Yesterday Gov. Rod Blagojevich Attacked Bank of America, Today the Bush DOJ Makes Him Disappear

[McCamy Taylor]

I am appalled at the number of threads celebrating the latest mob enforcement activity by Bush's Department of (In)Justice. Did we learn nothing from the attack on Eliot Spitzer, who dared to tell the world that Bush facilitated the mortgage meltdown by using the DOJ to stop states from enforcing their banking regulatings and who was then targeted with a phony charge of using official funds and a Mann Act charge that the feds never had any intention of pursuing---all to keep him quiet during the 2008 election season?

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/McCamy%20Tayl...

I do not care what the Illinois Governor did or how much sun shine's out of Fitz's ass. Someone in the the DOJ and someone even higher up in the Bush administration gave the prosecutor the green light to arrest Gov. Rod Blagojevich today because yesterday the Democratic governor dared to fuck with one of the high holies of the Republican business community, a company that had recently been anointed with $25 billion blessed tax payers' dollars--- Bank of America .

And no one in the United States messes with Big Business and lives to tell about it.



What was Blagojevich's real crime , the one that made it necessary to make him an object lesson today? He sided with 250 workers over the interests of employers in a time of economic crisis when the working class is increasingly angry. As I pointed out in my last journal, all the checks which have prevented the American worker from revolting against his corporate master have been removed. We are no longer well paid. We no longer have plenty of free land and opportunity to tempt us when we decide to take this job and shove it. Old prejudices which once divided us are dying. We no longer believe in Puritan dogma about material success being a sign of divine favor. And our innocence has been removed, we have experienced a Great Depression before and so we know how bad it can be. These were the factors that kept us under the thumb of our employers. Now that they are gone, the American worker is more likely to demand a fair shake.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/McCamy%20Tayl...

Yesterday, the Illinois governor was most famous for suspending business with Bank of America Hell, he was practically a folk hero of the left:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ahD...

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich said the state will suspend business with Bank of America Corp. until the lender restores credit to the shuttered Republic Windows & Doors company in Chicago where workers are staging a sit-in.

Blagojevich, a Democrat, spoke at a news conference today after meeting with employees who remained at the factory since Dec. 5, when it closed following the bank’s cancellation of its credit line. Illinois does “hundreds of millions of dollars” in business with the bank, he said. The Illinois Department of Labor will sue the manufacturer if Republic doesn’t respond to employee requests for vacation and severance pay, the governor said in a press release.

Today, he is most famous for being in jail.

This should serve as a reminder (and it will!) to everyone in the U.S. that W. is still in the saddle until mid January. So, if you plan to lead a strike or occupy a building, remember that he can send in the National Guard to bust some heads. If you threaten the profit margin of a Republican donor, he can have you thrown into jail (there is lots of blackmail information on all those "national security tapes"). If you think about encouraging desperate workers to hope that there might be a better way that does not involve minimum wage jobs and waiting for hours at the emergency room for medical care and eating beans seven nights a week because that is all you can afford and sleeping in your car because your house got foreclosed---well, don't even go there, because Big Brother has your number and if he can take down the governors of states like Illinois and New York, he make the rest of the world forget that you were ever born.

[Dreamer Tatum]

1. I ask again: how does this help B of A?

How does the Blogo indictment alter their position in IL one bit?

It doesn't.

[McCamy Taylor]

14. It demoralizes the workers' rights movement. "No one supports us"

is supposed to be the message that workers take away from this. The business community will try to insist that the Democrats only support workers' right when they are about to go to jail. They are trying to demoralize workers so that they will accept crap wages and wont join unions and will do as they are told.

If workers believe that Democrats really have their backs, they will fight for their rights. Watch. There will be lots of talk in the MSM about how the Illinois Gov. was just pretending to support the 250 workers in the factory. That kind of media talk will be designed to squash any burgeoning worker's revolution.

America's business community is scared shitless of socialism.

[MinM]

23. From Fitzgerald's shady dealings in the WTC 93 case...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F1Y6cGRXEs

To his half-assed prosecution of Scooter Libby. Which allowed Cheney and Rove to skate. My guess would be that Fitz will reserve the right to use the Blago/Rezko stuff when/if politically expedient. As with this shot across the bow today.

