151 Comments - Bob - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 9:10 am: If you can’t do the time! Don’t do the Crime! - dupage dan - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 9:25 am: It’s heartbreaking for the daughters, I’m sure. Patti could have been tried for her part in the corruption - how would it have been for the children if both parents did time? Still, hard for 2 innocent children to have to bear this. Rod and Patti believed he was invincible. They were wrong. I think he gets north of 10 years. Probably less than 15. But not much less. - Cindy Lou - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 9:28 am: Has it been decided where Blagojevich will serve his sentence? - reformer - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 9:34 am: Lura Lynn needed George, too. That didn’t keep the judge from sending George to Club Fed. Our prisons are full of men whose families miss them. - Dan Shields, Springfield, IL - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 9:43 am: Will Blagoof finally show remorse or will he run his mouth one more time? He better be carefull what he says, this will be that last time he gets to speak to the Judge and that could be a very bad thing for Blagoof. - Bill - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 9:47 am: Rod is going to need all the testicular fortitude he can muster today. - lincolnlover - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 9:56 am: All those people who worked at a park or historic site that got closed, and those who worked in Pontiac where he tried to close the prison have families that depended on them, too. He didn’t care about that. The selfish jerk concentrated on his own wants and needs and, unfortunately for them, his wife and daughters will reap the benefit of that. I was one of those who was slated for layoff. My daughter had to delay her senior year of college because I wasn’t certain I could pay the tuition. I have NO sympathy for him or his family. A co-worker had to take his Mom out of the nursing home she had been in for 5 years because he would not be able to pay for it. He put my family, and many others, through hell to serve his own needs and has yet to show any remorse for it. Hope the sucker gets 20 years. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:00 am: Nice point by Mark Brown about the resemblance between the Blago defense and the Bear offense. The question about the Blago defense is whether they’ve been doing such a bad job at sentencing because their client insisted and they can’t control him, or whether they just don’t know any better. Admittedly, they don’t have much to work with. But, really, they shouldn’t be making arguments like “This crime, by itself, isn’t worth 15 years. And that crime, by itself, isn’t worth 15 years. And each of those other crimes, by themselves, aren’t worth 15 years.” That just tempts the prosecutors and Judge Zagel to give Blago a lesson about addition. - Do the crime, pay the time - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:02 am: Rich, Shouldn’t there be a section “Whats RB’s jail time length be?” explanations earn bonus points….winner gets a autographed RMiller Photograph?!? - Cheswick - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:02 am: Not sure what the format will be when Rod speaks. But, if it’s just a statement, I would hope he would keep it short and to the point, lest he get carried away with himself, as he is apt to do, and make things worse. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:03 am: We’ll know his sentence soon enough. And I’m not gonna award a prize for something like that. C’mon, this is serious stuff. - sick o' dem all - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:05 am: Did he really show up late for his own sentencing? The arrogance alone should cost him another 5. - shore - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:16 am: lincolnlover that post was what separates this blog from pretty much everyone else out there-commenters who actually give you information you don’t get otherwise. Hope things worked out for you and your daughter. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:21 am: ===Has it been decided where Blagojevich will serve his sentence?=== No decision until after sentencing. And it’s not up to the judge. - Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:26 am: There were 4 helicopters today, and apparently only one channel carrying a live feed. - Hunterdon - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:29 am: Blago’s day of reckoning is finally here. Now THIS, ladies, and gents of Illinois, is what I would call “bleeping golden”. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:32 am: People, try to maintain a bit of decorum today. Thanks. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:36 am: It’s still hard to believe he kept plotting corrupt deals when he knew the feds were on him. He kept going after Kelly was indicted, even after Rezko was convicted. It’s unfathomable. - Cheswick - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:42 am: wordslinger: It is unfathomable to people like us. But to people like Blago, they don’t know or realize or believe they are doing anything wrong. How or why they got that way, I don’t know. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:46 am: –But to people like Blago, they don’t know or realize or believe they are doing anything wrong.– I disagree. On the tapes, you could tell he knew what he was doing was wrong. Remember his warnings about “be careful how you express that” and “assume the whole world is listening.” Good advice he should have taken for himself. - CircularFiringSquad - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:49 am: Capt Fax Hope this is what you had in mind Holy Hippocritters….BGA is using Blagoof henchman Bob Reed as a “commenter” THis is the guy who organized attacks on Anti Blagoof Ds in the legislature before escaping - Dan Shields, Springfield, IL - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:54 am: Schar has a great argument that this is not a forum on his ability to Govern, that was decided when he was impeached. - amalia - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:57 am: I sure don’t like the guy, but Blago getting sentenced just makes me ill. two governors in a row, a ton of other cases, our state and city are awash in corruption. it’s depressing. pass the spiked eggnog. - Bill - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:59 am: It takes a special type of person to derive any sort of pleasure out of all this. - lincolnlover - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 11:04 am: Bill - Yes. I guess if you and your family were not directly impacted by his total inabiity to see beyond his own self-serving needs, it would be just another gov-gone-wrong kinda thing. I, personally, will celebrate with my family tonight, knowing that he will now experience the same kind of pain that I did when he tried to destroy my family’s life. Am I bitter? Hell yes. