Question of the day
Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The setup…
While impeached ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich awaits sentencing, the state watchdog that polices lawyers has asked the Illinois Supreme Court to suspend his law license in a move that could deal yet another indignity to the state’s defrocked chief executive.
Blagojevich’s legal team has until Oct. 11 to tell justices why the felon should not have his law license suspended after a jury this year convicted him of trying to sell the state’s U.S. Senate seat and extorting a hospital official for campaign contributions and another jury last year found him guilty of lying to the FBI.
“While the judgment of conviction has yet to be entered in respondent’s criminal case because the sentencing hearing has not been conducted, due to the egregious breadth of respondent’s conduct while governor of this state as concluded by two separate juries, an interim suspension is appropriate at this time,” wrote Jerome Larkin, administrator for the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission in a late-August filing with court.
Such a suspension, if imposed by the court, likely would be a precursor to an outright disbarment.
* The Question: Aside from prison and losing his law license, what other punishments should Rod Blagojevich face?
Snark is heavily encouraged, of course, but please stay away from any sort of violent imagery. Thanks.
- Old Shepherd - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:17 pm:
He should be forced to manage the Cubs.
- TTWSYF - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:20 pm:
He should give up the hat:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4352142410_3bf1bb44df.jpg
- Pot calling kettle - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:20 pm:
They should take away his “football” and all of his hair care products.
- anon - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:20 pm:
perhaps his birthday should be taken away.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:21 pm:
He should be forced to wear a Ken Williams suit and be locked in a room with Ossie Guillen.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:22 pm:
–…a move that could deal yet another indignity to the state’s defrocked chief executive.–
I’m pretty sure only priests are defrocked. In Blago’s case, i think he would be defollicled.
Actually, a crew-cut would be a pretty tough punishment.
- JustMe - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:22 pm:
He should be forced to be up on the podium at all future Illinois gubernatorial inaugurations. Unless it’s Quinn again or Lisa Madigan in 2015 — then just that once would be enough.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:24 pm:
After watching “Catching Hell” - the ESPN documentary on the Bartman thing, Rod should be forced to watch ‘Bartman’ and then the clip of himself saying …”He will not get a pardon from this governor …”
- NIref - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:26 pm:
Haircut?
- ugh - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:27 pm:
He should have to serve as a freshman legislator under Madigan (again)
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:28 pm:
You really want to get back at Blago …
Make him have to say, with no caveat, no interjection, no “but”s …
“I lied. I was wrong. I am sorry.”
Then, after he is beating down of the weight of the words with NO grandstanding, NO asides, NO conspiracy theories … then … when he can say it without that 2nd gear kicking in, so it might seem like he means it … he can go to a halfway house ….
- What's in a name? - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:28 pm:
On his first day in prison, he should read a headline that says the Feds have indicted Patti. A little quiet time to reflect.
- Way Way Down Here - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:30 pm:
He should have to go out and make a living.
- titan - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:30 pm:
A scarlet letter should be prominently affixed to all his future attire
- Anon - 62707 - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:31 pm:
I would think this is the ultimate punishment:
http://www.nbcchicago.com/b
logs/ward-room/Blagojevich-Ban
ned-From-Graceland-130784193.html
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:32 pm:
Make Rod watch “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”… When Rod can admit he IS the bag legislator and not Mr. Smith … then he can talk about parole.
- Curious - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:33 pm:
I’m not sure, but wouldn’t it be suspended automatically due to the perjury conviction? I’m not an attorney and I don’t play one on television.
- globalguy - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:34 pm:
I agree with @wordslinger: “defollicled”! Kinda’ sounds like the Bohemian tradition of “defenestration” which wouldn’t be bad either if it happened somewhere along Michigan Ave above the 14th floor …
- Fed up - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:37 pm:
He should be forced to listen to every Pat Quinn news conference and speech
- Pot calling kettle - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:37 pm:
He could be appointed to Quinn’s press office and be assigned transcription duty for Quinn’s speeches.
- L.S. - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:39 pm:
He should have to read his own book
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:40 pm:
Rod keeps his law license long enough … to be forced to swear-in Lisa Madigan governor …
- Left Leaner - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:41 pm:
Forget the Cubs…make him manage the White Sox. Certainly has the mouth for it!
- Dirty Red - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:41 pm:
Grade all of the annual State Employee Ethics Tests.
- BigTwich - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:41 pm:
Haircut? Yes, but with “Hello Vietnam”, written by Tom T. Hall Performed by Johnny Wright playing in the background.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z3Y5YaH1a8
- Just the Facts - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:43 pm:
His punishment should be set by a panel of “the 35″ and others that he and his minions “separated” from state government.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:43 pm:
The only haircuts he can get are to be done in the Prison yard. With a flowbee.
- Cook County Commoner - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 12:49 pm:
Blago should be sentenced to serve as an unpaid junior office staff for Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. until they both learn how to properly buy a US Senate seat.
- chicagoj - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 1:00 pm:
He should be forced to serve in the US Senate.
- Lincoln's Penny - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 1:03 pm:
He should have to clean the rathskellar
- OneMan - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 1:07 pm:
Forced to sell Cardinals shirts outside Bush Stadium during the playoffs.
- OneMan - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 1:08 pm:
Work at the commissary at the scout camp near the federal prison in Oxford to serve as an example to the boys on what not to do
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 1:10 pm:
1. Community service in the Speaker’s ward.
2. Go room to room at Children’s Memorial every day for a year and explain to each and every child how he tried to shake down the hospital for campaign cash.
