Category Archives: Blagojevich Impeachment

Blagojevich impeachment trial, January 29, 2009, IL governor Blagojevich impeached, Blagojevich closing argument, Prosecutor closing statement, Chicago corruption, Pay to play, Illinois Senate, Blagojevich tapes

The Impeachment Trial of Governor Rod Blagojevich of IL
is expected to conclude on Thursday, January 29, 2009.
The senate prosecutor will provide his closing statement
and Rod Blagojevich has announced that he will provide
a closing argument. It is believed that Blagojevich will
be allowed to attend.

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Blagojevich impeachment trial, January 28, 2009, IL governor Blagojevich impeached, Chicago Tribune editorial, Let’s make a deal, Chicago corruption, Pay to play, Illinois Senate, Blagojevich tapes, John Johnston

** Breaking News Below **

First the good news, The Chicago Tribune provided good coverage
of the Tony Rezko trial and actually provided some articles
critical of Obama and Blagojevich.

Now for the bad news.

The Chicago Tribune endorsed Obama and like most of the MSM
participated in slobbering over the “messiah”.

Now for the latest statement from the Tribune that leaves one
in a state of jaw dropping incredulity:

“We don’t know about the members of the Illinois Senate. But
we’ve heard enough.”

Ya think!!!!

The Chicago Tribune, located in, well duh, Chicago, has been well
aware of the corruption that Blagojevich and Obama were enmeshed
in and that is the best they can come with? No wonder readership
of most newspapers is down across the country.

Chicago Tribune editorial dated January 28, 2009:

“Let’s make a deal
January 28, 2009

For several days now, Rod Blagojevich has yodeled the same tune into
every microphone in sight (as opposed to any FBI microphones that
aren’t). You’ve heard his lyrics time and again: I haven’t listened
to the tapes . . . When you hear the whole story . . . The truth will
come out . . . If only I could call witnesses-witnesses-witnesses.

Now we’ve all heard four of the tapes. We’ve heard several elements
of one subplot in this debacle—the governor’s alleged effort to obtain
a contribution in return for signing a bill that would direct a
percentage of casino revenue to the horse-racing industry. More of the
truth now has come out. And we’ve heard one unwitting, unwilling
witness, the governor of Illinois: His voice boomed through the Illinois
Senate chamber Tuesday as senators listened to the recordings.

The tapes don’t sizzle with the melodrama a screenwriter would script.
Stitch these minutes of conversation into an episode of “24” and Jack
Bauer himself would doze off.

These conversations are, though, remarkable: They tug us inside the
dealing by which a governor allegedly agrees to trade an official act
for lucre. We’ll see what the state senators now conducting the
governor’s impeachment trial make of the tapes. To our ears, the
urgency and enthusiasm in the governor’s voice are as disturbing as
his evident desire to trade quid pro quo.”

Read more here:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0128edit1jan28,0,1633758.story

Listen to Blagojevich Impeachment Trial

** Breaking News **

Rod Blagojevich will appear at his impeachment trial
on Thursday, January 29, 2009 to present a closing
argument.

Rod Blagojevich impeachment trial, January 27, 2009, IL Governor impeachment, Obama ties, IL Health Planning Facilities Board, Bid rigging, Obama senate seat, Rezko, Levine, Weinstein, Criminal complaint, Blagojevich indictment, Patrick Fitzgerald

The impeachment trial of Governor Rod Blagojevich of Illinois
began on Monday, January 26, 2009. Governor Blagojevich was
not present at the trial Monday, instead he continued his
road show antics of pleading innocence and being the victim
of a witch hunt. Anyone that followed the Tony Rezko trial,
read the indictments of Rezko, Stuart Levine, Dr. Robert
Weinstein and a host of others and compared those revelations
to the details of the Blagojevich criminal complaint knows
of Rod Blagojevich’s deep involvement in Chicago pay to play
politics. It is also clear that the case against Blagojevich
is not simply about selling Obama’s senate seat, but about
many years of corruption that ties Blagojevich to many Chicago
corruption figures as well as Obama.

One of the more flagrant cases of corruption involving
Blagojevich and Obama was their part in rigging the IL Health
Planning Facilities Board. Obama was in the IL Senate at that
time and was instrumental in reducing the number of members
from 15 to 9. Why is that important? Because the governor, Rod
Blagojevich, had the power to appoint up to 5 members.
Blagojevich, in cahoots with Rezko and Levine, appointed
members that would follow their wishes and consequently Obama and
Blagojevich received campaign contributions from the new
members. The board was involved in bid rigging.

Obama and Blagojevich and Health Planning Board rigging

Obama, Blagojevich and IL Teachers Retirement System
reveal more Chicago and Illinois corruption ties.

Obama corruption ties in IL TRS should lead to indictment

Blagojevich investigation should lead to Obama Indictment

Listen to Blagojevich Impeachment Trial

Governor Rod Blagojevich Impeachment trial, Chicago IL, January 26, 2009, Live audio, Listen to Impeachment trial, Patrick Fitzgerald criminal complaint, Chicago corruption, Obama senate seat, Obama and blagojevich ties

The impeachment trial of Governor Rod Blagojevich began
today, January 26, 2009, without Blagojevich being present.

Listen to Blagojevich Impeachment Trial

Chicago Tribune article on Impeachment

Article by Chicago lawyer, Gerald D. Skoning on Chicago
corruption:

“Illinois needs a corruption-avoidance program
By Gerald D. Skoning
January 26, 2009”

“Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s campaign fund recently announced expenditures
totaling more than $1.3 million despite the fact that he’s not running
for anything other than his political life and possibly jail. The
recent disbursements from Blagojevich’s campaign war chest include
$705,000 to Winston & Strawn, $500,000 to his former criminal defense
lawyer Ed Genson and another $100,000 for criminal defense co-counsel
Sheldon Sorosky. At this rate, the governor’s campaign fund, which
swelled to $2.7 million in 2008, could potentially be emptied by legal
expenses.

Political campaign funding in Illinois is a scandalous mess. Antiquated
laws allow politicians to virtually use their campaign coffers as
unregulated slush funds.

When a politician raises campaign funds, those dollars should only be
used for that campaign for that office—print and broadcast media
advertising, retaining political advisers and campaign staff, phone
banks to get out the vote and Internet gurus to mass-produce blast
e-mails, and so on.”

Read more here:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-oped0126fundjan26,0,7043294.story