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 11:10 am: I find it ironic that Rod opens with “crossing lines”. I felt, and said so yesterday, that Rod felt that there were “no lines” and and nothing was beyond the line. If he could have governed with that “line” metaphor in mind, regardless of his own interest, be they political, financial, or ethical, Rod would probably not be here getting sentenced for crossing those lines he completely ignored. A “Sad-Vindication” fog seems to ooze from what we are seeing here and elsewhere. - Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 11:22 am: Did Rod just now realize he’s actually going to jail? - Plutocrat03 - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 11:24 am: We can create a long list of politicians (and other high rollers)who believe that the rules are for other people. This is another sad meeting with reality for one of the over-privileged. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 11:26 am: It should be noted that 1.7 million voters — nearly half of those casting ballots — voted for Blago’s re-election when it was quite clear that he was very bad news, indeed. And a lot of powerful folks — business, government, labor, politicians of both parties — who still remain in their positions continued to do business with him well after his expiration date. To their credit, some powerful folks did not. My own Blago gubernatorial elections dance card reads Vallas, Blago, Eisendrath, Whitney. - Bob and Weave - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 11:28 am: FYI-The managing partner of Schiff Hardin said on WGN news today that if he is sentenced to more than 10 years, he MUST go to a Federal penitentiary and not to one of the work camps like former Gov. Ryan was sentenced to. Bad all around, nothing to celebrate here. - hmmm - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 11:28 am: It’s funny. When I refused to do political work on state time because it would have “crossed the line,” I don’t remember Rod saying, “Oh, thank you for letting me know where the lines are drawn.” I do, however, remember getting fired for it. - shore - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 11:29 am: live tv feeds http://www.myfoxchicago.com/subindex/video/live_video http://www.wgntv.com/news/livestreaming/ - lincolnlover - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 11:30 am: It should also be noted that downstate overwhelmingly rejected him. Especially Springfield where state workers had known for 4 years what kind of garbage governor he was. Not blaming Chicago voters - political reality is that Chicago is a Democrat city and has the majority of voters in the state. Just saying that perhaps Chicago voters should look around before they just say “oohh - he’s a hometown guy - he must be ok” - lincolnlover - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 11:33 am: hmmm - EXACTLY! This guy deserves everything he will get. And because he did it to himself, its awful hard to feel sorry for him, isn’t it? - Anonymous - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 11:35 am: Ok. What did I hear ? Yes I’m guilty and take full responsibility. But, I never meant to commit the crimes ? - spring - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 11:40 am: lincolnlover- downstate got him elected over vallas, right? why was that? hmmmmm? ask mell? - Secret Square - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 11:42 am: “1.7 million voters — nearly half of those casting ballots — voted for Blago’s re-election when it was quite clear that he was very bad news, indeed.” However, slightly MORE than 1.7 million voters voted AGAINST Blago’s re-election. The problem was that their votes were divided between JBT and Whitney. I still think the main reason Blago won reelection was simply because he managed to make JBT look so scary that voters decided the devil they knew was preferable to the devil they didn’t — especially since said devil promised not to raise their taxes. Even so, more people voted against him than for him. - foster brooks - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 11:45 am: This is what happens when you elect a narcissistic blow hard not once but twice,what in the world is wrong with the voters of Illinois! - amalia - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 11:48 am: have my radio and tv off for the sentence as this service that you provide is great, Rich. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 11:49 am: Is it just me, or is Rod STILL refusing to accept responsibility? Rod wasnt stupid or mistaken, as he claims. The tape recordings show he was actually pretty clever. “Mistakes” dont run on for six years. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 11:49 am: Well, lincolnlover, you will get your chance to get a “pound of flesh.” You will get to cheer Blago going to the gallows. Rod has directly hurt you more than he has me, so in that instance, I give you your “victory lap”. So, do you think you will be gleeful if you ran into his daughters? At what point will you be fully satisfied? Ask the Willis family about getting a “pound of flesh” and their victory party. All things are relative. Have your day. I was reminded of a man who lost everything through someone’s criminal acts, and was taken complete advantage of by a criminal, and was never, ever going to recover. This man was seen at a bar, watching the verdict, and when the verdict came down, he ordered a shot of whisky, with no fanfare, just signaled the bar tender and he was served. He paused, took the shot and left his money. A friend asks, “Why aren’t you celebrating, why aren’t you savoring your victory?” The man turned back and said, “I closed my eyes before I took the shot to see what difference there would be for me now that I am vindicated. I felt no different. I am happy, but me, as a person, I am no different since the verdict and that shot.” “That man there (pointing to the screen) he is different since the shot, and will be forever. That is my victory.” He turned and quietly walked out. After you dance on the grave, you will feel