At 2 p.m. Friday, embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich issued a short statement asserting his innocence and insisting he will fight the whole way and not quit.
"I will fight until I take my last breath. I have done nothing wrong and I'm not going to quit a job the people have hired me to do," the governor said.
"I'm dying to answer these charges ... I intend to answer them in an appropriate forum, in a court of law," he continued. He also asked for the "presumption of innocence."
Obviously Blagojevich has been coached by his lawyers not to say much to the media. This may be a solid legal strategy, but as an Illinois resident, do you think he should give voters an explanation?
When this story first broke it seemed like everyone in power was going to push each other out of the way to be the first to remove him from office. A week and a half later, Attorney General Lisa Madigan's effort to get the court to remove him failed, and the Legislature seems to be bogging down in its impeachment drive. It is unable to use much of the evidence the feds have in its investigation because the feds won't share. There is still other evidence, but is it possible Blagojevich could survive this whole experience? If Blagojevich is not removed, can the state hope to get back to business during the next two years?
I decided to make a new post on this topic since the previous one was way off track. Let's keep this one on topic please.
Blagojevich was on Good Morning America this morning and Diane Sawyer really put him on the spot. He did not answer her questions. All he did was contunually repeat that the trial is unfair. He is trying to say that this us unfair to twelve million Illinoisians and "if they can do this to me they can do this to you!"
Way to embarrass Illinois... once again... on national television.
Apparently the Gov has hired Drew Peterson's PR firm! Makes perfect sense! They have the same personality problems!
I am not Ken - and I wasn't trying to make fun of anyone. I am simply tired of seeing people mangle our language.
Anonymous 12/21 10:39, with the exception of a few times that I have been on a borrowed computer and forgot to enter in my name, and therefore came up as anonymous(and I pointed out those times), I have always posted under my name. You can't even manage to do that, yet tell me to grow up.
I do appreciate the cleverness of Anoni-mouse's name. It makes fun of me, and gives that person a identifiable user name, something you are to scared to do, Anonymous.
Actually I think it is cute & creative name! HA! Oh come on...ya gotta laugh..it is funny!
Of course we all know Anoni-mouse is a dead give away.
Who else could be this immature, but Ken!
Grow up, Ken!
Maybe there are only really 2 people posting & one has DID! HA!
It's pretty tough to cover one's true fake identity when the writing style and continuing word faux pas catch you in the act and reveal your true-fake identity every time!
It's "windchill" factor, not "windshield" factor.
By Scott Huber on December 20, 2008 8:08 PM
The timing of the Gov's arrest really stinks. I was candidate #3. The Napergate man was going to pay my "fee" to the Governor so I could become U.S. Senator Scott Huber. Well, I guess I will kick start my campaign for Mayor of Naperville again. Merry Christmas to all and feel free to visit old Scott at Chicago & Naper, I'll be under the big grey junkpile...HO HO HO
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Scott Huber,
Are you really the guy that lives under the tent in the winter outside of the parking lot. I admire you for being able to do that. I would last about one day if I had to live in those considtions especially in the winter time. How do you manage?
May I ask you if you live there by choice or necessity?
Are you poor or simply protesting City of Naperville corruption!
Do you know the Napergateman? You seem to always be writing about him. Are you a Napergatian?
I suspect you are protesting because you own a very nice laptop.
I wish you luck! I hope you are OK today as it is 29 degrees below zero with the windshield factor.
I would like to see you go to a warm shelter at least until this weather lets up. I would hate to see you freeze to death in this arctic weather.
Good luck! I noticed you had a generator that is lighting up your Christmas lights....it is nice to see you in the Holiday Spirit! Stay warm!
Blago WILL NOT resign. Once he does, he's lost ALL bargaining power. Notice Michael Madigan isn't saying squat. Lisa Madigan tried a worthless maneuver to have Blago tossed. The Madigan's and the crooked politicians DO NOT want impeachment. Remember, in an impeachment trial the normal rules of law do NOT apply. Blago can and will call Pat Fitzgerald to the stand and DEMAND to see all his evidence. Fitz will tell Blago to go suck an egg and Blago will scream, "see I can't get a fair trial!!" He will try to look like the victim!! He will call Lisa Madigan to the stand and toast her, he will then proceed to call anyone he can to the stand that he can embarass. The Dems DO NOT want an impeachment trial to go ahead.
