's well earned.

If you wrote as much as Steve does every day, and as rapidly, you'd make an error now and again, too.

I write a lot, and quickly, in my work, and yes, that means mistakes. That's why most of what I write, in my paid work, gets reviewed by another set of eyes before it gets exposed to the general public.

Reasonable people overlook trivial mistakes. It's one of those internet traditions.

The blog posts (not comments) here aren't analogous to usenet posts, they are notionally a professional publication. There is a reason that if you go back far enough in the archives, the comments have vanished and the main posts are still there.

(Incidentally, while we're on the subject, the first sentence of the update is "Reading more of the charges, it looks like Blogo was basically prepred to sell anything he could.")

"There have been at least THREE Illinois governors who have spent time in the slammer. As far as I know, he's the first one to be arrested while still in office. Any historians out there?"

MSNBC says that Blato is the 4th, of the last 8, governors of Illinois to be indicted.

Here in Illinois, we call him "Gov. Doofus.

Around my old neighborhood, Bridgeport, we call him Blowjobovich.

otto kerner and dan walker spent time in various club feds after they were out of office for deeds unrelated to their terms as governor.
george ryan is currently in a club fed for corruption that occurred while he was secretary of state.
blago is the first illinois gov to be busted for corruption that a) occurred while has governor, and b) while he was still in office!

for those keeping score at home: dems-4, repubs- 1

"Does Illinois have a governor's mansion? I guess the free housing wasn't good enough either."

Illinois has a governor's mansion, but Blago is notorious for flying back to his home in Chicago for weekends and any other time he feels like it (like for sports events) on a state plane, so he spends very little time there.

Incidentally, while we're on the subject, the first sentence of the update is ...

please get a life

Given how bad the state budget here in Illinois is right now, selling the Senate seat might be considered a clever and innovative idea. To really make an impact, though, we would have to limit the bidders to Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, and maybe China. We're talkin' several billion needed, and I really don't think the seat is worth it. Selling the seat for a few paltry hundred thou, and Blago keeps the money? I'm shocked!

Does this mean Chicago may lose their Olympic bid?

If they're lucky.

This is the problem with what's essentially a one-party state. He never should have been re-elected.
But then the last Repub governor was indicted as well. You stay classy Illinois!

what's up with harris? he's the one who appears to have been bringing obama into the conversation.

do you suppose harris was working with the feds and told to do this?

The surprising thing, given the corruption in the rest of Illinois politics, is the quality of their Senatorial representation for the last few decades. Obama was preceded by Peter Fitzgerald, Carol Mosely Braun, Alan Dixon and Adlai Stevenson III, not all great, but no real stinkers. But the other seat has been superb, Durbin, preceded by Paul Simon, Charles Percy, and the forgotten Great, Paul Douglas. (Has there ever been a Senatorial Seat that kept this high a quality over four different holders and two changes of party?)

Let's hope whoever gets picked is in the same tradition.

Would we all be amazed if NY governor (replacement for a popularly elected Spitzer) and ILL governor "supposedly clean guy" (replacement for Blag) appoint Independents or Lib Republicans to these open Dem seats?

Huh? Paterson is certainly going to appoint a Democrat - I've never heard anything to suggest even the vaguest rumors to the contrary. I also can't imagine why Pat Quinn, the Illinois lieutenant governor, would appoint a Republican - the guy appears to be a solid party hack.

Why present nonsensical forebodings for no reason at all?

Prup - my sense is that the Illinois political establishment is normally fairly careful to keep the really corrupt guys in state politics, and generally to send high minded types to Washington (although Alan Dixon, as I understand it, was a pretty unremarkable party hack).

Just like to point out that equally pernicious forms of corruption have been going on for seven years now at a national level with apparent immunity.

Strike that "equally" substitute "extremely".

Prup-

I think you forgot that Chuck Percy got taken down by Alex Seith, who, from what I understand and remember, would not make your list. Mike Royko wrote a famous article about that race. I always figured Braun for a hack, too. But Percy, Simon, Stevenson, and Fitzgerald were all quality people, even if you disagreed with them on issues. I'm betting Blago doesn't resign, doesn't get impeached and removed until about June, and the replacement will be Roland Burris, the African-American ex-AG. He's retired now, and will act as a caretaker for two years. Then the Dems will run Lisa Madigan. It's safer for Madigan to get the seat that way, and that's what her daddy will set up. I have no idea what Durbin is talking about when he recommends a special election. Neither, apparently, does Durbin.

On the other hand, there's talk about changing the law to allow a special election. Spoke too soon.

No, Tim H--Percy was defeated by Simon in 1984. Alex Seith did not defeat Percy. Braun was not a party hack, but she wasn't a great candidate, either. Dixon was the party hack you are thinking of.

Quinn as Governor will never appoint Burris to the Senate. And, of course, everyone knows that Lisa Madigan wants to be Governor, not U.S. Senator.

If found guilty, Blagojevich's sentence should include additional jail time for a "Felony Stupidity" charge. That's the crime invented for (1) fugitives wanted in three states for bank robbery and arson, nabbed doing 80 in a school zone; (2) people who leave their children locked in a car in August in Phoenix; (3) politicians who troll for bribes when someone like myself, who doesn't even live in Illinois, has known for at least a year that he was on the hot seat.