better, but will you BE different? - Way Way Down Here - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 11:51 am: Wow. So the apology is: “I take full responsibility, but I don’t think I did anything wrong.” and “This is going to be bad.” Really? - hmmm - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 11:55 am: I’m not dancing. The whole experience was so disappointing — I had such great hopes of being part of an Administration that would make this a better state and help people who needed it. Watching this sad melodrama play out has been heartbreaking. - bockrand - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:01 pm: He’s only sorry he got caught, not that he did it. - Bill - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:22 pm: linc, It sounds to me like you are one of those Republican hacks who got your patronage job through politics but didn’t like losing it because of politics. Life is tough sometimes. Enjoy your celebration. Good things come to those who wait. - hmmm - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:22 pm: The time to think about your children is the moment when you’re choosing between right and wrong, and you think, “What kind of an example do I went to set for my kids?” - wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:22 pm: –Chicago is a Democrat city and has the majority of voters in the state. – Chicago has less than 25% of the voters in the state. - Ann - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:25 pm: Just saying thanks for this excellent way of keeping up with what’s going on. No better place to be right now short of in the courtroom. - sadie - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:34 pm: It is very hard to see the repeated comments that there was no harm to illinois. This is so far from the truth. The special funds accounts that were raided. The summer he cut 50% of the general revenue from the addiction treatment programs and puts hundreds of people out of treatment and on to the streets. The reductions in mental health staffing. The funds to build a private shooting range and a new baseball stadium for a mil. in southern Illinois. Or that he could not stand to be in Springfield unless there was a movie star there - oh well this could go on. The expansion of childrens insurance with no money that haunts Illinois today - enough already. - Cindy Lou - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:36 pm: Wow…14 yrs. I would have been happy enough with 7ish, though I agreed with all the judge had to say before delivering sentencing. - one day at a time - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:37 pm: all in all its been an UP day!!! - sick o' dem all - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:37 pm: Justice served. - reformer - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:38 pm: If 6.5 years was appropriate for George, then more than double that seems excessive for Rod. - lincolnlover - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:39 pm: Oswego - I would never go out of my way to hurt Blago’s family, even though he did that to mine. How much is enough? Apparently, 14 years. Yes, I DO plan to celebrate his sentencing tonight. And, by the way, do you think he felt any sympathy for the daughters of his employees that were hurt by his actions? Before you criticize, walk a mile in my shoes. - soccermom - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:40 pm: It’s always interesting to see who has response statements ready to go. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:40 pm: ===Good things come to those who wait=== We waited for justice. - Leave a Light on George - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:42 pm: My guess on the length of sentence was way off. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkNimXl8YE0 - spring - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:43 pm: wow, thats a long time in a cell - lincolnlover - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:44 pm: Spring - I hope you realize that I wasn’t dumping on Chicago voters. I was just trying to point out that, since Chicago does determine the outcome of most statewide elections, I hope the voters will now begin to look at people who are not from Chicago. - Aldyth - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:47 pm: Will any of the others out there learn from this? Will it change anyone or anything in how Illinois operates. We can only hope so. Many thanks to the Feds who followed through on this investigation, prosecuted, and re-prosecuted in the face of opposition. I’d like to think that justice is now served. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:48 pm: I feel so sad for you lincolnlover. First, like me, I guess, you haven’t walked in MY shoes, so I think I will call it a “wash” there. Blago will be in prision for 11 years 9 months (85% of that sentencs if he is good) But I guess you will be bitter long after those nearly 12 years. I can only feel so sad for you that, although your daughter waited a year to graduate, you got to see it. Patty’s daughters will never have that. I guess when you took your whisky shot, all that you faced … and overcame … meant nothing, and you are whole, only now. Wow. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:48 pm: You don’t get much good time off with the feds. I think most convicted of felonies in federal court do about 80% of their sentence before they’re eligible for parole. That’s 11 years in this case. - Cincinnatus - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:50 pm: Question of the Day: What will YOU be doing on February 16, 2026? - Louis Howe - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:50 pm: In the summer of 2001, Rod made a pre-campaign swing downstate with Cong. Jesse Jackson, Jr. When I asked him why he was considering running for governor he replied: “I am tired of Washington I want to spend more time with my family.” Fourteen years locked up is very long time for someone 55 years old. Actually, the probability of an average healthy male fifty years old dying over the next 14 years is 18%. In other words, Rod’s sentence is like taking a six round revolver with one cartage in the chamber, placing it against your temple and pulling the trigger. He may never have a truly private moment with his family again. - soccermom - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:51 pm: Rod couldn’t be bothered to show mercy to people who asked for commutations and expungements, so hundreds of people who deserved mercy sat in limbo for six