own words to haunt him at trial

[dgriffin]

governor's own words to haunt him at trial


SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Gov. Rod Blagojevich called President Barack Obama's vacant U.S. Senate seat a "golden" opportunity that could help him make money, an FBI agent testified Tuesday at the governor's impeachment trial.

Again and again, agent Daniel Cain told state senators he had accurately quoted Blagojevich in a sworn affidavit filed when the governor was arrested last month on federal corruption charges. At each stage, House prosecutor David Ellis displayed the most damning quote on a poster board.

The affidavit quoted Blagojevich saying his power to name a replacement to Obama's vacant Senate seat was a "valuable thing, you just don't give it away for nothing." Ellis asked if that was accurate.

Yes, Cain replied.

Did he say, "I've got this thing and it's (expletive) golden, and uh, uh I'm just not giving it up for (expletive) nothing"?

Yes, Cain said.

Did he say, "I want to make money"?

Yes, Cain said.

At the impeachment trial, senators are expected to hear Blagojevich's own voice when a portion of the recorded conversations are played. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald is keeping most of the recordings secret, but he has given permission for senators to hear some material.

Blagojevich says the trial is meant to get him out of the way so Springfield insiders can raise income taxes. He also says the Senate's trial rules are so biased that he can't present a real defense.

Hmmm. I wouldn't be surprised. I'll reserve judgment until the trial, but I'm beginning to sense something here rots on both sides.
Let's be realistic and admit that power hungry officials elected to high offices are greedy, but usually careful. If Blagojevich had been caught accepting a suitcase with a million bucks cash in it, that's one thing. But if he wanted to use his office and Obama's state senate seat as a valuable tool with which to barter ... depending on what he was bartering for ... that's pretty normal. Tawdry maybe, but often not illegal. But if it's true that the state senate trial rules are stacked in favor of the people who want to impeach him, we may never know the full truth when he's impeached and the feds almost surely drops their criminal case.

With the Spitzer and Bruno cases in mind, makes me wonder if indeed government is getting cleaned up or whether it's just the usual political gang wars.

[Swimmy]

I think he's guilty. Even if the rules are so biased against him, he should be at his trial making his argument [i[there[/i], not the court of public opinion on CNN and Fox News! By being absent at his own trial, I find it suspect. I'm of the opinion that no matter how biased the procedure is, you need to be at that venue to demonstrate the bias. Try to put in your own evidence, when it's denied because of "biased" rules, then you have a case. And you can preserve it for a potential appeal! By choosing the path of attack he's chosen, I think he's guilty. It's always funny how biased a system is when you're guilty as sin and you have no defense for it. Some of my clients try it all the time, and I'm expected to argue what is known as the "it's not fair defense."

"Everybody in Shawshank is innocent."

[dgriffin]

Those are good points, Swimmy. I'm just torn about who to dislike most, Blagojevich or his fellow politicians.

[Ralph]

Between Illinois and New York, it is hard to decide which state is more corrupt.

However I can tell you in which state the politicians get caught more, which get to buy their way out more, and which have their respective cases just “disappear” more.

However when you blatantly try to “auction off” a senate seat and then hide behind the media and refuse to play ball……….well, time for you to get off the pot and go crap on someone else.

Impeach ‘em all…….let God sort ‘em out.

[concerned]

He seems to have a very low hairline.

[Clipper]

Low hairline. Does that indicate a low IQ and a high ego factor? I have heard over the years that a "high forehead" was a sign of intelligence. If that is so, I am getting smarter every day, as my hairline gets farther and farther from my eyebrows, haha.

Illinois is very similar to NY in many ways. Springfield is the capital, but
Chicago elects the state government, just as Albany is the seat of NY's government, but NY city and Long Island elect our representation and government. Illinois and Chicago in particular, may have a "leg up" on NY for organized crime in the last few years. Politically, it is a close race, haha.

[dgriffin]

I remember as a little kid watching a fight between two groups of older boys as they vied for a box of candy bars that had literally dropped into our midst, from where I never knew, maybe the back of a truck as it drove by. I guess some of us little kids thought one group of older boys or the other would share the candy bars with us, so we chose our favorite group and rooted them on.
I think you know what happened when the victors claimed the prize. None of us little sh*ts got anything.

[Ralph]

LOL!!!! That's an almost perfect analogy Dave! ;D

[Swimmy]

I agree with the Republican minority in IL. This is just a means to avoid having to testify and answer any questions. Some of the taped recorded clips aired on the news seem to indicate this guy is guilty.