Blagojevich roundup and Hynes looks ahead
Wednesday, Jan 21, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* As I told you yesterday, the governor has missed yet another deadline for filing motions in the Senate’s impeachment trial schedule. His next step is being kept mum…
It’s unclear, however, whether this means Blagojevich is simply going to refuse to engage in the impeachment process at all.
“Honestly, we just don’t know,” Blagojevich attorney Sheldon Sorosky said.
* More…
Sorosky said that “no one is resigning from the case in the sense of quitting the case.” He also said that the lawyers are not squabbling among themselves, something that seemed unclear last week, and are fully behind the governor.
“The team is united,” Sorosky said. “No one is angry at the governor.”
Yeah. OK. That ain’t what I hear.
* On another Blagojevich front, you know most of this already…
Gov. Blagojevich reported having about $2.7 million in his campaign fund at the end of 2008, though that number might not reflect his true fund-raising total.
A lawyer for the governor’s campaign fund told the Illinois State Board of Elections Tuesday the figure might be incomplete because the FBI seized documents from the governor’s campaign office on Dec. 9, the day he was arrested on corruption charges. […]
Blagojevich raised more than $705,000 during the last six months of 2008, according to figures disclosed by Tuesday’s filing deadline. He spent more than $1.6 million during that span, including money to pay off an outstanding legal tab at the law firm of Winston & Strawn and to pay bills for his current criminal defense team.
* More details on where the money went…
Blagojevich filed a campaign report showing he paid $705,000 in longstanding fees owed to Winston & Strawn, which had been the governor’s legal counsel. In addition, the report shows the governor spent an additional $500,000 for his criminal defense attorney, Ed Genson, and $100,000 for criminal defense co-counsel Sheldon Sorosky.
He also spent almost $26,000 for hotel rooms in Denver during the Democratic National Convention. Those were the days.
* Meanwhile…
llinois Comptroller Dan Hynes, long considered one of several major contenders for governor in 2010, sought to cool off that speculation in a conversation just now, saying the likely ouster of Gov. Rod Blagojevich changes everything.
“Blagojevich was so unpopular, and people were so fed up with him, that there was a lot of clamoring for a different candidate,” Hynes said in the lobby bar of the Renaissance Washington Hotel here, decked in a tux and holding a Heineken as he and other Illinoisans await the start of the state’s inaugural ball. “That’s changed a bit, because he’s going to be gone no matter what. Let’s see what the next few months hold.”
As I told subscribers this morning, every Democratic gubernatorial aspirant is essentially on hold right now as events play themselves out.
* Related…
* Rod Blagojevich gets fingerprinted again
* Blagojevich makes no answer to Senate
* Governor fails to meet deadline to seek dismissal of charges
* FBI seized Blagojevich campaign records
* Gov hopefuls build campaign funds
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 9:39 am:
Thank you Mr. Hynes for injecting reality into our political world.
- bored on 1 - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 9:39 am:
So Rich, what happens if and when he is tried by the Senate? If they tell him to get out, does he have to vacate the offices in Chicago and Springfield? what kind of process can we expect?
Just sign me bored on 1 and kind of perplexed
- Frank Booth - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 9:49 am:
FB: ‘What kind of beer do you like to drink, neighbor?’
Comptroller Hynes: ‘Heineken.’
FB: ‘Heineken? (bleep) that (bleep)! Pabst Blue Ribbon!’
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 9:57 am:
Heineken? (Sigh!)
Even his beer is boring.
- Secret Square - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 9:59 am:
Gee, VM, what would you consider an “interesting” beer?
- Plutocrat03 - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 9:59 am:
I just don’t understand what kinds of advice Gov. B was paying for when he engaged Winston and Strawn.
Having annual legal bills in the seven figure range could easily drive anyone off course.
- Frank Sobotka - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 10:14 am:
“what would you consider an “interesting” beer?”
Nektar Pivo, available in places like Banja Luka, BiH, served somewhat warm in a dingy bottle.
And Stella Artois, for it’s great taste and ability to leave me with the exact same type of temple headache that Miller High Life does..
- culebra - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 10:27 am:
Blue Velvet, twisted flick
Hopkins at his best.
- Phil Collins - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 10:29 am:
Hynes has held a statewide office longer than Attorney General Madigan. He should run for governor, and she should run for lt. gov.
- Macbeth - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 10:36 am:
If Blagojevich doesn’t engage in the process — and his non-filing is apparently a significant part of this non-engagement — then why not simply resign?
I’m confused about his motive at this point. The chances of a successful defense in the senate are slim to none. If he loses, then he’ll be (bodily) removed from office.
So what’s his game at this point? Saying he never threw in the towel? Is this some display of boxing machismo? Some “Rocky Balboa” final stand against a bulldozer opponent?