3. He must transcribe all of Pat Quinn’s speeches.
- Give Me A Break - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 1:10 pm:
- Lincoln’s Penny - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 1:03 pm:
He should have to clean the rathskellar
Better yet, he should have to eat at the rat.
- Secret Square - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 1:10 pm:
Spend a year in a monastery where he would have to shave his head AND observe a strict vow of silence.
- zatoichi - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 1:13 pm:
Warm up act for Elvis Himselvis.
- Casual observer - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 1:21 pm:
He could be a spokesperson for the Tea Party. After all he bragged about getting a C in constitutional law.
- D.P. Gumby - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 1:22 pm:
watch all his old video tapes of himself as governor on a constant loop.
- Angry Chicagoan - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 1:27 pm:
The Illinois Lottery can start a new game where the winner gets to choose Blago’s haircut, with the results to be made available photographically over the Internet to every blog, newspaper and TV station that wants it.
- Been There - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 1:31 pm:
Dance with Nancy Grace
- Poilitical Junkie - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 1:32 pm:
Someone should burn all of his suits and ties and have it videotaped, then put Rod in solitary and have him watch that on a loop for ten years
- ah HA - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 1:35 pm:
He should be forced to take the Employee Ethics test…
- Joe from Joliet - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 1:36 pm:
No haircuts or hair dye. Go with the Arlo Guthrie look. He should see that image every day in a stainless steel mirror.
- He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 1:49 pm:
Give him a crucut!!!
- Dooley Dudright - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 1:53 pm:
Arrange for the feds to send Blagojevich to Camp George West, a facility operated by the Colorado Department of Corrections.
It will be a wish fulfilled. Each and every day of Rod’s life there will indeed become “bleepin’ Golden” — just as he had so desperately hoped.
The prison’s location? Golden, Colorado.
- SpringfieldGal - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 1:59 pm:
Since he likes Springfield so much…how about cleaning the mansion and maintaining its lawn and landscaping (in a non-Elvis jumpsuit with a cheap Springfield tie.)
- How Ironic - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 2:08 pm:
@snarkattack-
Disgusting. Hope you get a lifetime ban from Rich.
- way south of I-80 - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 2:22 pm:
Secret Square - I think the vow of silence would be the most difficult for him
- Cincinnatus - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 2:25 pm:
His prison TV should be tuned to only “Biggest Loser.”
- mokenavince - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 2:39 pm:
Give him life in prison til we get the death penalty back, then we build a gallows and hang him. Now he will become world famous.
- Easily Entertained - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 2:40 pm:
A line should be stricken through his name wherever it appears in state records.
The date he was convicted should be declared a holiday.
The state snake should be named after him, as should the state weasel.
His name should become synonymous with the sound that erupts from deep within after finishing a Chicago style hot dog.
- SpringfieldGal - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 2:48 pm:
SS - good one - how about selective silence…cannot use the words: elected, Illinois, twice, for the people, citizens, any form of the word innocent or truth, or the word tapes.
- Ahoy - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 2:55 pm:
He should have to watch every time Speaker Madigan buys a tie.
- Capital View - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 3:11 pm:
I fear that as an ex-governor, Rod is entitled to a portrait or picture on the second floor of the State Capitol. So another question for the readers might be: how should his visage be presented? Hanging his portrait upside down and putting a spit guard over it have already been suggested…
- Commonsense in Illinois - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 3:21 pm:
Brussel Sprouts?
- Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 3:24 pm:
@ Capitol View…
How about running in place in his house, in a jogging suit? (I recall reading about his weird behavior right about the time of his arrest).
- MrJM - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 3:27 pm:
He should be required to clean the restrooms in the Thompson Center.
– MrJM
- dupage dan - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 3:32 pm:
Since Illinois has become a Circus, RB should be forced to clean up after the elephants in plain view of the voting public…with his hands.
- Boone Logan Square - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 3:49 pm:
He should be installed as Jim Hendry’s replacement, putting the Ricketts family into bankruptcy in about 3 weeks.
- WazUp - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 3:54 pm:
Have dinner with Pat Quinn every night and be forced to listen to his ramblings.
- Wensicia - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 4:07 pm:
Upon his release from prison, he should be forced to stay at least 500 feet away from any open microphone and/or camera feed.
- Dirt Digger - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 4:22 pm:
Nothing. He’s already lost his earning power, his remaining popularity and almost all his assets. The damage he did to the state had a fair degree of complicity from the legislature, and the damage he did to his party had the same and doesn’t require redress anyway.
- Retired Non-Union Guy - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 4:43 pm:
I know he’s banned from holding a State office but … have Sheila step aside and appoint him Lt Gov under Quinn ?
Alternatively, a buzz cut.
- Huh? - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 4:44 pm:
He should serve his sentence in Arizona with Sheriff Joe Arpaio, given a crew cut, dressed in pink and sleeping in a tent city.
- Gregor - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 5:42 pm:
Janitor at the Obama Presidential Museum
- Gregor - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 5:51 pm:
As far as the official portrait, that’s paid for with private funds. We SHOULD hang the portrait, because we should not deny what happened historically, and it should be a warning to the future. So I think the private funds should commission a portrait of Rod in his track suit with the police ID number underneath, like his arrest photo.
And we should make Dec. 9 a school holiday, where you get the day off if you have submitted a 3 page paper on ethics in government.
- Can't Say My Nickname - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 9:05 pm:
He should have to slice and serve Mike Madigan his daily apple.
- Transplant - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 10:32 pm:
Since he doesn’t have the money to pay for all senior bus fares, he should be forced to drive the bus … for free … with a crew cut and wearing a Ralph Kramden suit.