Thanks, McCamy. Government by Blackmail .. indeed

Merry Fitzmas?

[roguevalley]

55. Blago was late to the banquet in the strike/sit in. He was looking

for brownie points. That he was a crooked shit head forever and ever is his crime. The dork was taken down before he could sully the replacement and bring more shame on Illinois.

[Phred42]

79. IF true it is a message to anyone else to not cross the Bankers

just a Spitzer was.

But Blago has been doing shitty things in this state for years - I don't know a single Dem that approves of him.

The timing is interesting but This guy was scum and we'll have to see

[zbdent]

2. weren't the RWers pissed off at "Bank of America" a couple of years back,

by giving "illegal immigrants" bank accounts? You'd think that B. would be a hero to the right, then, for not wanting to do business with B.O.A. ...

[leftofthedial]

3. to the barricades!

[originalpckelly]

4. Oh bullshit.

Step away from Blagojevich's ass with your hands up!

[cali]

65. and wordy. pretentious bullshit at that- the smelliest kind.

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

5. Fitz had been building a case for three years.

After the failed attempt to solicit a bribe out of Obama, he pounced. No conspiracy.

Also, Boss Curley is still spoken of as a hero among the Boston Irish and its diaspora. That doesn't make him a sterling figure, though.

[NashVegas]

21. Don't You Think That's a Bit MUCH?

If someone is investigated by the Justice Department, at what point into the investigation, if you don't have enough to make a case, do you stop spending taxpayer money?

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

29. No, I don't.

Particularly since Fitz seems clean and effective. Besides, it's not unusual for some cases to take years to crack. Think of Al Capone - he was investigated for years, but the authorities couldn't make anything stick until the racketeering and tax evasion charges came up. The DA didn't give up because it was "known" that Capone was engaged in illegal activities. Likewise Blagojevich was been under fire since 2005 for accusations of corruption, but nothing could stick until now.

[onenote]

99. do you plan to write to chimpy to ask him to pardon George Ryan

after all, if you're offended by a three year investigation, you must think it was a gross miscarriage of justice for the Ryan to be convicted and imprisoned after an eight year investigation.

[DonCoquixote]

6. True, but don't forget

This also give the media a chance to talk about those "corrupt Chicago democrats." The GOP will do everything to Hobble this country into weeping submission, until the masses run crying back to them, the way an abused wife will go back to her husband. The idea is to cripple Obama, and then Rush and CO will see "ok stupid people, never disobey us again, and hand over your social security while you are at it!"

[Raskolnik]

7. "What was Blagojevich's real crime?"

Here's a start: http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/acrobat/2008-12/437...

[NashVegas]

26. Being a Democrat

Look, I would never, in 3 zillion years, say what Blago was doing doesn't stink.

But that doesn't mitigate the fact the Justice Department has been abused for 8 years and is continuing to be abused for political purposes.

[Raskolnik]

34. You are conflating two essentially unrelated issues.

[Garbo 2004]

58. Previous Gov, Ryan wasn't a Dem. He's currently doing time for corruption.

Charges brought by the same US attny.

[GoneOffShore]

112. Ding, ding, ding!

Ladies and gentleman we have a winner.

Thanks for cutting to the chase.

You get the Anti Tin Foil Hat Award combined with the Slayer of Bullshitters medal.

[LisaM]

8. I think that is an interesting take on it, actually

and I have another question, did he actually TAKE any money, or just say that he wanted it?

I'm not defending the guy. I know very little about him. But did he actually take any money for the seat or not?

[Critters2]

27. Didn't take money for this, but he's been taking money for favors

since he's been in office. It's been well-known in Illinois. He needs to go to prison.

[Marrah_G]

9. I hope you purchased the industrial sized roll of Tin Foil

FFS- Those of you convinced this is some grand conspiracy need to get a fucking grip.

[originalpckelly]

11. There is a conspiracy here, the one the governor will be charged with...

for trying to sell the Senate seat.

[Dorian Gray]

108. Exactly.

I'm appalled that anybody on this site is defending his corrupt ass, too!

[blindpig]

74. No conspiricy

Just bidness as usual.