years. http://www.sj-r.com/thedome/x1712044375/Quinn-grants-clemency-to-75-rejects-131-other-requests - Secret Square - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:53 pm: “since Chicago does determine the outcome of most statewide elections” If by “Chicago” you mean strictly people living within the city limits, I think you are wrong. If you are referring to residents of the Chicago metropolitian AREA including suburban Cook and the collar counties, then you are correct. - siriusly - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 12:56 pm: Today is the first time that I feel even a bit of sympathy for the guy. Okay, never mind that feeling has passed. It seems almost as if the sentence was heavy in response to his years of blatant arrogant hypocrisy. It feels right on that level. This one sure raised the sentancing bar for public corruption cases in IL. Wonder how Celini feels today. - Mom - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:01 pm: I thought the judge metered out a bullet proof sentencing. It was less than the federal prosecutors asked for, making it difficult for Blago’s lawyers to argue it is unreasonably harsh, and long enough to keep him out of a Club Fed pen. I have to say the sentence was longer than I expected, but I was blown away by the fact that right up to the end, Blago refused to acknowledge the illegality of his actions. I’m believe his inability to take responsibility is going to negatively impact his family, particularly his children. Passing on your delusions doesn’t help anyone. It makes acceptance of the whole situation that much harder. I feel for his children. - PPHS - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:07 pm: It is up to the Bureau of Prisons, where he will be placed, but I am told that Blago is not eligible to be placed in the camp that George Ryan is in. Ryan is in minimum security, with a medical facility. - anon - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:17 pm: Am very sad for the girls. He should have thought of them first. Patti too should have reigned him in for the girls’ sakes. Patti knew what was going on. There will be a lot of anger in the daughters later and it will be justified. - reformer - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:19 pm: As Dillard came on WGN TV for an interview, John Kass walked by him and said “I didn’t see you here for the Cellini sentencing.” - William - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:20 pm: I met Blagojevich twice and on one occasion was basically stranded alone with him for about half an hour. He was very personable but the things that came out of his mouth were, to say the least, disturbing. He struck me as self absorbed, profane, inattentive and almost out of touch. When these allegations first surfaced I was not surprised at all. He was, as I expected, convicted. Now that he has been sentenced and this affair is winding down I think back to the first thought that entered my mind when we parted that day, “I can’t believe that guy is Governor.” People can say justice is served and gloat, and that’s fine, but I think if one steps back and looks from wider perspective, this is overall a sad, sad day for our state. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:21 pm: ===As Dillard came on WGN TV for an interview, John Kass walked by him and said “I didn’t see you here for the Cellini sentencing.”=== Ok, that is “1″ for Kass .. - Belle - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:22 pm: 14 years is not enough to punish him for what he did to people in Illinois. As for his family, he is the only reason they are in this mess. Trying to pull the courts heartstrings on his behalf was futile. I have absolutly zero sympathy. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:22 pm: Kass was “at the Cellini sentencing?” He certainly is a wonder. Tell us, Kass, how much time did Cellini get? - jake - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:23 pm: I don’t why I feel as I do, but my overwhelming feeling is sadness. His actions hurt many people, now it is he and his family who are hurt. Where the upside is to this, I can’t find, except he will not be in a position to hurt anybody else. I just wish he had never been put in that position in the first place, and I am sorry I ever contributed my bit by voting for him. I don’t know of anybody who predicted how crazy and destructive he would be once he became Governor. He was not a great legislator nor a great Congressman, but he was no worse than a lot of others. Something about being Governor worked on his particular psychology to drive him crazy, or something else made him crazy about the same time he became Governor. In all of this, nothing I can find in my heart to celebrate, except that our system of justice works, even against people with power. - lincolnlover - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:23 pm: Bill - I don’t have a patronage job. I’m AFSCME green. I’m just one of the thousands of working slobs that Blago said he cared about and really did not. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:25 pm: ===Kass was “at the Cellini sentencing?” He certainly is a wonder. Tell us, Kass, how much time did Cellini get?=== word, He is the Great “Kass-ac” “3 pickels, The Indy 500, and a football cleat” - Dirty Red - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:29 pm: Good to see Kirk Dillard and John Tillman are at the courthouse to push their interests and agendas. - walkinfool - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:35 pm: Blago deserved this sentence. We didn’t deserve his actions in office. The costs to Illinois in lost faith in government go way beyond whatever number Sen. Kirk is saying. It damages voter turnout, local government, and even the opinions of Illinois held by decision makers in companies from around the world. There are ways to tackle this long-standing culture of corruption, but the other Fitzgerald’s reform committee, Andy Shaw’s group, and other advocates for political reform, pretty much have missed the boat. They are not digging deep enough into root causes, not fully understanding current political and governmental processes, and underestimating the human incentives to resist needed changes. These outsiders are critical to help define the problems, but real solutions have to be crafted by those from inside the system. Otherwise, little will change. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:40 pm: There’s something repugnant about political types hanging around the Dirksen to make themselves available for the TV cameras. It’s ghoulish and calculated. Was that on today’s To-Do List? “Score TV interviews as man and family go down in flames. Be sure to convey a solemn moral superiority.” - vole - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:41 pm: I asked the missus if she’d wait 14 years for me. “Don’t do the crime” came her response. Guess that needed no followup. - bigdaddygeo - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:42 pm: “Mr. ROBERT GRANT (FBI Special Agent): I don’t have 49 other states to compare it with, but I can tell you one thing, if it (Illinois) isn’t the most corrupt state in the United States, it’s certainly one hell of a competitor.” “Lincoln would roll over in his grave” U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Those weren’t exactly appropriate words from dispassionate and impartial prosecutors searching for justice but they are probably accurate. Blago (Rezko, Cellini) alone didn’t tear the fabric of Illinois. People believe that the corruption here is pervasive, endemic and institutionalized. Blago’s conviction doesn’t refute that belief, it supports it. Six years for Ryan, a couple of years in solitary confinement at MCC for Rezko, or natural life for Cellini probably won’t refute it either. Rich should have a page one day dedicated to “Wow, I can’t believe this guy didn’t get indicted?” topic now that Blago is sentenced. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:45 pm: If you are political type, and you are there and then say you feel for the family, while grandstanding … do we believe they are sincere? This a time you remember those who “coincidentally” were in the loop during this. - Ace Matson - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:46 pm: Blago’s only hope now is to flip and give the G evidence against others. Cong. Jackson must be very nervous. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:49 pm: Why the poll? What purpose does it serve? Is this talk radio? Give it a rest and speculate on hope our culture nurtures this kind of government behavior.. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:49 pm: –Blago’s only hope now is to flip and give the G evidence against others. – Little late for that, don’t you think? - Anonymous - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:50 pm: How our government. . . Not hope - Anonymous - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:51 pm: === UIC Political Science Prof Dick Simpson “for every politician convicted of corruption, ten more are getting away with it” === Oh, so true… - wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:56 pm: === UIC Political Science Prof Dick Simpson “for every politician convicted of corruption, ten more are getting away with it” === Nice soundbite, professor. I’m sure an objective scholar like yourself has the research to back it up. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 1:59 pm: ===Nice soundbite, professor. I’m sure an objective scholar like yourself has the research to back it up.=== He was a Chicago Alderman. For a while, the Chicago City Council was “Oxford-in-Waiting” - Mom - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 2:02 pm: If you talk to people who knew Blagojevich, they will tell you that he has a narcissistic personality disorder. They aren’t being facetious or hyperbolic. Knowing this about Blago, you can predict that once the initial shock wears off, he’ll be pestering everyone and their brother to contact President Obama and get him to issue him a pardon, or at least commute his sentence. He will convince himself that he has some sway with the president. He’s really that out of touch with reality. - Cincinnatus - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 2:03 pm: Wordslinger, et. al, Senator Dillard was requested to go to the courthouse by the media in Chicago. - spring - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 2:03 pm: G-Rod, deserves this, but I feel bad for him. Patti deserves arguably worse, but i feel bad for her, the kids don’t deserve this, but i have hope for them, the people of the state of illinois deserve better, and to all the current leaders and pols, they also deserve better than “not illegal” leadership. - Lakeview - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 2:05 pm: Good parents set an example for their children, and they don’t do things that might, say, get them sent away for 14 years. He can spare me the Father of the Year stuff. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 2:08 pm: ===Senator Dillard was requested to go to the courthouse by the media in Chicago.=== You can declne, because its a bit creepy and self-serving… and creepy As Rich says: just sayin’ - x ace - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 2:15 pm: “…small timers get into it, and ruin it for everyone.” John Dillinger - wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 2:20 pm: Cincy, are you Dillard’s spokesman? He told you that? He could have declined, as Willie said. I expect others did. - Bill F - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 2:22 pm: As usual, Wordslinger says what I am thinking. I couldn’t care less if the media asked Dillard to show up. Channeling my mother: if the media asked you to jump off a bridge, would you?” - soccermom - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 2:23 pm: I was once in the room when a magazine photographer asked a national hero to change into his swim trunks and pose in a bathtub full of bubbles. The hero declined. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 2:26 pm: ===Why the poll? What purpose does it serve?=== Simply because I’m curious what people think about the sentence. In conversations this afternoon, I’ve been a bit surprised about various reacts. - DRB - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 2:29 pm: Heard a caller to talk radio comment that Patti will now be a single mother. Worse part of that is we will probably be supporting the family through welfare, food stamps, etc. This cost to the taxpayers will likely go on for years. - Cincinnatus - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 2:31 pm: Wordslinger, Dillard is the go-to guy in this state whenever you need a reasoned response to any state concern. You know that as well as I. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 2:33 pm: ===Heard a caller to talk radio comment that Patti will now be a single mother. Worse part of that is we will probably be supporting the family through welfare, food stamps, etc. This cost to the taxpayers will likely go on for years.