CHICAGO, Dec. 9, 2008
Illinois Gov. Accused Of "Crime Spree"
Rod Blagojevich Charged In Conspiracy To Peddle Obama's Vacant Senate Seat
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Play CBS Video Video Blagojevich In Hot Water Ill. Governor Blagojevich's wiretapped phone conversations have led to allegations of corruption, including that he intended to "auction off" Obama's former seat in the Senate. Dean Reynolds reports.
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Video "Corruption Crime Spree" Gov. Rod Blagojevich of Ill. was arrested on corruption charges -including trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama's Senate seat. Joel Brown reports.
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Video Rampant Corruption In Illinois In the 1920s and 30s, Al Capone used to have police officers and government officials on his payroll. And three former Illinois governors have been sentenced to jail. Jeff Greenfield reports.
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In this April 18, 2007 file photo, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich speaks at the 45th Annual Illinois Governor's Prayer Breakfast in Springfield, Ill. Authorities in Chicago have arrested Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich on federal charges. U.S. Attorney's office spokesman Randall Samborn says both Blagojevich and his chief of staff John Harris were arrested Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2008. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)
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U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald talks about the criminal complaint against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on corruption charges during a news conference in Chicago, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2008. (AP)
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Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich stands with workers on the fourth day of a sit-in at the Republic Windows and Doors factory Monday, Dec. 8, 2008 in Chicago. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)
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Interactive Political Scandals Politics can be a strange and dirty business. Check out some of the biggest missteps and mishaps in recent history.
Federal prosecutors say the second-term Democrat was caught on wiretaps scheming to sell Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat for cash or a plum job for himself in the new administration.
Prosecutors are not accusing Obama himself of any wrongdoing or even knowing about the matter.
Blagojevich is charged with conspiracy to commit fraud and solicitation to commit bribery.
He's also charged with illegally threatening to withhold state assistance to the owner of the Chicago Tribune, in an attempt to strong-arm the newspaper into firing editorial writers who had criticized him.
And Blagojevich is accused of engaging in pay-to-play politics: that is, doling out jobs, contracts and appointments in return for campaign contributions.
The governor's attorney, Sheldon Sorosky, says he doesn't know of any immediate plans for the governor to resign. Sorosky says Blagojevich believes he didn't do anything wrong and asks Illinois residents to have faith in him.
"We were in the middle of a corruption crime spree, and we wanted to stop it," U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said, calling the charges against Blagojevich "a truly new low." He added: "The conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave."
Federal investigators bugged the governor's campaign offices and tapped his home phone, capturing conversations laced with profanity and tough-guy talk from the governor. Chicago FBI chief Robert Grant said even seasoned investigators were stunned by what they heard, particularly since the governor had known for three years was under investigation for alleged hiring fraud.
"This is another aggressive move by Fitzgerald, who is best known for indicting and convicting Lewis Scooter Libby on obstruction of justice charges in the CIA Leak case," said CBS News legal analyst Andrew Cohen. "Fitzgerald is an excellent trial attorney as well, so the Governor and his aide really are in the thick of it now."
The FBI said in court papers that the governor was overheard on wiretaps over the last month conspiring to sell the Senate seat for campaign cash or plum jobs for himself or his wife, Patti, a real estate agent. He spoke of landing a job with a nonprofit foundation or a union-affiliated group, and even held out the possibility of a Cabinet appointment or ambassadorship for himself.
"I've got this thing and it's (expletive) golden," he said of his authority to appoint Obama's replacement, "and I'm just not giving it up for (expletive) nothing. I'm not gonna do it."
Another alleged scheme was that Blagojevich would possibly rescind an $8 million commitment of state funds to Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago after a $50,000 donation from its chief officer did not materialize, reports CBS News correspondent Dean Reynolds.
Blagojevich faces two counts: Conspiracy to commit fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and solicitation to commit bribery, which is punishable by up 10 years. He was released on his own recognizance.
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He was the latest in a long line of Illinois governors to become engulfed in scandal. Blagojevich was elected in 2003 as a reformer promising to clean up after former Gov. George Ryan, who is serving six years in prison for racketeering and fraud.If the allegations are true, we're seeing the modern-day version of old-style Chicago politics, where no hand goes ungreased and no favor occurs without some form of payback.
CBS News legal analyst Andrew CohenJohn Drummond, who's covered Illinois politics for nearly half a century, told CBS News senior political correspondent Jeff Greenfield that corruption in Illinois is about as normal as frost in January.