Nobody in their right mind would doubt the corruption of Chicago politicians, it is the timing and manner of the arrest that stinks to high heaven.

People bin watching too much tv, too long

[anigbrowl]

10. Blajogevic has been heading for jailt since spring at least

loooong before the credit crunch took place. Some people were hoping he would take Obama down with him during the primaries. I suggest his position re BofA in Chicago was more opportunism on his part than W's. Your premise is deeply flawed.

[TheUnspeakable]

12. Amen-thanks for this McCamy-people here don't get it

if you look back on the Spitzer threads, most of them didn't get that, either.

[Greyhound]

17. and some of us have had dealing with this creep and get it quite clearly. n/t

[TheUnspeakable]

24. hey-I'm not saying he's not a creep..

I'm just not sure if he's a criminal-honestly i can't get a handle on him. I respect your opinion if you've dealt with him. but i have to say that he gets the WORST press I've ever seen (i'm in Chicago)
and yet i never hear anything concrete. (except today). he's tried to do some good things like child healthcare and free transportation for seniors.

[Greyhound]

36. It is the "Chicago way". Similar to what Huey Long did, but cheaper.

For me the bottom line is that that is not a good way to run a state, or any organization for that matter. He isn't the worst (although possibly among the most indiscreet), and certainly isn't outside the expected norm of behavior in that environment, but he is guilty.

[theboss]

56. Spitzer paid for whores; Blagojevich is a whore

I see the connection.

[WildEyedLiberal]

67. How arrogant and foolish - YOU don't get it

If you lived in Illinois, maybe you WOULD get it, but I'll bet you don't. I'll bet you don't live in New York, either. This tin foil hat crap makes us look as blind as freepers, who are willing to excuse and explain away any corruption by the GOP, no matter how blatant or verifiable. There is AMPLE proof that Blago is every bit the corrupt scumbag Fitzgerald says he is - your unwillingness to accept that says far more about your own biases and addled conspiracy theorizing that it does about the facts at hand.

[NashVegas]

82. They Don't Want To. Nobody Wants to See This May As Well Be 16-18th Century France

Blagojevich was under investigation for three years. Three years.

How many people do you know whose life, under a government microscope, could continue for three years without ever doing anything that could get them brought before a judge.

Taxes? Recreational drugs? Parking tickets?

Now, add to that mix someone with political power.

Tell you what: If Obama is *that* clean, and will pull the rug on any Dem who won't play ball with him (as some are saying it was Rahm who tipped off the Feds on this) by handing them over to the FBI, he's going to start losing friends in a hurry.

[LostinVA]

105. Dis get what? That Spitzer was a raging corrupt egomaniac only outdone by his hypocrisy?

MARTHA STEWART HYPOCRISY

SEXUAL CRIME HYPOCRISY

Moat politicians are corrupt.I don't mind that, unless it cross a line, like Blago. I do mind hypocrisy and taking money from kids' hospitals.

[maddowfan]

13. Oh please, He Had This Coming

Every message out there in response to yesterday's story was that he was a scumbag.

[Greyhound]

15. Blaggo has been a crook for a long time. His siding with the workers may

have triggered the actual event, but it does not mean he is a simple victim. Illinois politics as usual.

[zorahopkins]

16. I'm Uuith You!

I'm Uuith you.

I don't put anything past the illegal and totally corrupt Bush/Cheney regime.

They are nothing but thugs and cronies, and they uuill stop at nothing -- NOTHING!! -- to send a message or to simply be viscious.

They are still im pouuer. They have not been impeached. And they uuill continue to use every tool in their slimy little hands to just be mean and viscious.

Note: In protest of the continuing occupation of OUR Uuhite House by the illegal and totally corrupt Bush/Cheney regime of thugs and cronies, I REFUSE to use the letter betuuen "V" and "X". Instead is simply use "uu".

[SteppingRazor]

18. Ridiculous.

I am floored by how many DUers are taking up this line about Blagojevich's statements regarding BoA being the reason behind his arrest, throwing reason and logic out the window, and ascribing causation in the absence of any and all evidence. Especially when there is so much evidence to the contrary, as a simple perusal of the criminal complaint against Blagojevich would show.