The Tribune is trying to save $300 million in taxes (if they got $1 billion). And Barack is right, they rail on Blago and then have the audacity to ask not for a vehicle to save the $300 million, but another $100 million in tax subsidies to INCREASE THE PURCHASE PRICE. I would be cursing them (but is that a crime). Also, when you send your emisary and tell them that it is hard to deal with people who call you vile, is that a crime? From the BANKRUPT Tribune, IT IS A CRIME!!!!!
Also, how much of this is the press creating this negative image of Blago? What he should do right now is put the state into bankruptcy. Show the politicians a thing or two. The Pension and Medicaid liabilities CAN NEVER BE PAID.
That would shake up the entire political establishment. And we need some tough action in tough times.
The timing of the Gov's arrest really stinks. I was candidate #3. The Napergate man was going to pay my "fee" to the Governor so I could become U.S. Senator Scott Huber. Well, I guess I will kick start my campaign for Mayor of Naperville again. Merry Christmas to all and feel free to visit old Scott at Chicago & Naper, I'll be under the big grey junkpile...HO HO HO
Defend Justice,
Glad to see someone on this blog site can articulate his thoughts and make some sense.
The Chicago Tribune was trying to sell Wrigley Field through the Illinois Finance Authority to avoid capital gains tax on 100,000,000 dollars.
They want a favor from Blagojevich to screw the taxpayers. He would not give it to them....especially since they engaged in name calling.
I also would not do a favor for someone calling me names. Dah!
Thank you!
A couple of thoughts.
1. Blago has not been found guilty. I think that until he is found guilty, preferably by a court and not a legislative lynch mob, he should be able to hold his office. If he would "temporarily" be unable to discharge duties (such as during his trial), he could allow Quinn to hold down the fort, but in a limited basis.
2. The Ilinois combine (that John Kass of the Tribune refers to) wants to push Blago aside so they can double income taxes and anything else they can get their hands on. Blaga has been the most Republican leader in this area (he does have other faults). Tom Cross is incompetant, the Democrats play him like a fiddle and he is to dumb to know better.
3. Notice how Blago's POLITICAL competitors, Quinn and Lisa Madigan, are jumping on this matter. I would suggest their is a conflict of interest there as well. If either of these take power, hold on to your wallets. Our income taxes will exceed California's 9.3% in no time.
Professor,
I agree the system is screwed up. But it works both ways.
Did you hear about the Jenine Nicarico Case?
Well they convicted 3 Hispanic fellows many times over for killing this poor Naperville 11 year old girl in 1983.
The court system and prosecutors were as corrupt as could be.
To this day, the real killer Brian Dugan has yet to be convicted. For lack of a better word they framed and lynched these Hispanic fellows with a mob mentality.
The only people who believed they were innocent were former Naperville Chief Jim Teal, Detective Sam Somethng of the State Police and the Napergate Man who provided them with a platform in his early or pre-Napergate Days.
As far as the rest of the population and basically all the media, they bought the ESTABLISHMENT PROPAGANDA!
All these cases remind me of the lynch mob mentality against the Governor. Funny he mentioned the words lynch mob in his 3 minute speech. I remember the Napergate Man using those same exact words against the City of Naperville 20 years ago.
All these bloggers will quickly disappear if and when Blagojevich is found innocent. From reading the complaint, I don't think they have a case against him. They have a lot of heresay out of context. Favors were being negotiated. Something so typical in all state, national and world politics.
No one gives you anything for nothing these days. No one makes 25k contributions to anyone without wanting something in return now or one day. This is what this case is about....horse trading. It is the second oldest profession after prostitution. And US Attorney Partrick Fitzgerald thinks he can stop it. That is like trying to stop gambling in Las Vegas because some think it is unethical or immoral. It won't happen folks! Sorry! Stop dreaming!