=== Sneedless to say, a “certain” columnist addressed that and it sounds like her father has that all covered. Finances are such a small thing TODAY to be worreid about, and it sounds like in that aspect they will be ok. However, the girls will not have a father for nearly 12 years, and they all have the taint of Rod through the wispers behind them for rest of their lives, and specifically these 12 years. I never worried if they could “eat”, but the damage to this family is catastrophic. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 2:34 pm: LOL, as far what I “know,” how about I’ll speak for myself and you do the same? - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 2:35 pm: ===Dillard is the go-to guy in this state whenever you need a reasoned response to any state concern. You know that as well as I.=== “By Sundown tomorrow…” it still will be creepy. Bad form, poor “choice” - Dirty Red - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 2:39 pm: Just read Amy’s letter. What kind of hell must those kids being going through? Truly heartbreaking. - Boone Logan Square - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 2:53 pm: The sentence was for fewer years than I expected. After the prosecution asked for 15-20, I thought Zagel might settle on the middle of that range and give him 17 or 18. That said, 14 years is significantly more than Rezko received, in keeping with Zagel’s conclusion that Blagojevich was the leader of the criminal conspiracy. It was a logical sentence based on Zagel’s comments leading up to today. Can’t say he didn’t deserve every day of the sentence. Can’t say I’m happy about today’s events, or anything else about Dick Mell’s son-in-law’s rise and fall. - Retired Non-Union Guy - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 2:54 pm: Think the judge went out of his way to remove any possible defense appeal on the basis of judicial bias and, as a result, may have ended up a year or two low … but close enough to vote “about right”. - Abandon Ship - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 3:01 pm: Clueless to the bitter end! Rod Blagojevich can read Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If” a million times and still not understand that the poet was talking about fighting on against adversity and disaster brought about by external forces — not dying from self-inflicted wounds. Blagojevich is not going to prison because he challenged the status quo and fought the political powers that be on behalf of the public, he is going to prison because he attempted to profiteer from the system in such a blatant and flagrant manner that he was the lowest hanging fruit on the tree of Illinois political corruption and the easiest target for federal prosecutors. Blagojevich was not fighting for the common people, he was trying to create his own political machine and to displace the power brokers who had nutured his career. - jake - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 3:01 pm: In spite of high profile cases like this, Illinois is way down the list of government corruption, as measured by the number of convicted officials per capita of population. According to the statistics cited below, we are way down at #22 among the states and territories. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/weekinreview/14marsh.html - Sir Reel - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 3:07 pm: Blago’s damage to State government will take years to recover from. From appointing incompetents (many remaining), to firing career professionals on term appointments, to scaring AFSCME employees from ever leaving the protection of the union to take a non-union position, the net effect has been to dumb down State government. It will take to recover. It is not as sexy as selling a U.S. Senate seat, but it is more pervasive and debilitating. - Sir Reel - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 3:08 pm: Sorry, it will take years to recover. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 3:10 pm: Jake, thanks for the NYT link. Very interesting and I challenge all the Illinois haters to check it out, if facts mean anything to you. - Esquire - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 3:11 pm: Many news outlets make repeated reference to the fact that four former Illinois governors have been sentenced to prison: Kerner, Walker, Ryan and, now, Blagojevich; paranthetically, Walker was sentenced for financial business crimes unrelated to his term in public office; the 5th Congressional District has now seen two of its five US Representatives sentenced to prison (Rostenkowski and Blagojevich). It will be interesting to see how Flanagan, Emanuel and Quigley fare in the future. - Uncle Musty - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 3:27 pm: Instead of worrying about his family, I wonder how all the families of the former state employees he had run out during his purges are doing. - Downstate Illinois - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 3:34 pm: My dreary day brightened considerably as I drove to Springfield in the rain and heard on the radio federal agents had arrested Blagojevich for corruption. I wasn’t happy that he was suffering. My joy came from knowing the rule of law was about to be restored in Illinois. The same was true the day the jury returned its verdict, and this afternoon when the judge handed down his sentence. Today is a good day, not for Rod and his family, but for the rest of us. We live in a political system that’s both the best in the world, but one still flawed as the men and women who inhabit it. Corruption tears away at the foundations of our democracy and our society. The conviction of a criminal ruler who sought to fleece the state restores a brick or two in that foundation. I understand the somber tone of comments. Justice is a serious business and the job’s not complete, but don’t rob me of my joy because today is a day of progress. - Jake From Elwood - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 3:42 pm: Some of you are apparently all in on the bread and circus angle. I will take the high road today and consider the future of his daughters. Illinois adds another punchline for the Jon Stewarts of the world. Depressing, no? - Former State Employee 2 - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 3:47 pm: Uncle Musty, I think I love you. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 3:48 pm: ===I understand the somber tone of comments. Justice is a serious business and the job’s not complete, but don’t rob me of my joy because today is a day of progress.