Question of the day
Wednesday, Nov 13, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
Prosecutors have urged a federal appeals court to reject former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s legal challenges to his conviction and 14-year prison sentence on sweeping corruption charges, arguing in a lengthy filing that Blagojevich’s behavior was anything but the typical political horse-trading he claimed.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office argued that Blagojevich’s attempts to paint himself as a politician engaged in typical negotiations were laughable.
“No matter the price he charges, a public official who sells his office engages in crime, not politics,” the filing stated. “Blagojevich claims that he was convicted based on acts constituting nothing more than common, everyday political horse trading,” the filing went on to say. “In light of the evidence, this is an extraordinary claim.”
* The Question: Since time has passed, have you changed your mind at all about Rod Blagojevich’s conviction and sentence? If so, how? Please explain your answer in comments. Thanks.
- Stones - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:04 pm:
No. I think the sentence imposed was fair. Somewhere along the line the message needs to be sent that if you are going to be a corrupt public official there is a steep price to be paid if you are caught. Sentences to this point haven’t done the trick.
- Downstater - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:05 pm:
Guilty!!!!! Also, guilty of extreme arrogance and a bad haircut.
- TJ - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:09 pm:
No.
This sentence was typed just in case Rich frowns on one-word answers.
- From Exile - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:12 pm:
To think the Federal Prison System dumped this guy into my community in Colorado makes me sick. I thought I had escaped the BS of the ex-gov when I moved out of Illinois. Pack the bags kids, we are moving agin! I always blow the car horn when I pass the joint!!
- Waldi - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:14 pm:
The citizens of Illinois are still paying the price for the damage Blagojevich did while Governor. Too bad they also didn’t get rid of the minions he installed at various State Agencies who continued to drag those agencies down. Andrew Davis, former Executive Director of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, is just one example. Blago richly deserves to be in prison.
- RNUG - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:16 pm:
Nope. If anything, think the sentence was too short and also think, based on the tapes, they should have gone after the Mrs.
- Publius - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:19 pm:
He got what he deserved. We don’t miss him. It will take the operations of government a long time to recover from that long period of corrupt mismanagement. After making a couple of huge mistakes the voting public is happily considering Topinka and Vallas as good public servants rather than the cartoonish creations of Blago advertising attacks. Good riddance. Stay gone.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:24 pm:
Nope,
Think the damage he did was real and at this point serious time is the only way to reduce the rate at which it happens again in this state.
- downstate demo - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:26 pm:
Blago deserved everything he got.
A painting of this former Governor should never hang in the State House.
Too bad more of his buddies did not have to pay for their part in hurting the State of Illinois.
- Jimmy 87 - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:28 pm:
The conviction, no way. His sentence - absolutely. 14 years is way too long - 6 to 10 years would have been more appropriate.
George Ryan’s corruption actually cost people’s lives in the form of fiery highway crash. Rod tried to enrich himself and shake down a Children’s hospital for a campaign contribution. Sleazy and illegal? Without question. But 14 years? Come one. There are some offenders doing way less time than that for violent crimes.
- Wensicia - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:28 pm:
No, I haven’t heard anything that would change my mind so far.
- Norseman - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:35 pm:
Not a bit. Whenever there is a discussion of the poor state of the State of Illinois Blago’s name always comes up.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:36 pm:
By the way, just so there’s no confusion here, I have not changed my mind at all about either the conviction nor his sentence. I dunno about y’all, but I’m enjoying his absence.
- Political Neophyte - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:38 pm:
Not at all. He damaged the reputation of the Governor’s office, and more importantly, he gave traction to the political cynics that say “all politicians are corrupt…”
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:39 pm:
No change whatsoever.
The only regret is that he failed to sing like a canary.
Had he given up all the dirt he saw, heard and participated in over the years, he could have flushed much of the system in Illinois. Democrats, Republicans, lobbyists, businessmen, it makes no difference. Just get the truly corrupt bad apples out of there, sentence Blago to a day in prison or probation and send him on his way.
Alas, he failed to utter a peep through the bitter end. He took his last chance at redemption and laughed at it, cementing his status as a contemptible character. Blago could have squeezed some good out of this terrible situation for the benefit of Illinois. Instead, he went on television, bunkered down as a “victim” and protected the harmful elements, corrupt individuals and selfish mentality that are damaging our state.
He should serve every day.
- otoh - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:41 pm:
No. I echo TJ’s sentiments.
- RNUG - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:42 pm:
Jimmy 87 @ 1:28 pm:
You just listed the tip of the iceberg on Rod. The state is going to paying for some of his misdeeds long after Rod gets out of prison.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:46 pm:
===The only regret is that he failed to sing like a canary.===
Oh, please. He wrote a book, he held a zillion press conferences. Nobody trusted that guy enough to let him in on anything. Madigan wouldn’t even be in the same room with him for over a year.
- LincolnLounger - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:47 pm:
No, and I think the sentence was appropriate; however, I think the sentences for political corruption and abuse of trust should be very tough and uniformly applied. I don’t think Rod got a raw deal, but I think plenty of others have gotten off easy.
- Ghost - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:50 pm:
yes, but only if he can persuade Guns and Ammo magazine to hire him as their chief editor….