The OP asks "What was Blagojevich's real crime, the one that made it necessary to make him an object lesson today?" and then goes on to discuss yesterday's statements about BoA, as though one followed from the other, without offering any evidence as to why this is so. As stated, this is especially disappointing given the preponderence of evidence in favor of other answers to that question -- for example, that Blagojevich was about to move on appointing a senator who would have gained the seat through corrupt influence. (According to the complaint, the governor was in favor of "Senate candidate #5. Marc Ambinder postulates, somewhat convincingly, that this is Jesse Jackson Jr, and indeed, Jackson met with Blagojevich for almost two hours yesterday). This is an alternative answer to the OP's question, and one that meshes far better with the facts at hand.

It may be painful to admit to corruption within the ranks of the Democratic Party, and for some, it may be oddly painful to admit that the Bush administration simply does not control every aspect of the public and private sector in a totalitarian regime with a democratic facade. But there is corruption inside the Democratic Party (less so today with the arrest of the governor and the removal of William Jefferson in Louisiana through the electoral process), and the Bush administration is not some unseen éminence grise controlling all from the shadows.

[ProfessorGAC]

114. Well Said, Razor!

I know it's easy to ascribe such motives to the Bush mob. But, in this case, i think those ascriptions are in error because Blago is, indeed, dirty.
GAC

[Dreamer Tatum]

19. So...let's sum up. One month after the election that put an IL Dem in the WH

...the Dem Governor from IL gets indicted. After three years of investigations of one stripe or another.

We're supposed to smell conspiracy here? Really? Gee, if there was a conspiracy to be had, wouldn't you
think they'd have tried something, oh, a couple of months ago?

And if this is truly a conspiracy by a lame duck administration, then can you please tell me which channel the
Obama press conference is on? You know, the one where he vigorously defends his Governor and promises a pardon
as soon as his ass hits the Oval Office chair?

Give me a break.

[JoDog]

20. Where's the proof

of a connection between the BofA statements and the arrest? I haven't seen any yet.

The truth of the matter is that Blago is scum and has been scum for some time. I even voted for Republican Judy Baar Topinka over him in the last election due to the film of slime on the man.

Personally, I think that Fitzgerald decided to move fast when it became clear that Blago was courting bribes for pending legislation and auctioning off a Senate seat. At the end of the day, remember that...he was caught on tape selling a seat to the Senate. The timing of the arrest was an attempt to stop that from happening.

This has nothing to dow with the occupation of the Republican Window Factory.

[izzie99]

22. Thank You

Yes, Spitzer was also challenging BoA.

[B Calm]

25. Finally an Opening Post using COMMON SENSE!

[McCamy Taylor]

28. One post to cover some of the responses above.

Three years of Department of Injustice investigation only means that you are a Democrat in this administration. Selective investigation and prosecution has made a mockery of the law. In Texas, we know what real political corruption is and nothing in Illinois can match it. But the Bush DOJ has done nothing here---except spend years investigating every single Black Democratic city politician in Dallas and then finally they indicted one woman for taking some carpet from someone.

Why is Fitz in Illinois? Because it is full of Democrats and he is a pit bull.

Why now? Because this is supposed to be Obama's Whitewater.

Why now ? Because of Bank of America. The Illinois Governor provided hope to a lot of workers. He said, in effect, the Democratic Party has your back. We will side with you against the banks and the owners. The Bushites could not let that message stick. No hope for the working class. Today, we will be hearing the MSM pundits (and people at DU) declaring that the Gov.---and, by extension all Democrats are lying for political gain when they express solidarity with the workers. You thought someone had your back? April fools. Get back to your job flipping burgers.

The timing of this could not be more obvious to the men and women at home who are desperate for some relief from the dead end misery of their lives. If anyone tries to buck the system, the system will destroy him. People in other states are not going to give a rat's ass what the Illinois governor is accused of doing. They will just see the one act and then the result and say to themselves cause and effect ---

And that is exactly the way that Bush and Big Business want it.

[onenote]

48. ever hear of George Ryan?

I imagine you have. But in case its slipped your mind, he was indicted and ultimately convicted and imprisoned for corruption after an eight year investigation. When was he charged? 2003. Tried in 2005. Imprisoned in 2007. Who was the prosecutor? Fitz. And who is George Ryan? The repub governor of Illinois.