"Illinois is probably the heavyweight champion of corruption in that sense; we've had five governors that have been indicted in this state," Drummond said.
The charges against Blagojevich do not identify by name any of the political figures under consideration for the Senate seat, calling them only "Candidate 1," "Candidate 2," and so on. However, those being considered for the post include: Reps. Jesse Jackson Jr., Danny Davis, Jan Schakowsky and Luis Gutierrez; Illinois Senate President Emil Jones; and Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth.
Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero had no immediate comment on the charges but issued a statement saying the "allegations do nothing to impact the services, duties or function of the state."
The scandal leaves the Senate seat in limbo. Democratic leaders in Washington and Illinois called on the Illinois Legislature to quickly schedule a special election to fill Obama's seat rather than leave that power in Blagojevich's hands.Read The Criminal Complaint Against Blagojevich
"No appointment by this governor, under these circumstances, could produce a credible replacement," said Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois.
Some Illinois politicians immediately demanded that the governor step down or face impeachment.
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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- You want retribution and I want good government.
Posted by mizzerz at 11:16 AM : Dec 10, 2008
Then I guess you''re out of step with THE MAJORITY OF DEMOCRATS who just want to say "Bush is Hitler" and bash the GOP every chance they get.
Funny, I don''t see you criticizing THEM for "bad government." - Reply to this comment
- Now that it''''s a Democrat''''s turn to get spanked, will they CENSOR THIS POST??????
Posted by txgrouch2007
I guess that is the difference between you and me. You want retribution and I want good government. - Reply to this comment
- BLAGO IS A DEMOCRAT!
BLAGO IS A DEMOCRAT!
BLAGO IS A DEMOCRAT!
BLAGO IS A DEMOCRAT!
BLAGO IS A DEMOCRAT!
BLAGO IS A DEMOCRAT!
BLAGO IS A DEMOCRAT!
BLAGO IS A DEMOCRAT!
BLAGO IS A DEMOCRAT!
BLAGO IS A DEMOCRAT!
BLAGO IS A DEMOCRAT!
BLAGO IS A DEMOCRAT! - Reply to this comment
- republicans on the other hand support their guy no matter what he says or does.
Posted by johndevinejr at 10:17 AM : Dec 10, 2008
Yes, I remember that. Ted Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Marion Berry...
Oh, wait. Those aren''t Republicans. Why were Republicans defending them?
Oh, wait. Those weren''t Republicans. The were DEMOCRATS.
I think you made a type. You typed republican when you should have typed DEMOCRATS!!!!! - Reply to this comment
- DUMBEST BA$**** ON THE PLANET
Posted by johndevinejr at 10:14 AM : Dec 10, 2008
Isn''t he a DEMOCRAT? I heard somewhere that he''s a DEMOCRAT.
What does it mean when a DEMOCRAT is now the "DUMBEST BA$**** ON THE PLANET?" I thought only Republicans could get that title.
Wow, the world really IS changing if that happens to a DEMOCRAT. - Reply to this comment
- Yes Blago is a Democrat. However Ryan was a Republican and he was convicted of racketeering charges.
Posted by DJ_Houston at 09:49 AM : Dec 10, 2008
Didn''t Blago replace Ryan because he PROMISED to be more ethical? And now, he''s MORE CORRUPT.
Same as the guy who replaced Foley.
Why do Democrats have to LIE so much? - Reply to this comment
- BTW: Is Blago Ruskie, or Pollock??
Posted by GoGWGo at 09:41 AM : Dec 10, 2008
I heard he''s A DEMOCRAT!!!!!!!!! - Reply to this comment
- Now that it''''s a Democrat''''s turn ... will they CENSOR THIS POST??????
Posted by txgrouch2007 at 09:36 AM : Dec 10, 2008
Let''s count the minutes... - Reply to this comment
- Let us agree on that. corruption is not a Democrat or Republican problem, it is a problem of the system
Posted by mizzerz at 09:31 AM : Dec 10, 2008
LOL! Did I hear you say "Bush is Hitler?"
NO WAY, JOSE! The libtards have divided and polarized our nation. They drove a wedge between the parties EVERY TIME they caught a Republican.
When it was DeLay or Frist, you NEVER heard them say "it''s not a Democrat or Republican problem."
You only heard "REPUBLICANS ARE SO BAAAAAD!!!!"
Sorry, it''s PAYBACK TIME!!!!!!!!!!
Time for the "Bush is Hitler" crowd to get A SPANKIN''!!!
Hey, the word "spank" appeared HOW MANY TIMES by gloating Democrats after the election?