- OneMan - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:50 pm:
It turns out Rod did explain things… It is on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFvujknrBuE
- Chicago Cynic - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:52 pm:
No regrets - sentence was right on. Like you, I’m happy to have his absence and even happier we haven’t heard a peep from him personally. My only regret is that Patti got off with nothing. Like Sandi Jackson, she was a partner in crime and should have paid a penal price for it.
- Boone's is Back - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:53 pm:
No. I thought the sentence was incredibly harsh, and still do. He was guilty but I don’t think he should serve ten more years than George Ryan or JJJ.
Especially when George was taking direct bribes. Rod never took any actual money and was prosecuted mostly on the Honest Government Services Act, a law that is a very nebulous, ever changing, and very difficult to interpret.
- Cindy Lou - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 1:57 pm:
I actually thought the sentence was a bit harsh when given…I’ve changed my mind on that point. They can give him another ten on top of the current and I’d still be good with it.
- Susiejones - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 2:01 pm:
have not changed my mind. good riddance. he was one of the top 10 real political scandals that ran on ABC last night. hope he never comes back to IL.
- Phineas J. Whoopee - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 2:02 pm:
I know Blago didn’t get caught actually taking money but I can’t imagine how much pay to play went through before he was on tape.
I don’t think he deserved 14 years for what he was caught doing but he probably should have gotten life for what he wasn’t caught for.
- second street - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 2:06 pm:
No problem with the conviction but I think the sentence was excessive. 9-10 years seems about right to me. My guess is that a few on the 14 years were due to his being such a jerk.
- Huh? - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 2:10 pm:
“A painting of this former Governor should never hang in the State House.”
What I would like to see is a painting of him and george in their prison clothes with their DOC number stenciled across the left pocket.
- Zygmuntovich - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 2:15 pm:
One Man - Hilarious
- one of the 35 - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 2:33 pm:
Blago harmed so many people and his time in prison does not undo all the harm he inflicted on others.
- dupage dan - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 2:53 pm:
But to the point - no & no.
- A guy... - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 3:19 pm:
He’s guilty. He’s contemptible. He’s lacking remorse, or at least any genuine remorse. Lest we forget, at least one, maybe 2 people did die as a result of this process. I don’t miss having him around. If the Judge could have made part of the sentence, ‘you can’t return to Illinois’, it would even be better. All that being said, for the conviction achieved, the sentence is a little too long. Arrogance is ugly, but shouldn’t be subject to punitive measures that went as far as they did. 7 or 8 years would have been more suitable. Bad precedence has unintended consequences. I don’t lose any sleep, but it’s nothing to cheer about.
- Rollo Tomasi - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 3:36 pm:
No regrets - but I think Jessie Jackson JR should also be doing 14 years.
- Fed up - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 3:37 pm:
No. He should of been convicted.
The sentence seems excessive to me. He did bring it on himself, you can only be so smug with the Feds
- reformer - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 3:46 pm:
I haven’t seen any new evidence that might lead me to reconsider my opinion that he was guilty as charged. He could’ve been charged for selling jobst at IDOT.
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 4:13 pm:
=== He wrote a book, he held a zillion press conferences. ===
Indeed, he did. He did so primarily to declare his innocence and seek public sympathy, not for the purpose of helping the feds target corruption or make amends for the damage he had done.
The man has been convicted and proven dirty.
It seems highly unlikely that a corrupt politician rises from state house to congress to the governor’s mansion over a span of nearly 20 years without witnessing or engaging in additional corruption.
That applies especially in a state with a reputation for producing the likes of everyone from Walker to Cellini. Such corrupt individuals do not operate in a vacuum or get convicted for engaging in a “conspiracy of one”.
But the way Blago tells it, he was squeaky clean until those darn feds twisted his words and busted him the only time he ever misspoke.
Forgive me for not buying it.
- walkinfool - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 4:42 pm:
The Feds are right about one thing: this is not typical or “everyday political horse-trading.”
These are crimes. And most politicians are not in fact legally corrupt.
- Anyone Remember? - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 5:26 pm:
My problem with Blagojevich’s sentence is it being out of synch with Ryan sentence. And, to me, the “remedy” is Ryan serving longer, not Blagojevich serving less. And, for that matter, if Harris’ sentence is to remain 10 days, disbarment should be on the table. People like Blagojevich don’t do what they do without enablers.
- Just The Way It Is One - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 8:01 pm:
No. Explanation: guilty on virtually every count; Illinois deserved a FAR more honorable “Servant-of-the-People” in Chief. I do feel truly VERy sorry for his daughters, though, with their father to be behind bars for SO long…
- Robert Lincoln - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 8:16 pm:
@FKA, You don’t flip the big fish to get the guppies. It is usually the other way around. Their is no bigger fish in Illinois than its governor, except maybe the mayor of Chicago.
- Sunshine - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 10:05 pm:
I’m 100% with RNUG. Sentence too short, wife should be in the slammer as well!
It is refreshing to be missing him!!!
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 10:06 pm:
FTR, Hurd got 15 years for his drug conspiracy conviction. My opinion is that is about 12 years too many, but hey, that’s how the Feds roll.
My feelings for Blagojevich remain unchanged.