Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Round-Up: Crime and Punishment

Posted in:

Illinois

[posted by Mike Murray]

* Blagojevich top aide’s plea postponed again

Alonzo Monk is Blagojevich’s former chief of staff, and Monk had been scheduled to change his not guilty plea to guilty on Tuesday.

But on Monday the hearing was postponed until Aug. 27.

Monk is charged with one count of wire fraud for scheming to pressure a racetrack executive for a $100,000 campaign contribution in exchange for the prompt signing by Blagojevich of legislation.

When and if the hearing is held, any written plea agreement between Monk and federal prosecutors could shed important new light on the case.

* `Ho hum’ for Blago really ought to be an `Oh, my!’

In the eight months since Blagojevich was arrested in his home, nearly every escalation of this story into spectacle and absurdity has felt incremental. Just another cartwheel. Just another stunt. Just another deranged, self-righteous declaration. To the point that many of us fail to appreciate, day in and day out, how scalding to the sensibilities this tale really is.

And yes, before we go any further, I know that the slowly boiled frog image is based on a myth. Actual frogs will jump out of water that becomes uncomfortably hot. But we froggos seldom jump out of the moment to take in — to savor, to appreciate, to blink in amazement at — the extraordinary nature of this narrative and its main character.

Most people facing serious charges that could result in prison time go deep into hiding after issuing the obligatory and carefully crafted proclamation of innocence. No further comments. No statements. And certainly no singing.

Can you imagine if former Gov. George Ryan had made a surprise appearance before his federal corruption trial to perform in the style of his favorite crooner? TV and radio would have interrupted regular programming. The Tribune would have put out an extra edition.

* Gov. Rod’s change of heart

One well-known example involves the Better Government Association’s two-year battle to get copies of the subpoenas that federal investigators served on the Blagojevich administration for government records.

The BGA wanted to see what the feds were looking into, and the governor fought hard to stop that information from being released. Blagojevich stonewalled as his court losses mounted, and the documents were not released until late last year — a few weeks after he was arrested. As you might imagine, the documents were a bit less relevant by then.

Nor was this type of stonewalling uncommon in the Blagojevich administration.

Now, though, our governor is a champion of Freedom of Information. It’s refreshing to see such a change of heart.

* Blago looking for reality show

Tipsville: Sneed is told embattled former Gov. Rod Blagojevich is hoping to land on a reality show.

• • Translation: “He’s not divorced, and he’s not looking for a date, but he is looking for work . . . and if you look at it seriously, these reality shows are all about landing jobs,” said a Blago source.

• • $$$$$: Word is Blago’s agent, Glenn Selig, has been pitching his client to appear in media outlets nationwide. “No one has said ‘yes’ . . . but no one has said ‘no,’ ” said the source. “It’s a 50/50 deal so far.”

* Blago looking for reality show

Blago spent nearly a week in California cutting tape for the audio version of his upcoming book The Governor.

• • His publisher, Michael Viner, just died. Last March, Viner, who agreed to publish Blago’s book, told Sneed that he hoped the book “becomes a classroom text and was basically about not being treated fairly rather than being a book about his guilt or innocence. It’s much more a rainbow story than a black-and-white story. He [Blago] understands that part of his downfall was caused by him — but it does not justify the treatment he received.”

• • Blago’s surprise “Elvis” appearance singing “Treat Me Nice” at a company party in Streeterville Friday night was a “last-minute deal,” said Gretchen Praeger, managing director at Optimus, which hosted the party.

• • Blagojevich personally picked the Elvis song and was accompanied by a long-tressed Fabio look-a-like, who happens to be an old Blago pal and fund-raiser attendee. Blago arrived at the party in a black stretch limo.

* He just won’t go away

* Chicago bulding inspector accused of taking bribes

Chicago Inspector General David Hoffman says a city building inspector has been arrested on federal charges for allegedly accepting a $1,000 cash bribe from a cooperating contractor to approve an inspection at a residential construction site.

Hoffman says a criminal complaint unsealed Monday accuses Jose Hernandez of soliciting cash bribes totaling tens of thousands of dollars from contractors, developers and homeowners since at least 2005.