You can dream about conspiracies and make any generalizations you want, but the facts don't support your claim that Fitz was part of some conspiracy to go after democrats and leave repubs alone.

[WildEyedLiberal]

60. I love these people who don't know dick about Illinois politics pontificating about this

Everyone knew Blago was corrupt when he was first elected but a) Jim RYAN was way too closely tied to Geoege Ryan to possibly win (ditto Judy Baar Topinka), and, let's be honest, Chicago likes its Democrats corrupt. To feign shock and surprise or imply that this has shit to do with Bush (I love how EVERYTHING that happens in the US is orchestrated by Bush - if he were such an all-powerful svengali I imagine we'd have President-elect McCain, but I digress) is to display utter ignorance of the sewer-backwash politics of this state.

[cali]

69. I'm sorry, that's just as loony as the freeper birth certificate crap

If timing was the issue, indicting him prior to the election would have been much more damaging to Obama.

You really have jumped the shark.

[blindpig]

75. Right fuckin' on. n/t

[hogwyld]

30. That's the difference between the D's and the R's

We throw the D's under the bus at any insinuation of less than puritanical conduct, while the R's together fight the accusations to the end. He MAY be a corrupt politician, of which due process will illuminate, but he's OUR corrupt politician...

[no limit]

43. Fuck that, he's not MY politician

he can burn in hell for all I care, I don't care what the label at the end of his name says.

[WildEyedLiberal]

61. That's because Ds care about the rule of law and Rs only care about team loyalty

Clinging to "your" party's corrupt douchebags isn't exactly virtuous...

[NashVegas]

113. Beltway D's Only Care About the Rules of Law When

A: someone gets caught breaking them
B: someone won't play ball with the cool kids - then they make sure he gets caught.

[onenote]

63. what a positively progressive sentiment!

[sufrommich]

68. Blather. nt

[Telly Savalas]

94. "Our" corrupt politician? Fuck that noise.

The Democratic Party I support is an advocate for good government.

Corruption is bad government.

Attempting to sell a Senate seat to the highest bidder isn't "less than puritanical conduct", it's a felony and a breach of the public trust. If "we" find that acceptable, then I'll find another "us" to join.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

31. Was it also a conspiracy when they took down Ryan..who also did a good thing?

[Exultant Democracy]

32. It was Rahm who sent him up the river to clear the path for candidate 1...the good guys won today

[malaise]

33. Yep I too wondered about the timing

but I'm comfortable with this take down.

[Orsino]

35. If you're concerned about timing...

...wait and see how long Fitz took to get Blagojevich on tape, and how quickly after that he pounced.

[smitty]

37. Blagojevich is corrupt and a phony populist, nothing more.

His "standing up" to the Bank of America is a pathetic attempt to garner support from the Illinois public which recently gave him a less than 35% approval rate.

[AngryAmish]

38. You really have no idea what you are talking about.

Now, as punishment, you must write 150 times "Correlation does not mean causation."

Until I receive that, no more posting for you!

[gmudem]

39. Nope. Blago is just a crooked asshole.

It appears that Rahm Emanuel may have helped speed up the arrest too.

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/12/09/rahm-blago /

DU'ers really need to take off their tin foil hats. The little I know about Blago before this is that he was very crooked, and many Illinois DU'ers are not surprised at all by his arrest. This is a Democrat we are better off without.

[smitty]

49. Exactly, As a Wisconsite I've been reading about the political

corruption in Illinois for many years---both Democrat and Republican. Both parties have a problem with endemic corruption that has put politicians from both parties in jail.

[tammywammy]

40. Yes, they clearly started the wiretap around 8 weeks ago, b/c they knew that yesterday he was going

to speak out against Bank of America.

How about Blagojevich is one corrupt politician that has been under investigation for years and that's why he was arrested. He only spoke out against Bank of America because it would swindle a certain segment of the population into his favor and by reading DU his plan apparently did work for some.

He's one corrupt SOB, and I'm for one damn glad he's finally been arrested.

[B Calm]

50. Bush justice department trying to find something on Obama would

be more likely. . .