He’s already admitted that he has no stomach for being a governor. Why put the state through this? Why not simply bow out and step aside? Even in this strange time Blagojevich can still make a statesman-like move. Get his speechwriters to write a nice, low-key speech.
Is removal a ploy — or a play — for the upcoming federal issues he’ll face?
Someone please explain. This seems unnecessary and a complete waste of state resources. Why aren’t people angry about the time and money involved in this impeachment? Why isn’t there more pressure for Blagojevich to finally, definitively throw in the towel?
- 2ConfusedCrew - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 10:42 am:
Capt. Fax:
Blagoof was in Denver one night What cost $26,000? Did he get the unlimited lap dance suite?
- Secret Square - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 10:54 am:
So Blago’s already spent half a million on Ed Genson? I have no idea how much Genson charges, but could he really have racked up THAT big of a bill in a little more than a month for an incredibly lame impeachment defense?
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 10:58 am:
=== could he really have racked up THAT big of a bill in a little more than a month===
It’s called a retainer.
- Concerned Observer - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 11:10 am:
MacBeth, there’s no more pressure because no one can tell him what to do, plain and simple. They’ve tried everything they can think of. It’ll all be over soon enough.
And to answer the other question, it’s absolutely a ploy for the jury — specifically, in my opinion. “I wouldn’t take part in such a rigged proceeding. It was all a set-up from the start.”
Worked for OJ, the first time.
- He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 11:11 am:
Any idea how long the Senate will take to complete the trial if the Gov doesn’t send representation?
- The Doc - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 11:12 am:
Good point, Macbeth. For a governor who claims at every turn to be about the people, he’s costing both time and resources with a senate trial for which the outcome is obvious, and for which the legislators could be addressing other issues.
Maybe he’s waiting for the morning of the 26th to make the annoucement as a final middle-finger salute to the GA.
- Anon - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 11:18 am:
By not participating in the process, he’s forfeiting his chances of challenging the result in court later. They won’t listen to a complaint, for example, that the rules were unfair because he had no subpoena power unless he can show that he was actually hurt by the rules; i.e., by showing that witness X’s testimony would have addressed some relevant issue, and that X didn’t appear because the Senate refused to issue a subpoena.
- vote counter - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 11:36 am:
Brady after 2 years of running has how much???? $331,000 wow is he toast! Did’t he say in the Herald that this race would take $15 million? talk about a poor showing
- Merit Comp Slave - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 11:49 am:
A little off topic, does anyone but me question the “second set of fingerprints” story? If you have bad prints you don’t wait a month and a half to redo them. Chatting with feds while we’re waiting to have fingerprints done?
- Wacker Drive - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 11:51 am:
Have the empty bankers boxes been delivered to Blagojevich’s Springfield and Chicago offices?
Hopefully they have guards watching over him when he packs up.
- Little Egypt - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 12:26 pm:
Who’d a thunk that the governor is living paycheck to paycheck. After all the fundraising he has done and the millions he has brought back to his campaign fund, he’s now basically broke. The Feds have to approve withdrawals from the campaign fund, who knows what personal bills he owes and he simply can’t afford to quit. He’s milking this thing for every single solitary paycheck he can get, which may be at most three more. Spend them wisely Elvis.
- Little Egypt - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 12:27 pm:
MCS, I don’t question it IF it came from the FBI. If this was Blago’s explanation, then anything could have happened, the least of which was a new set of fingerprints. Perhaps some negotiating?
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 12:34 pm:
===which may be at most three more===
If he doesn’t put on a defense and doesn’t succeed in getting the trial sidetracked via a federal court, he should be gone by this time next week or so.
- A Citizen - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 12:52 pm:
Aw Rich, you are just saying that to get our hopes up. Quit teasing us.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 12:54 pm:
I don’t tease needlessly. They have a lot of nerve bringing up Blagojevich when they have a direct connection over there. And digging into past associations which have since been repudiated when Fast Eddie is in you-know-who’s background is a very big mistake.
- A Citizen - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 1:16 pm:
Rich, guv must be holding out for one of those golden Early Retirement Packages!
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 1:31 pm:
Some interesting points here.
Anon at 11:18, I think, is correct when he says if Blago doesn’t engage in the Senate trial, he won’t have a cause to pursue a case in federal court.
And thanks to Merit Comp Slave, I have put on my tinfoil hat. Another set of prints, six weeks later? Why? I know it’s SOP, but did they even look at them that closely to see that the original set was bad? Do they think he knocked over the Piggly Wiggly in Centralia?
I, too, have wondered how someone could spend so much on legal fees and be in such a mess. The answer I’ve gotten on this blog many times is that he doesn’t listen to anyone.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 1:33 pm:
wordslinger, you answered your own last question. That’s why he’s in so much trouble. He listens to nobody but the voices in his head nad the people around him who agree with those voices.
- Secret Square - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 1:44 pm:
Could we be getting close enough to start a date and time prediction pool for when Blago is officially gone — most likely via Senate conviction but just possibly by a last-minute resignation?