Do some history reading on the Nicarico and Napergate Cases and see how wrong prosecutors can be when they have no doubt they are right. These prosecutors have cost us much money. I believe Cruz collected 12 million of Dupage Taxpayer Money and I don't know what kind of settlement the Napergate Man made with Naperville City Officials.
I have a feeling they gave the Napergate Man a large pot of money and part of that settlement involved buying his silence. It just seems odd that a man of the caliber of the Napergate Man would fall off the face of the earth so suddenly after his final court victory. Something just does not add up in my mind! Just my opinion! Not trying to offend any Napergatians. I think he is a hero too! Just wondering where he is when the community seems to need him more than ever.
Thank you!
But also don't forget even with "Innocent Until Proven Guilty" does not mean the person is innocent. Just takes time to stamp it guilty! And quite frankly even if not proven guilty it does not mean they are innocent either! The justice system is not perfect. Things do happen and we have seen that also...oh are those attorneys who got O.J. off defense attorneys? They had no other agenda right?! Drew Peterson not proven guilty YET right? His attorney has no agenda right?!
What are the chances that all the evidence they gathered is wrong in this case? Chances are? And what is this argument that others do it so it is ok? I pointed that out before. Good God we could do anything & everything then with that defense. Someone is doing almost everything on this planet. It does not make it right. Do you live your life that way?
Probably got killed because of another one of Blago's great bargains.
He has an 8 percent approval rating, so most people don't want him as their governor, but that was true even before this all came out. That's why they tried to pass that recall measure, but I think Blago's ally Emil Jones killed it if I recall correctly.
A criminal offense is not required by the State's constitution to impeach, so even if Blago is never convicted, the House and Senate could still impeach him. I read the 76 page document, and I don't want him as my governor anymore.
I did hear today on channel 7 news that the governor could take a leave of absence and come back at a later date.
Lisa Madigan mentioned when this first started that there was a provision in the law for the governor to temporary remove himself from office without actually resigning. The governor's spokesman said today he will consider that if he feels he is harming the state. As far as I know it has never been done.
There has been a lot of talk about Blago stepping aside while still maintaining Governorship. I wonder if this has ever been done? For example, if he had a medical or family emergency and needed to take time off there is a provision for this. Is there such a provision in a criminal proceeding that would allow him to step away for a while?
The news conference comments were nothing more than expected. He will be vindicated at trial, he says. He did nothing wrong, he says. He was hired by the people and is going to get back to doing the peoples work, he says. Funny, he has done little since he has been in office other than engaging in apparent illegal activity and presiding over the economic slide of this state. Who can forget his gross receipts tax proposal? Ed Jensen was the best, "snippets of audio tape taken out of context" says he. When the FEDS announced charges resulting in the arrest, they were not speaking of "snippets" of the Governor when they were describing the level of the Democratic crime wave sweeping this state. They heard all of the conversations. The impeachment hearings will go nowhere and do nothing to clean up the state house. Do you have confidence in Dawn Clark Netsch to be the strict disciplinarian needed for this task? She is another story and historical problem in this state. The impeachment hearings will actually be a diversion. We should fully expect the only thing that will get Rod out of office is a criminal conviction. A trial is in excess of two years off. He is not going anywhere otherwise because he will not resign. Heres to hoping the new year brings in many more arrests and indictments of our failed leaders. Now, in the current climate voting for Democrats in Illinois should have consequences. They are sent to prison.
Barack, at the end there you're slipping into the Obama persona again with the Harvard Law/Illinois politician remark again. None of that either. I thought it was implied in my previous rule. No pretending to be someone you're not, and that applies to everyone here.
Governor Blagojevich is presumed innocent and he may in fact be innocent.
Most prosecutors can not be trusted. They are very biased and have a desire to convict at all costs. That is how they make a name for themselves and get promotions. That 78 page complaint is nothing but statements made out of context. Put in context, a new story may evolve......
