He doesn't actually seem to have committed one. He has all these expletive-laced phone calls (expletives not being a crime) about what he'd *like* to get for naming a senator, with the threat that otherwise he'd name himself, yes.
But there is no record of his actually asking for these bribes. There were some dealings with Jesse Jackson, Jr's people, but even those don't seem to be incriminating.
Now, maybe the fact that he *knew* that he'd only get "appreciation" from the Obama camp if he appointed their choice proves something - that he'd asked for a bribe and was turned down. That would be a crime, yes.
But today I read this article. And what I saw was that Blagojevich's Chief of Staff (who has since resigned) sort of feeling out the possiblity of something:
I do find that interesting. Maybe, off the record, Blagojevich asked Harris to approach Emanuel about what they'd get for appointing Jarrett, but what Harris did was confirm what he'd probably said to his boss all along - that they'd get nothing but appreciation. Blagojevich clearly wanted more and had ideas for what he wanted, but wanting more is not a crime. It's slimy, but it's not a crime. There is no evidence he or anyone in his employ actually asked.
I still wouldn't want him as my governor if I lived in Illinois, but unless Fitzgerald has other evidence, he's going to stay in office for awhile.
(As for the new senator - before 1913 and the Seventeenth Amendment, US senators were elected not by popular vote but by the state legislatures. It would not be a bad thing to go back to this in this one case. This would avoid the need for either a special election or removing Blagojevich from office.)
But there is no record of his actually asking for these bribes. There were some dealings with Jesse Jackson, Jr's people, but even those don't seem to be incriminating.
Now, maybe the fact that he *knew* that he'd only get "appreciation" from the Obama camp if he appointed their choice proves something - that he'd asked for a bribe and was turned down. That would be a crime, yes.
But today I read this article. And what I saw was that Blagojevich's Chief of Staff (who has since resigned) sort of feeling out the possiblity of something:
Sources also confirm that Emanuel made the case for picking Obama confidante Valerie Jarrett during at least one of the conversations. In the course of that conversation, Harris asked if in return for picking Jarrett, "all we get is appreciation, right?" "Right," Emanuel responded.
I do find that interesting. Maybe, off the record, Blagojevich asked Harris to approach Emanuel about what they'd get for appointing Jarrett, but what Harris did was confirm what he'd probably said to his boss all along - that they'd get nothing but appreciation. Blagojevich clearly wanted more and had ideas for what he wanted, but wanting more is not a crime. It's slimy, but it's not a crime. There is no evidence he or anyone in his employ actually asked.
I still wouldn't want him as my governor if I lived in Illinois, but unless Fitzgerald has other evidence, he's going to stay in office for awhile.
(As for the new senator - before 1913 and the Seventeenth Amendment, US senators were elected not by popular vote but by the state legislatures. It would not be a bad thing to go back to this in this one case. This would avoid the need for either a special election or removing Blagojevich from office.)
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The attempt to auction off Obama's Senate seat is the alleged crime that got the most attention and also the one where the prosecution has the weakest case. If you read through the whole affidavit attached to the arrest warrant, there are much more blatant instances of corruption, e.g., demanding that companies looking for state contracts or permits hire his campaign donors as "consultants".
Ah. Now that makes more sense.
I guess the senate seat is sexier to the news organizations than the facts.
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