Looks like a Special election is coming for Blagojevich's pay to play Senate seat
By John Amato Tuesday Dec 09, 2008 2:25pmI guess Blag was just emulating a Bush style of entrepreneurship when he tried to sell off the Senate Seat. What a disgusting display of power. Wow....
Did Rahm Emanuel leak info about Blagojevich to the Feds?
Democratic Illinois Sen. Richard Durbin called for a special election to fill the vacancy left by former colleague, President-elect Barack Obama, following the indictment of Gov. Rod Blagojevich over charges he used pay-to-play tactics to appoint Obama’s successor.
Illinois state law provides for the governor to appoint a successor if a Senate vacancy occurs mid-term, but Durbin said today that the process has been tainted. “No appointment by this governor could produce a credible replacement,” he said in a statement.
To hold a special election the general assembly would have to enact a law setting up the terms of a special election. According to The Capitol Fax Blog, retiring Senate President Emil Jones—one of the candidates interested in Obama’s seat—said he would convene a special session to pass legislation to allow for a special election. A spokeswoman for Jones did not immediately return a request for comment.
I saw Jan Schakowsky on CNN before the Fitz Presser and she said she knew nothing about Blagos illegal activities and wants to see him impeached.
However, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., said the legislature should begin impeachment proceedings if Blagojevich does not resign promptly.
State Representative John Fritchey, one of the dozen or so serious contenders for Blagojevich's (and Rahm Emanuel's) old House seat, claims impeachment proceedings will begin immediately.
“The charges against Governor Blagojevich are appalling and represent as serious a breach of the public trust as I have ever heard. It is clear that anyone Governor Blagojevich appoints to the Senate will fairly or unfairly be tainted by questions of impropriety. A different process to select a new Senator must be put in place – and that process should not involve Governor Blagojevich.”
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The shenanigans he was considering are common-place in all levels of government.
They're just not usually conducted with such disdain for appearances, or with such a public display of quid-pro-quo-tidian forthrightness.
he was a little too honest?
You're precisely right although I'm not sure I'd consider Blagojevich honest. I think he deserves great credit for removing the giant fig leaf that covers most politicians today. Of course the media won't pick up on this aspect of the story -- "pay for play" is the way business is done. It's too complex for simple American minds. We are quite stupid and easily manipulated people.
"You promise to push my pet legislation through the senate, and you campaign for me and help me raise money for my next election, and I'll appoint you to this office," rather than, "You give my wife a seat on this corporate board so she makes $150K/year, fire your editorial board or I'll make the sale of your team a nightmare, and make direct donations to my campaign fund THEN I'll appoint you to this office."
There are a few GOP congressmen who've been investigated for making demands such as the latter of the two I just supplied (which happens to be what Blagojevich was demanding, per the indictment).
And the reason that Americans don't hear these things isn't because they're too stupid, it's the fact that the MSM is, too often, in bed with the crooks.
The MSM is not necessarily in bed with the crooks. They're victims too of the manipulation and political blackmail.
It goes like this: Pol: "You cover me well, and I'll invite you to all the fancy dinner parties at the White House." "You provide 'fair' coverage, and we'll give you the best leaks." "You report our spin and you get to fly on THE BIG PLANE!"
Blagojevich's sin is that he did it openly. It's about time!
Reminds me of when Jerry Tarkanian, the old college basketball coach, responded when he lost a big recruit.
"We got vanned!"
The reporter asked what Tark meant by, "vanned".
"We offered him a sports car, they offered him a custom van."
Frank? Sure. Ballsy? Definitely- big brass balls on display. But heroic? No fucking way. It's as heroic as walking into a liquor store and robbing it at gunpoint rather than sneaking in through the skylight after hours and cracking the safe.
It's all a big racket.
It's not very nice of me to say this, but I wish someone would muss up Blago's hair. Make him suffer, I say!