Now that it''s a Democrat''s turn to get spanked, will they CENSOR THIS POST?????? - Reply to this comment
- THEY ALL GOT THE FREE PASS, and nothing really happened to them.
Posted by txgrouch2007
Kilpatrick plead guilty, marion Bary was convicted and served time. The others have been colored in the verbiage of political right wing rhetoric. I guess the right wing does not let their icons walk, eg; Oliver North, Foley, scooter libby, cheney, don young etc etc.
Hey..... Blago is a crook and should be gone. Let us agree on that. corruption is not a Democrat or Republican problem, it is a problem of the system - Reply to this comment
- Will Blago get a free pass?
Or will he become the Tom DeLay of the Democrats?
The one who pushed the party over the brink, and now ALL FREE PASSES ARE REVOKED. - Reply to this comment
- WATCH HOW FAST THE DEMOCRATS IN WDC WILL START ACTING THE SAME AS THIS GUY.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Blago is just a preview of what ALL THE DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS WILL BE DOING starting next year.
Just like DeLay... - Reply to this comment
- He is a crook in the eyes of the law
Posted by mizzerz at 09:04 AM : Dec 10, 2008
So was Ted Kennedy (leaving the scene of an accident - he pleaded GUILTY himself), Marion Berry (smoking crack), whatshisname the mayor of Detroit (whatever the charges were), and Bill Clinton (he was disbarred and impeached).
THEY ALL GOT THE FREE PASS, and nothing really happened to them. - Reply to this comment
- Has this guy FINALLY crossed the line the Democrats draw in the sand - WAY, WAY, WAY out there where even Nixon wouldn''''t have gone...?
Posted by txgrouch2007
Blago was selling a senate seat. He is a crook in the eyes of the law, not in the eyes of a republican conspiracy theorist. Good luck on your conspiracy theories. - Reply to this comment
- Why would you ever think that democrats would want this crook? He was practicing free enterprise with his job.
Posted by mizzerz at 08:15 AM : Dec 10, 2008
Why??? Let me count the ways: Ted Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Marion Berry, Pelosi, Barney Frank, whatshisname the mayor of Detroit...
Yah, they all got the FREE PASS and the WARM WELCOME BACK from the rest of the Democrats.
Has this guy FINALLY crossed the line the Democrats draw in the sand - WAY, WAY, WAY out there where even Nixon wouldn''t have gone...? - Reply to this comment
- "Blagojevich ...scheming to sell Barack Obama''s vacant Senate seat for cash or a plum job for himself in the new administration"
----
Why the outrage? These days a senate or congress seat is leased many times while occupied. So this guy is trying to market the product early.
Just think of the amount of money banks and brokerages spent on Barney Frank and Dodd to be able to bilk the taxpayer. Think of the construction favors the Alaska Gov received. There was a guy w/ $90K in his freezer (isn''t he still walking around?). Think of the amount of money the National Association of Realtors and the Home Builders spend on the politicians to create the housing bubble. Think of the politician that runs the tax policy commission and he doesn''t pay his taxes on rental income because he didn''t know he needed to - you or I would already be in jail.
The list goes on and on.
So this governor is just a little more brazen doing what is already, extensively done. - Reply to this comment
- So if this turns into a Clinton vs. Nixon thing, the Democrats will have to THINK FAST TO MAKE UP A NEW EXCUSE to let the governor off the hook.
Posted by txgrouch2007
Why would you ever think that democrats would want this crook? He was practicing free enterprise with his job. - Reply to this comment
- The ONLY difference between this guy and Marion Berry is that Berry''s crime was not directly related to his duties as mayor.
This guy crossed over the line to getting caught abusing powers that are DIRECTLY RELATED to his office.
So if this turns into a Clinton vs. Nixon thing, the Democrats will have to THINK FAST TO MAKE UP A NEW EXCUSE to let the governor off the hook. - Reply to this comment
- If they were to nail the Governor for this, let Fitzgerald dig into the appointees of the Bush/Cheney administration.
Virtually every seat, every appointment and nearly all government jobs, including Judges to the Supreme Court were BOUGHT AND PAID for. Every single one of them. Just take a look see. What you find will shock you to the bone.
What the Governor did was par for the course during the last 8 years. Why is it surprising??. - Reply to this comment
- This Governor thinks he is "THE UNTOUCHABLE"; having a "tame" Chicago Tribune? Lucky that we have good people stop this guy on time before he will get a chance to be in the white house in 2016. How many people do you now know that are from Chicago who will be in the White House in 2009?
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