[tammywammy]

77. No, the most likely story is that Blago is a corrupt politician to the highest degree

He's been corrupt this whole time, that's why they were investigating him in the first place.


But, hey he spoke out against Bank of America yesterday so apparently he can't be corrupt to some people on here.

[B Calm]

109. No doubt Blago is a corrupt politician. I do think they

were looking for something, anything, on Obama. Republicans are getting seriously worried about Obama's Justice Department coming in January. . .

[apocalypsehow]

41. Chem-trails everywhere this morning. It chills me to the bone.

[Occam Bandage]

42. Here I thought that today he was most famous for openly demanding bribes. nt

[Crabby Appleton]

44. Oh Bullshit

[no limit]

45. Google logical fallacy

[yodermon]

54. Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc?

[AngryAmish]

87. Not even that

This complaint was signed on Sunday - before the B of A stuff. They just couldn't get around to arresting him until today.

[blogslut]

46. no

n/t

[The Backlash Cometh]

47. Don't be played by someone's eleventh hour act of charity.

[DonCoquixote]

51. Let's assume some things

Let's assume Blogo is 100 percent guilty. Yes, we do need to police our own. However, in light of the way so many GOP members got caught red-handed, do you think there is not at least some revenge in this, or some good old fashioned smearing? We all know the GOP is vindictive, and to think this is not meant to at least send a message is silly. Of course, Obama could be throwing him to the dogs too, after all, the tapes show Blogo was not a fan of Obama. It's ye olde Sista Soulja moment. However, this could backfire, as in the month plus that W. is still in office, do you honestly think that they could not cook up a sweet series of things for Blogo to "confess" about Obama. It's a sweet deal, rot in jail, or become a Millionaire being praised on Fox news.

[truebrit71]

52. Complete, total UTTER horseshit....he is a frigging crook and he got busted...

...very, very simple...

[AZ Criminal JD]

53. "I do not care what the Illinois Governor did"

That remark by the OP says it all. What a crazy post. The OP thinks the U.S. Attorney's Office could come up with a 78 page criminal complaint overnight. Lunacy reigns.

[WildEyedLiberal]

57. PLEASE - this case has been building for YEARS

Here's a hint: we can't mock freepers for their blindness to the GOP's rampant corruption when we turn right around and stick our heads in the sand about corrupt shitbag Democrats. Blagojevich is an embarrassment to the state and to the party. Yeah, I agree with some of his policies - THAT DOESN'T MAKE HIM IMMUNE TO THE LAW! Jesus! DUers are so chest-thumpingly righteous about the "rule of law" when Republicans violate it, but go strangely silent when a prominent Dem fucks up. What Blago is doing is exactly what George Ryan, our previous Republican governor who is now serving a jail sentence, did - a feel-good PR stunt to take the heat off his own misconduct. Ryan put a moratorium on the death penalty, which was a good thing. Blago is supporting striking workers, which is a good thing. Neither good thing erases the fact that they both were completely corrupt and rotten gangster politicians. Stop making goddamn excuses, people. It makes us look like, you know, hypocrites.

[ScreamingMeemie]

66. Thank you...

I am tired of seeing us react in the same manner as the Republicans when it happens to be one of our own. No quarter for corruption, whether it's Spitzer, Blagojevich etal.

[blondeatlast]

59. You are citing Bloomberg to prop your case against Blago's (justified) detractors. NO SALE.

contrary to what many here wanted to believe last summer, Bloomberg is hardly a progressive and no friend of us, either.

[TexasObserver]

62. Yes, it's remarkable how many truly gullible people there are.

This blind faith in whatever a bush appointee says is difficult to fathom. Some here simply cannot get it through their heads that much of what they see in the bush Justice department is nothing but politically orchestrated hit jobs.

The governor may be dirty, but it is a safe bet so are most of the GOP governors that are sitting right now. This one was targeted, just like Rezco was targeted. They're trying to get cases going that can be used to dig at Obama, to try to get someone, anyone, to make allegations against him.

We've seen this all before. The GHWB hacks did the same thing.

At best, Patrick Fitzgerald is a useful idiot to the Bush machine. At worst, he's their errand boy.

