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* When the cameras were on, Rod Blagojevich said he’d never resign, and wouldn’t even consider the matter. It was a different story when the cameras were off, however…
Contrary to public statements he’s made, Rod Blagojevich contemplated resigning as governor shortly before the Illinois Senate voted to boot him from office.
“He wanted to step aside, but he didn’t reach out to anybody” in state government, Blagojevich’s estranged father-in-law, Ald. Dick Mell (33rd), told the Chicago Sun-Times today in his first public comments since Blagojevich’s impeachment conviction.
Mell was reacting to a report in the Capitol Fax newsletter this morning that quoted anonymous sources saying that on Thursday — after the governor made his closing argument to the Senate in Springfield — Mell called Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) to relay a message that Blagojevich wanted to resign before a vote to oust him could be held.
Actually, I wrote that an “official close to Senate President John Cullerton” was contacted. [Adding: The Sun-Times has corrected its copy to reflect what I wrote. Thanks much to them.]
And I stand by my story.
* But the broader point is that after the governor said this to the Senate yesterday…
“Now, if I felt I did something wrong, I would have resigned in December. If I felt I had violated a law, I would meet my responsibilities, I would have resigned in December. I wouldn’t put my family through this, I wouldn’t put you through this and, most importantly, I wouldn’t put people, the people of Illinois, through this. But I didn’t resign then and I’m not resigning now because I have done nothing wrong.”
And then told reporters this last night…
During a news conference outside his Northwest Side house after the 59-0 impeachment vote, Blagojevich was asked point-blank if he’d considered resigning. “No, I did not,” he replied.
When the cameras were off, he not only thought about resigning, he offered it up.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 3:14 pm
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Sounds like he didn’t know what he wanted to do!
Comment by Levois Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 3:20 pm
I admit I was a bit surprised that he didn’t before they removed him and barred him from holding office again. I figured if anyone would have thought themselves capable of making a political comeback from a mess like this, it would be him.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 3:20 pm
Unpredictable till the bitter (or sweet) end.
Rich gets mangled again as a news source–how does it feel to get misquoted by MSM.
Comment by Vote Quimby! Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 3:22 pm
I had heard that if he resigned he would have been able to keep his security detail for six months, hwich is another reason why I thought he would stepped down.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 3:28 pm
BTW, Blago’s already crawling back to dada. Talk about a prodical son.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 3:31 pm
So Mell and Rod are speaking again?
Comment by Hair today, gone tomorrow Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 3:32 pm
Depending on the timing, maybe the unanswered phone call to the state airplane was from Mell to say “they didn’t take it, kid.”
As described in the nytimes.com political section:
“As the nine-seat airplane raced through the skies on Thursday somewhere between Springfield and here, an onboard telephone began to ring.
“Rod R. Blagojevich, the soon-to-be ex-governor of Illinois, instructed his aides not to answer. It might be the news, he said, that he had been removed from office and that he no longer controlled the state’s thousands of employees or even, especially pertinent, the state-owned airplane taking him home.”
Comment by It Rings for Thee Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 3:35 pm
Who cares? he’s gone. let’s not make him news anymore.
Comment by Captain Flume Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 3:37 pm
“Blago’s already crawling back to dada.”
Based on the all the speculation I’ve been reading about Rod possibly singing to the Feds, maybe it’s actually the other way around?
Comment by BigDog Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 3:43 pm
Heh, political theater!
Comment by Levois Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 3:48 pm
Big Dog, I’m not sure if your right but I would bet that Rich’s second book could be named Governor Rat because of all the singing he ends up doing.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 3:49 pm
So what’s the real story about Blagojevich going back to “get his fingerprints re-printed” a couple weeks ago.
Was that what really happened? Or was the visit some meeting with the feds before all the impeachment stuff started? (Maybe the feds pressuring RB?)
Comment by Macbeth Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 3:55 pm
I guess my only reaction is I’m glad that President Cullerton took the stand he did.
Comment by Commonsense in Illinois Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 3:57 pm
I heard Pat Quinn has been caught on tape trying to sell the Chicago Water District appointment to the highest bidder….
Just kidding ; )
Comment by Speaking at Will Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 3:59 pm
BTW Rich — the S-T has modified its story to say “someone close” to Cullerton. Nice reporting.
Comment by Concerned Observer Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 4:01 pm
MacBeth, that was my comment exactly, on the very day the “second set of prints” were taken. And I still say that. Lots more going on that meets the eye, except I don’t believe it had anything to do with impeachment. It has to do with trying to stay out of jail.
Comment by Merit Comp Slave Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 4:02 pm
I DEMAND a ROD FREE day on the C-Fax next week. ONE WHOLE DAY without the mention of the deposed psychopath!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Comment by ivoted4judy Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 4:02 pm
Rich, could Blago still have “stood aside” prior
to the vote in the Senate and kept his salary coming
in until the criminal matter was adjudicated?
Comment by Esteban Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 4:21 pm
The Senate would’ve removed him either way.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 4:23 pm
Resigning would have been the honorable thing to do. We’re talking about Blagojevich, so that’s out.
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 4:32 pm
Purely as a “lab experiment”, I would be interested in seeing if RRB would/could stage a political comeback sometime in the future IF the Senate hadn’t voted to bar him from public office for life. I wouldn’t be at all surprised that the same voters who re-elected him to a second term would also vote him into office again (barring a federal conviction, of course).
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 4:56 pm
He thought about resigning but didn’t? His closing argument to the Senate would have been the perfect time… the reason I watched it was to see if the unexpected would happen. “I quit” just isn’t in his vocabulary…
Comment by North of I-80 Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 5:03 pm
All you legal experts, the notion that the little mop-headed tool had a chat with the G while getting his prints done over is just plain bogus.
Under the Rules of Professional Conduct for all attorneys, the US Attorneys’ Manual, and the FBI equivalent, they may not discuss matters pertinent to the case, or really anything, with a person known to be represented by counsel without counsel present.
Further AA sayeth not.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Friday, Jan 30, 09 @ 6:45 pm