- Capitol View - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 1:53 pm:
2009: Obama in and Blago out. The year is off to a good start.
- Dan S, a Voter and Cubs Fan - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 2:20 pm:
What are the implications with his pension ? Is he keeping his cards close to his chest to try and screw the taxpayers one more time?
- Merit Comp Slave - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 2:24 pm:
WS - no it’s not SOP to just happen to check to see if the prints were good 6 weeks later. That combined with the so called “pretrial meetings” raises all sorts of red flags to me.
- Macbeth - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 2:25 pm:
What’s especially galling is to see Blagojevich still here after everything that occurred yesterday in Washington DC.
Blagojevich has no business in politics anymore. I don’t know what he’s good at — or where his future aspirations will lead — but it’s not in politics — and certainly not in Illinois politics. There are others far more qualified, far more intelligent, and far more visionary.
- Captain Flume - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 2:42 pm:
Our Governor is like a panic attack. It makes you feel like you are literally disintegrating, then when it is over, you still feel the dread of another one on its way. Even when he is gone, he won’t be really gone for a long while.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 4:13 pm:
For the sake of all that’s holy Captain - don’t eat the chili tonight! Since Rich’s advice to me about my Blagojevichian night sweats, I no longer need to overdose on cold medicine to make it through the night.
But I did enjoy the weight loss.
- this voter will remember - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 4:22 pm:
I have also wondered what would happen to Blagojevich after the Senate process is over with. Will he go back to being a lawyer (chasing ambulances) or will he start selling real estate or maybe become a ‘house husband’ (writing steamy torrid love stories). I wonder if he has any regrets (besides being caught).
- Inquiring Minds - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 4:35 pm:
I wonder whether some of Blago’s fine lawyers told him not too worry about phone taps and bugging or if Blago is just completley off his rocker to not suspect he was being listened to.
- Pot calling kettle - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 4:42 pm:
He might be allowed to take some personal items, but I suspect the Atty. Gen and the U.S. Atty. would object to him taking much of anything.
Most likely, he will send a lackey to pick up his stuff, but, then again, maybe he will be fresh out of lackeys after he is impeached.
After he is out, it’s hard to imagine who would hire Rod (or his wife) to do anything. And, if the Feds convict him, he’ll likely be disbarred. The future is not bright for him. Best guesses: hair model or amusing wise guy extra in a mob movie or TV show.
- Macbeth - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 4:44 pm:
So did Blagojevich miss another 4pm deadline today? The list of people he wishes to subpoena?
- 2ConfusedCrew - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 4:46 pm:
Capt Fax:
Just reviewed the Blagoof spending report. Looks like he had the lap dance suite at TWO hotels in Denver during his one day visit to the Mile High City.
He dropped $25K at the Hotel Monacco — part of that was to launch his very successful “Kiss of Death” tour for Tammy Duckworth’s Senate bid.
He did not feed that many so there must be a suite charge in there
Then he plunked down a total of %5692 at the Marriott — including several tiny charges, probably for the porno.
Busy, busy little Blagoof.
That was about a thou an hour to doom Duckworth, get hugged and miss the vote for President Obama
Nice work and I am sure the folks you armed for the moolah are quite pleased.
BTW 12k a month from Bro Robbie looks like money well spent too.
I am sure no one thinks the Blagoof’s are putting something away for a rainy day
- Little Egypt - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 5:21 pm:
2Confused - he’s gonna need all the money he can sqirrel away, providing the Feds don’t catch on. I’m not giving him credit for looking that far ahead. Blago’s gonna be in the soup line in about 6 weeks. I can’t imagine what’s going on inside the walls of his house. Lots of screaming back and forth I suspect. I personally think someone should take the girls out of that cesspool.
- Little Egypt - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 5:22 pm:
oops - squirrel
- Levois - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 6:47 pm:
So there is some issues amongst the judicial team. No wonder Blagojevich has found himself closer to his felonious destiny!
- Bookworm - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 7:43 pm:
He ought to think about hosting a cable or satellite radio talk show… if opinionated jerks like Howard Stern and Rush Limbaugh can do it, and convicted felons like G. Gordon Liddy can do it, why not Blago?
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 9:44 pm:
Wow, Bookworm, that could be just disturbing and bizarre enough to work.
- Bookworm - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 10:25 pm:
If Blago needs an income that might very well be the way to go. He is, after all, a household name around the country right now, and the controversy surrounding him would drive ratings through the roof, at least for a while. Some deranged network executive would probably pay him a tidy sum to do it.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jan 21, 09 @ 11:51 pm:
I’m not sure, Bookworm. It’s an intriguing idea (and extremely, extremely clever; one of your best by far), but I don’t think the networks would touch it. And, besides, from a PR perspective, it would only prolong the pain.
I think he’s going to go for a more traditional option.