Eugene Robinson: Maybe the Only Crime Was by Blago’s Barber

[marmar]

from Truthdig:



Maybe the Only Crime Was by Blago’s Barber

Posted on Jan 27, 2009
By Eugene Robinson


Is Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich about to be impeached on grounds of loopiness, obnoxiousness and a bad haircut? Apparently so. In defense of the Illinois state senators who seem to have already decided the governor’s fate, however, the haircut really does border on the criminal.

But it is unclear to me what else Blagojevich has done that a duly constituted jury would find illegal. Even in the matter of his menacing mop, at worst he’s a co-conspirator in a dastardly act committed by his barber.

Unfortunately for the governor, the Illinois Senate is not bound by the strict rules of evidence and testimony that constrain a criminal court. And even an observer as biased as I am—what columnist wants to see such a colorful and unpredictable figure banished from the political scene?—must acknowledge that residents of the fifth most populous state in the union deserve better than to be governed by a late-night punch line.

On Monday, while lawmakers in Springfield were convening the governor’s impeachment trial, Blagojevich was in New York making the talk-show rounds. He was acting more like a movie star whose latest film comes out Friday than a politician who might be out of a job by Friday.

Blagojevich is accused by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald of trying to sell President Obama’s vacated Senate seat to the highest bidder. The governor, who maintains he is innocent, told ABC’s “Good Morning America”—and this is an example of why we’ll miss him—that among those he considered for appointment to the United States Senate was Oprah Winfrey. .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20090126_did_blago_break_the_law/

[elleng]

1. What b.s.

Robinson is jealous.