[sufrommich]

73. They've got him on tape ,the gullible here are the ones who

see a conspiracy theory whenever things don't work the exact way they perceive it should have . Again,THEY'VE GOT HIM ON TAPE!What is your explanation for the powerful republicans that have fallen in the past 8 years?Were they sacrificial lambs slaughtered for just this moment?

[TexasObserver]

76. The gullible are those who believe prosecutors before trial.

You haven't heard the tapes, have you?

All you know is that someone has told you that.

[Raskolnik]

80. Still haven't bothered to actually learn about the investigation, have you?

But obviously you don't let a little thing like a total lack of knowledege about the actual subject at hand stop you from posting about it.

[NeedleCast]

64. Naive

His move yesterday was only to briefly garner some level of popularity as he probably knew this was coming. Are you really going to argue that people who are pretty obviously guilty as hell shouldn't be punished because of some (probably imaginary) scheme by "big brother?"

[yardwork]

70. What is the evidence that the governor was ever a "folk hero of the left?"

I asked in a separate thread and so far nobody has presented any evidence.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[nemo137]

100. I'm on the left and in Illinois and this is the first I'd heard of it.

Folk hero? Not so much. Object of much deserved contempt and ridicule? Certainly.

[McCamy Taylor]

71. Two Words.....Gov. Siegelman and one picture

Maybe we should search the archives of DU and find all the people who celebrates when Eliot Spitzer was thrown out of office by the Bush DOJ and when Don Seigelman was thrown out of office by the Bush DOJ. You know, the ones who proclaimed that the Democratic Party was better off without them.

[TexasObserver]

84. Yep, the same crew of "but the prosecutors are always just" advocates at work.

Sometimes you have to wonder where these people have had their heads the past eight years.

But then again, you don't.

[Raskolnik]

91. Could you please point to one post that said, or implied, "the prosecutors are always just?"

Thanks in advance.

[terrya]

72. Or maybe he's a crass, corrupt scumbag.

That's how I'm leaning.

That greedy motherfucker just gave the Republicans the Governor's Mansion in 2010.

[Raskolnik]

83. If there were anywhere but Illinois, I would agree with you.

But the GOP in Illinois is perhaps the most inept, bumbling, Keystone Cops political party in the country.

You've got to understand: this isn't really news to people in Illinois. We may not have known the exact details, but *everyone* knew Blago was corrupt the last time he ran, and the GOP couldn't do a thing with it.

[NashVegas]

110. I Think "Crass" May Be A Key Word

If he were a little less working class, I suspect his shenanigans would have been a LOT more subtle, and played by the rules the country club set accepts.

Had he been a little less "I want this and this and this," and a little more, "you know Rahmmie, these days you go to DC, you come out and next thing, you're making millions and millions from the contacts you make. So whoever gets this appointment, they get opportunities. I just want to make sure I'm appointing and handing those opportunities to the right person," he'd have been taken care of, quietly, and Fitz would still be piecing together a case.

[originalpckelly]

78. So the sit-in worked and the company has been extended credit by BOA

This is BS.

[cali]

81. which completely blows the epically silly tinfoil theory put forth by the OP

[onenote]

85. nah, it just means that it was a far more complex conspiracy...

one that we average mortals could never comprehend.

[leftstreet]

86. Hmm. I guess the workers won't be picketing BOA tomorrow as they'd planned

snips

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aJ0...

Republic’s Fired Workers Plan Bank of America Protest (Update1)

By Brian Louis and Kathleen M. Howley
Dec. 9 (Bloomberg)

The workers’ union is planning a rally at noon tomorrow at the Bank of America building in downtown Chicago as the factory sit-in becomes the center of the debate over how more than $700 billion in federal funds are used to help the world’s largest economy weather the worst economic decline since the 1930s. Government bailout money should be used to help businesses such as Republic Windows rather than Wall Street firms and global banks, the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, which represents the Republic workers, said on its Web site.

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich said yesterday that Bank of America won’t get any more state business until it restores the line of credit. The governor and John Harris, his chief of staff, were arrested today by FBI agents on unrelated corruption charges. The two men are scheduled to appear today in federal court in Chicago, according to a statement by Chicago U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald.

