Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was led from his house wearing handcuffs yesterday. That would be his house in Chicago. You may recall that Rod refused to occupy the governor's mansion in Springfield. That is just one of Rod's charming behaviors in the Illinois political spotlight, the mansion thing.Rod may have had much greater foresight as a salesman than he displayed as a governor or as a future felon, staying out of Springfield in favor of Chicago. After all, the action is up in Chicago. If a guy is looking to get the best price for a soon to be vacated position as a United States Senator, you probably don't want to be stuck in downstate Illinois. You need to be in a better traffic area. You gotta be around your pals. You gotta have foresight.
To hear the words of U.S. Attorney Pat Fitzgerald that Rod's actions "would make Lincoln roll over in his grave" is to hear the public damnation of a man accused of a heinous crime, those words coming from a public servant who sees the most repulsive criminal acts.
Enter Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, quick to let the good citizens of Illinois know just where he stands on the issue. Following is from CNN.com :
At a press conference Tuesday, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, a Democrat, said he wants the Illinois legislature to act quickly to pass a law setting a special election to fill Obama's seat, in order to prevent Blagojevich from making a tainted appointment or there being a lengthy vacancy in the Senate.
"No appointment by this governor under these circumstances could produce a credible replacement," Durbin said.
Johnny on the spot, that's our Dick Durbin!
I would like to replay three more statements about the Illinois governor.
1.) A statement made by Patrick Fitzgerald, the fellow who just arrested Rod. In this case he was talking about another Illinois governor, Rod's predecessor, George Ryan (from the Chicago Tribune online dated April 17, 2006):
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."
2.) A statement from Dick Durbin (December 2, 2008 Chicago Tribune online), explaining why he was asking for George Ryan's sentence to be commuted:
"For those who would argue that a commutation makes light of his crimes, it is clear that he has already paid a significant price and will continue to do so as long as he lives," Durbin wrote of Ryan in a letter to Bush. "Justice is a sword that should be tempered with compassion. Further imprisonment will not, in my opinion, serve the ends of justice."
3.) Next (Chicago Tribune online of November 28, 2008):
Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who rode into state office pledging to clean up the corruption of his predecessor, said Thursday that President George W. Bush should commute the federal prison sentence of former Gov. George Ryan to time served as an act of compassion. Blagojevich...contended Ryan had paid "a significant price" for what he termed "mistakes." ...Blagojevich said a commutation by Bush would be a "fine decision."
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."
2.) A statement from Dick Durbin (December 2, 2008 Chicago Tribune online), explaining why he was asking for George Ryan's sentence to be commuted:
"For those who would argue that a commutation makes light of his crimes, it is clear that he has already paid a significant price and will continue to do so as long as he lives," Durbin wrote of Ryan in a letter to Bush. "Justice is a sword that should be tempered with compassion. Further imprisonment will not, in my opinion, serve the ends of justice."
3.) Next (Chicago Tribune online of November 28, 2008):
Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who rode into state office pledging to clean up the corruption of his predecessor, said Thursday that President George W. Bush should commute the federal prison sentence of former Gov. George Ryan to time served as an act of compassion. Blagojevich...contended Ryan had paid "a significant price" for what he termed "mistakes." ...Blagojevich said a commutation by Bush would be a "fine decision."
You gotta have pals. Next move, Senator Durbin?