That's a full head of thick, Slavic hair. I don't think he dyes it either.
ps, there might be a clipper headed your way. Sorry about that, but don't blame Canada!
hehe
We're experiencing sleet/freezing rain today after a weekend full of snow.
Can't you guys do something up there like start the world's largest tire fire and fuck up the atmosphere so I can experience a milder, greener winter? Please?
If it's any consolation, by Monday our temps will be -30C, wind chill of -40C. Yikes!
FoxNews was trying all day to pull a "Was Obama palling around with Blagojevich?". Fair and Balanced.
This guy certainly sounds like he a creep but whatever happened to all the people that were supposed to get caught when Jack Abramhoff spilled his beans? That investigation seems to have died.
That's why nothing happened in that case.
And the reason that Obama won't be tied to this is because Bagjevich seems to have made nothing but enemies in Illinois. You realize that Obama's CoS, Rahm Emanuel, is being given the credit for tipping off Fitzpatrick, don't you?
I heard that as of 3:00 this afternoon, MST, Blag was free on bail and not even remotely subdued by this experience. ;
Isn't it interesting how the Democrats are the ones rushing to condemn the obvious corruption, and the Republicans are the ones trying to tie it to Obama?
As far as the special election - not going to happen unless they impeach Blago first or he resigns, at least not for a while. He's not going to sign a bill stripping him of his power to make the Senate appointment, and he could pocket veto it at this point.
Even if Blag is arrogant enough to appoint someone, the US Senate votes on who is seated. I trust the system.
But the Senate doesn't have the power to deny seating anyone- elected or appointed- for any reason other than those spelled out specifically in the Constitution (Powell v. McCormack).
What I can envision is the Illinois State Legislature passing a bill requiring a special election, Bagojevich vetoing the bill, and the legislature overriding the veto. It appears to me that, per the 17th Amendment, the state legislature has that right:
The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.
When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of each State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.
This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.
Three states (Alaska, Arizona and Massachussetts) don't allow the governor to make temporary appointments. I can't see what would keep Illinois from disallowing it, even just temporarily.
Dana Carvey for the Senate!
Wouln't that be SPECIAL?
"Oh, my"
Has he confessed? Or doesn't he get the benefit of a trial? Sure, he's probably guilty as hell, but if we want to hold people accountable to the rule of law (Bush, Cheney, et al), then it has to be everybody.
I don't know ? It seems to me, that Blago will have to resign.
Which would make Lt Governor Pat Quinn the man on the spot.
He would have to choose who will fill Obama's seat.
Just so you know, Lt Governor Pat Quinn is a Democrat.
I say throw that pinhead in jail. He's making us all look bad.
That's a coward's way out.Illinois provides for impeachment and removal, followed up by Pat Quinn, a not-crook, appointing someone.
Apparently the Lege might not have the stomach to go on record with this, preferring to punt it somewhere else. Just like our coward Congress.
OJ and Blago!
Not only should Governor Blah Blah Blah have been more careful about daring the powers that be to try to find "dirt" on him, but the people of Illinois who have blindly followed him since the beginning should have REALLY been careful what they wished for. When the Democratics of Illinois in their inimitable 'wisdom' chose Big Rob as their candidate to run for governor INSTEAD of Paul Vallas, they really blew it. Paul is one of the most honorable, decent, ethical and hard working people I have ever known, but he is probably one of the very last who truly does care about doing the right thing for EVERYONE - not just his political friends. Paul would have been a true means for change in Illinois, but alas, his honesty as CEO of Chicago Schools posed a threat to Mayor Daley who had to have been afraid that Paul would be a serious threat to his possession of Chicago's throne. Paul didn't want to be mayor, but a lot of other people believed that he would have been a fantastic Governor - one who truly would have worked for the betterment of the Illinois and its people. Too bad he didn't have the political connections that Big Rob had at the time. The people of Illinois made their wish and have now paid the price for it. Maybe they'll be smarter next time.
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