If someone is going to try you in a court of law, you absolutely have to keep your mouth shut. You slip up with one word innocently and you could give them the thread they need to hang you and throw you in jail for life. His attorneys are absolutely right! Much better than Drew Peterson's attorneys who let him run his mouth at great risk.
I think Blagojevich should be allowed every right to defend himself. Those 113 legislators that voted against him are all Virgin Marys and Mother Theresas. Yeah sure! They are probably more corrupt than him and "paid to play" as they are accusing him of doing.
Let me explain how a prosecutor can have a case blow up in his face. Our own former prosecutor here in Naperville, Francis Cuneo, accused the Napergate Man of running a liquor store for the sole purpose of selling to minors. An employee for the Napergate Man may have made a mistake or two and he chose to blow it out of proportion. For the record it was not Commander Dan Shanower who made the error to the best of my knowledge. Let us keep that guys name clean and honor him as he died serving his country knowing FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!
The residents took the allegations of Prosecutor Cuneo at face value just like the residents of Illinois are taking the unsubstantiated allegations against Blagojevich at face value.
The Napergate Man kept quiet and continued doing his thing. As the case unravled in the courts, the truth came out. Subpoened records from the Naperville Police Dept confirmed that the Napergate Man was not selling booze to minors. The records were mindboggling. They revealed that the Napergate Man had confiscated more fake IDs than all other liquor establishments COMBINED times a factor of 5. Residents were shocked to hear this information after being brainwashed by one Prosecutor that the Napergate Man was some kind of mafia criminal.
And yet this Prosecutor who had a political agenda was babbling to the Naperville Sun that this Napergate Man is an evil man and we have to shut down both of his liquor stores. He, in fact, along with the consent of the former Mayor, the Naperville Police Dept, and an appointed Judge from the Naperville Park District revoked his licenses and closed his liquor stores.
The residents were very happy with the Establishment moves. The Establishment patted their own backs by exploiting the naive media and the residents patted the backs of the their Establishment officials. They bragged that they finally cleaned the streets of Naperville from booze flowing to minors.
The Napergate Man proved in court this was a political vendetta and had nothing to do with his performance as a Licensed Liquor Retailer. The city appealed lower court decisions against it, only to have the Illinois Appellate and US Appellate courts add additional insult and injury to our city. In an earlier unpublicised case in the 1980s the Napergate Man has beaten the City of Naperville in the Illinos Supreme Court. The Supreme Court accused the FORMER Mayor of Naperville of abusing her power, authority and discretion. I believe her name was Margaret Price.
OK, I said enough as the Napergatians discussed this case on other threads and I want to get back on topic.
But there has to be a lesson learned that most bloggers and residents have not yet learned yet. The Governor is not only presumed innocent but is innocent until a court of law convicts him. And after that he has the right to many appeals.
He is under the microscope now and if he was doing anything wrong, he will not do it from here on forward. We have nothing to worry about for now. If he appoints a Senator, it will only be with the approval of the Democratic Party. Due to the current situation, he will not even dare take a penny for this appointment he will eventually make when the heat dies down and the publicity simmers a bit.
And remember just like the Napergate Man was found innocent and put Napervillians in shock a decade ago, Governor Blagojevich can be found innocent and shock all Illinoians. Unfortunately, we need to be patient and wait a few years for all this to unravel and play itself out.
I suspect Governor Blagojevich will elect to have a bench trial. His renowned attorney Ed Jenson will exercise as many venue changes as is permitted by law until he seats a Judge that will give his client a fair trial. There is no way Blagojevich is going to allow his constituents who were BRAINWASHED from a 15 minute speech by US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald to stand in judgment against him in the form of a jury. Mark my words! I am graduate from Harvard Law School and know what I am talking about. I also understand politics as I am a long term Illinois politician.
Thank you!
BHO, in accordance with the new policy, please repost your pending post under a new name and it will be approved.
Is it just me or do Blagojevich and Furstenau suffer from the same "disorder?" Both hold themselves to be far better than the rest of us.