=== When the US Attorney, the prosecuting officer, says this in not a joyous day, and this prosecutor takes no “joy” in having to prosecute another governor …and its his job to protect us and defend all you stated in your post… then I think I will lean on the side of the prosecutor. I feel Sad-Vindication, not an ounce of joy. - Small Town Liberal - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 3:49 pm: - Depressing, no? - Sheesh, didn’t your folks ever tell you about sticks and stones? I, for one, and proud to be from Illinois and don’t have any plans to leave. Some corrupt officials and a tough financial situation and some people think we should hang our heads in shame. Get over it, our state and country has went through rougher times, were our ancestors just tougher? - Ray del Camino - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 3:56 pm: Scroll back up and click on that NYT link from Jake. Jolt of reality will help pull your chin out of than hangdog pose. Just look at the graph on corrupt officials per capita. Yes, this is a high-profile nut job elected *twice* to be our governor. No, we’re not necessarily worse than anyone else in the big picture. It’s a good day overall. The man got what he deserved. His kids didn’t. Shoulda thought of that, shouldn’t he? - amalia - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 3:56 pm: best Fitzgerald quote,”if my aunt had a beard she’d be my uncle.” best questions to Fitzgerald, from Mike Flannery, who asked if Fitz was leaving the job now that this was over and was he reprimanded for the “Lincoln rolling over in his grave” comments. Flannery jumped right to the next issue, the long tenure of the USAttny. - Esquire - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 3:57 pm: Sometimes, I wonder what thoughts cross the mind of Alderman Richard Mell, who is also the Democratic Ward Committeeman of the 33rd Ward and the father of Patti Blagojevich. He once boasted of hosting the party where Rod and Patti first met and encouraging his daughter to meet somebody new after breaking up with a former boyfriend. Mell enabled Blagojevich for most of his political career: no show jobs; a minimalist stint at the State’s Attorney’s office; a position in the General Assembly after redistricting; the campaign from Congress; the nomination for Governor. In the process, Mell covered for his son-in-law constantly and leased him the office used by the then Congressman next door to the Ward Committee office. Mell deserves some blame for helping to create Frankenstein Rod. - Not So Quick . . . - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 3:57 pm: Deserves every day, but serves . . . - wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 4:01 pm: –To all the gutless Democrats chiming in to say how well deserved this sentence is, while they stood by for years knowing Blagojevich was corrupting the office and reputation of this state, I’d like to say thank you and applaud your righteous indignation.– Plenty of GOPers did business with him, too. He and Cross were pretty tight for a long while. - nino brown - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 4:14 pm: jail is a drag. 14 is a ton. - Mom - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 4:21 pm: wordslinger…knowing something and being able to prove something are two different things. Democrats were talking about how they could impeach Blagojevich long before he was arrested. I’m sorry to burst your sanctimonious bubble, but no one wanted Blago gone more than the Democrats in Springfield. - Wensicia - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 4:43 pm: ==Plenty of GOPers did business with him, too. He and Cross were pretty tight for a long while.== Yes, but I wonder if so many hadn’t enabled Blagojevich long the way, would he have come to the point where he would try to sell a Senate seat? He earned the sentence he received, but it was too easy for him to commit the crimes he’s guilty of. - TwoFeetThick - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 4:47 pm: =Sanctimonious bubble sounds like a good new nickname= Or a great new band name. “Dude, I’m going to checkout Sanctimonious Bubble at The Vic this weekend. They’re opening up for Bong Lung.” - Bill - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 4:47 pm: FREE ROD!! - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 4:48 pm: ===but it was too easy for him to commit the crimes he’s guilty of.=== The blame falls squarely on RRB’s shoulders, nobody else’s. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 4:55 pm: ===He earned the sentence he received, but it was too easy for him to commit the crimes he’s guilty of.=== That is what a car thief says about cars parked on the street … “How can I NOT steal the car, it was too easy to get it!” - bored now - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 4:55 pm: do we have any idea why the sentence was so light? what am i missing here (i really thought the judge was going to throw the book at rod and take a stand against ongoing political corruption here in illinois)? - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 4:56 pm: ===do we have any idea why the sentence was so light?=== The vast majority voting in that poll above say it was either about right or too harsh. - Leave a Light on George - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 5:00 pm: @ Sir Reel You get it. I wish more did. - bored now - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 5:01 pm: ok, i voted, but i still don’t understand why the sentence was so short in duration. - Wensicia - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 5:03 pm: ==The blame falls squarely on RRB’s shoulders, nobody else’s.== I don’t disagree, he probably would have come to this end anyway. But, I believe the culture of corruption in place for years in Illinois fosters the type of behavior we’ve seen from quite a few of our elected and unelected officials. - Walter Mitty - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 5:11 pm: agree with Esquire. For the first time ever I began to feel sorry for Dick Mell. What he must be thinking right now, after he created and enabled the guy. - Justice - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 5:25 pm: Well…..an up day for me. A terrible tragedy for the girls. all because of a self serving selfish power hungry fool for a father. Effective immediately I am changing my moniker from “Justice” to “Sunshine.” Justice has been served. A new day is upon us and we move on. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 6:54 pm: I have been Rod’s harshest critic. I was delighted when he was arrested and charged. He was a total jerk when he became governor. He surrounded himself with sycophants. These were all losers that would not have lasted in an honest administration. Yes people who only knew one thing. Kiss butt. And Rod knew it. That’s why he hired them. These people were in your face loons. They loved going after anyone who disagreed with them. They were out to destroy anyone who got in their way. They had hit list and were in their glory if they could bring you to your knees and eliminate your ability to support you family. They had no compassion for anyone. This was all very comical to them. From the very beginning Rod set out to commit these crimes. He could only accomplish this with willing staff. Looking the other way and daring anyone to question the motives of their boss. The perfect storm. They were all like sharks feeding on blood and in a frenzy. Many are still there. Doing the same thing for Quinn they did for Rod. Kept on and placed in state positions as political cronies. Everyone in state government knows who they are and what they are doing. Nothing changes. I find myself feeling sad for Rod. I think he is just now coming down to earth. For years he has been told how great he is. This would include Patti. She’s got some real issues. Any other wife would have taken this guy by the collar years ago and demanded he snap out of it. But she was part of that feeding frenzy. There is definitely some mental illness here. With both of them. Rod now is just a sad sad caricature of a man. - bleepin golden - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 6:55 pm: Rod will soon file an appeal. People that file appeals haven’t really acknowledged their crimes or admitted their guilt. So his lame apology today was just that. Lame. - ZC - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 7:51 pm: Just as a side note, as long as we’re trying to assign blame for this disaster: let’s not forget the obvious. Democrats were on the outside looking in, of the Illinois gubernatorial mansion, for approximately 25 years, from Daniel Walker through Rod. That’s an eternity in politics, and feels like longer in what is, in state politics, winnable for either side. Democrats tried political dynasties (Adlai III). Didn’t work. They tried lakefront liberal feminists; didn’t work. They tried downstate prairie populists. Finally here comes Rod, and for all his faults, when he was on, he was very, very good on the campaign trail. He could raise money, he seemed broadly acceptable … and he brought the Dems back into the governor’s mansion. A lot of Dems who should have known better, were willing to look the other way, just because they were at last -winning-. Even in 2006, when he was already becoming radioactive, he was still the man who brought the Dems back into the governor’s mansion, and nobody wanted to give up the lease yet. That’s not to excuse those who facilitated Rod and looked the other way long after they must have known what a disaster he was. We just need to understand what led to this day, in addition to judgment, to make sure it doesn’t happen again anytime soon. - Excessively Rabid - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:05 pm: ==The blame falls squarely on RRB’s shoulders, nobody else’s.== Better late than never, let me say the blame belongs to the majority of Illinois voters who re-elected him. It was perfectly clear by the middle of his first term what he was. JBT was not the strongest opponent, but she was honest and reasonably moderate. She was clearly a far better choice than Blago, but the voters let themselves be fooled by him, and those who voted for him deserve what they got and more. - Shemp - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:44 pm: I am shocked by any sympathy felt for him as expressed by some. So many here are willing to write-off the extent of his damage because that’s the way politics work. Just because sleazy politics are the norm shouldn’t mean we lower our standards. And to the people worrying about his family. It appears his wife was complicit and perhaps it’s not so awful that the kids aren’t raised by a father who has no integrity. If my father taught me one thing more than any that shapes me today, it is integrity. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:45 pm: I wonder what percentage of criminal appeals are successful. Especially in federal court. Especially in public corruption cases. Oh yeah, not many. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:47 pm: Blago, of course, is solely responsible for his crimes. But, like Rabid, said, he was a known quantity by the time of his re-election. Plenty of smart people, from both parties, business, labor, and all sorts of interests, continued to do business with him knowing full well what he was about. To their credit, many smart people did not. Two governors in a row in prison; that’s not an aberration, that’s a pattern. Ryan and Blago didn’t hijack the state. They rose to the top job in large part on their willingness to share the fruits of corruption, and the willingness of millions of citizens to accept that. It would be nice to say that we’re all victims of the bad guys. But over the years, we’ve demonstrated that we like the bad guys quite a bit until they go too far or get caught. - zatoichi - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:47 pm: Watched the post sentencing film spot on local news, it looks like it has finally dawned on Rod and Patti that this is really happening. After several years of the Rod ‘I’m innocent’ campaign, how long will it take before a cellmate simply says “Hey man, shut up”. Feel sorry for the kids, but there are thousands of others put into the same situation because a parent went to jail. Still, glad to see this coming to an end. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 10:53 pm: And as far as Blago being solely responsible for his crimes, there sure is a long line of aides and hacks who were part of his schemes who have been convicted, too. - Original Rambler - Wednesday, Dec 7, 11 @ 11:08 pm: Blago’s damage to State government will take years to recover from. From appointing incompetents (many remaining), to firing career professionals on term appointments, Sir Reel, does that include the term appointees who were put there illegally by the Ryan administration!?! - Anonymous - Thursday, Dec 8, 11 @ 12:29 am: Anonymous 6:54, that can be said about others in office and their staff, too. Sociopaths seem to be quite the norm for Illinois. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.