Bank of America has managed the sale of at least $2.1 billion in municipal bonds within the state of Illinois in the past four years, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

[mapleboard]

88. They did it to Spitzer, too!

The $200 billion bail-out for predator banks and Spitzer charges are intimately linked

http://www.gregpalast.com/elliot-spitzer-gets-nailed /

Patrick Fitzgerald is no hero, he's a Republican appointed shill who, for some reason, is being made out to be a hero. He failed to bring charges against Karl Rove, but is lightning fast against a Democrat.

CREW WRITES PATRICK FITZGERALD ASKING TO RE-OPEN ROVE CASE IN LIGHT OF MISSING EMAILS

http://www.citizensforethics.org/node/27630

Merry Fitzmas!!!!! Another shill: Patrick Fitzgerald!!!

[mapleboard]

89. The bigger corruption...

The point is...that they KNOW of all the corruption of politicians...and bring it out conveniently like bribery. THAT is the bigger corruption!!!

[Thickasabrick]

90. This is bullshit, I heard Rahm gave the lead to investigators. nt

[Brazenly Liberal]

92. What was his real crime? Are you kidding? He tried to sell a Senate seat.

And the reason for the timing was to prevent the deal from actually going down.

Here in Illinois, the arrest was not much of a surprise. He's been well known for some time to be a crook whose day was coming. No politician with any credibility of his/her own has anything more to do with Blago these days than is necessary. Obama locked him out of the campaign completely and he's had no role, not even as a minor advisor, on the transition.

[Withywindle]

102. My favorite is the way he tried to shake down a CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.

What a charmer.

http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/blagojevich.shakedown.h...

[Brazenly Liberal]

107. Really! Children's Memorial, no less

a venerable Chicago institution if ever there was one. It really shows just how pathological he is. He thinks he is invulnerable and can get away with anything.

Don't you just love the way he was on TV inviting one and all to tape him less than 24 hours before he was busted? This guy needs a good long look at the inside of a prison cell.

[jane_pippin]

93. This was funnier when Wonkette posted it.

http://wonkette.com/404828/404828#comments

[AllentownJake]

95. Bullshit

He was a fucking crook. He supported Reagan during the 80s and voted for the Iraq war. The only reason he was a democrat is because his father in law was a powerful democratic Chicago Alderman and opened doors for him in our party. The guy is fucking scum. He was going after Bank of America to try to win him some popularity because according to the tapes the mother fucker new he was going to jail soon and that people like you would believe stupidly he was targetted by Bush.

[pat_k]

96. a kick for sanity n/t

[Luciferous]

97. The guy deserves to be in jail, it has nothing to do with BoA nt

[onenote]

98. yesterday it was chilly in Chicago. Today Blago finally gets what he deserves

Makes more sense this way.

[Posteritatis]

101. "I do not care what the Illinois Governor did" ... Clearly! (nt)

[donheld]

103. You shame every Democrat with your bullshit

Both Blagojevich and Spitzer are responsible for their own sins. Bushie did not make these fools commit the crimes they committed. You taking up for them only makes our side look as supportive of what they did as the republicans do when they stick up for Bush, Rove, Cheney ETC.

[AngryOldDem]

104. From what I understand...

...this was a culmination of a three-year investigation. At least. Long before Republic Windows went under.

And I seriously doubt either the federal government or the judicial system could crack down so swiftly the DAY AFTER the protest.

My guess is Blago saw this coming and tried to mitigate it by standing up for the worker and making a good photo op.

We don't need people like him in the spotlight right now. Not when there are so many looking for any kind of backsplash they can throw on Obama. The sooner this guy is gone, the better.

I know -- I'm full of shit. Like I haven't heard that before. I'm just TIRED of constantly hearing excuses for bad behavior, be it on the public or private stage.

[Skidmore]

106. Jesu! Some Dems are corrupt.

And deserve to be jailed and removed from power. Blago is richly deserving of what is happening to him now. The nation is well served when people of this ilk are removed from power.

[B Calm]

111. I think the message here is we need to get money out of politics. Right

now we have the best government money can buy. I would like to see government for the people!

[Justpat]

115. The man is a stinking crook

and a disgrace to the Democratic party.

He belongs in jail with the other Illinois governors who were just as bad and are serving
time for corruption.