The case is part of an ongoing federal corruption investigation, code-named Operation Crooked Code, which has so far resulted in charges against two dozen defendants, including 12 city inspectors.

* Drew Peterson’s attorneys launch attack on hearsay law

Drew Peterson’s attorneys filed a motion today challenging the constitutionality of a new state law some call “Drew’s law” that allows judges to consider hearsay evidence under certain conditions.[…]

“The new hearsay law … would allow gossip, innuendo, rumor and back fence scandal to come into court and masquerade as evidence,” the motion further states. The motion is posted on the Web site of Peterson’s attorneys.

But a spokesman for the state’s attorney’s office said the law was specifically drafted to meet constitutional muster, and added that similar laws have been enacted in more than a dozen states.

* Prospective Brown’s Chicken jurors questioned extensively

But during the interviews, the bulk of the questions centered on their willingness or reluctance to impose the death penalty. Five were dismissed after they said they were opposed to capital punishment and would not consider imposing it. Two others were dismissed after saying they already believed that Degorski was guilty of the murders and would impose the death penalty. “An eye for an eye,” one man said.[…]

But the next juror in line was questioned for nearly 40 minutes. When he returned, the other man started laughing. “You were in there a long time,” he said. “They must have really liked you.”

He was right — the man was one of only three out of 21 prospective jurors still in the running after the first day of questioning. The other two are the college student and a Paris-born stay-at-home dad. All three said that should Degorski be convicted, they would consider imposing the death penalty if they felt it was the appropriate sentence.

* State’s attorney charges Cahnman

The 55-year-old faces one count of solicitation of a sexual act, which is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days in jail or a fine of as much as $2,000. He was arrested about 2 a.m. Sunday at Bar Oasis, 411 E. Washington St.

* Why crime on the North Side gets more pub

The sad truth is that every violent crime cannot be treated as news in a city with so much of it. From time to time, one news organization or another will make an effort to take note of every killing, but they always give up for any number of reasons, not the least of which is the sense that nobody is paying attention.

And it’s also true that using one common definition of news — man bites dog — a spate of muggings on the North Side may be more unusual — and therefore more newsworthy — than a spate of killings on the South Side.

But there’s still something about it that doesn’t feel right.

* 86-year-old shoplifter: ‘She’s an actress’

2-day sentence: Some skeptical of wheelchair, judge doubts she has hearing problem

-Let’s just put her in a home and be done with it. JK…?

* Women says Krazy Glue on penis was over cheating (Video)

Therese Ziemann told NBC’s “Today” show on Tuesday that she and the other three women accused of holding the man against his will in a Green Bay, Wis., hotel room did not collaborate, and that there was no ringleader among them.

Prosecutors say the women, including the man’s wife and another girlfriend, lured the man to the motel on July 30 to punish him for cheating.

-LOL. I won’t really touch this one, but it’s a long video and all I’ll say is that that women is lying big time.

posted by Mike Murray
Tuesday, Aug 11, 09 @ 10:53 am

Comments

Hey, I’m looking for a spot on a reality TV show too for some bucks. Cooking, survival, eating, racing, whatever. Man vs. Food would work. No one has said “Yes”, but no one has said “No” so I must be half way there. Even been behind the mic on radio several times and had my name in the papers a couple of times. It’s an up day!

Comment by zatoichi Tuesday, Aug 11, 09 @ 11:27 am
Why do they call them “reality” shows? They’re the most base of freak shows.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Aug 11, 09 @ 11:40 am
“He made history in August 2009 when he became the first former elected official still facing charges to be named host of his own radio show. ”

From his bio page. That’s how he made history? He is proud enough of that to put it in his bio?

Comment by Johnnyc Tuesday, Aug 11, 09 @ 3:07 pm
Excellent, Mike. No way the Captain ever would ever have posted that last vid, let alone called out the lying conspirators.
AA’s check to the MM Morale Welfare & Recreation Fund is on the way.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Aug 11, 09 @ 9:57 pm
Well thx AA. I do what I can…

Comment by Mike Murray Wednesday, Aug 12, 09 @ 10:32 am