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Dec 29th, 2019
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The Serbian Orthodox Governor of Illinois has been arrested on charges of corruption, extortion...and if profanity and heinously crude language were a crime, it seems he would've been arrested on that, too. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/09/illinois.governor/index.htmlI'm posting this in Church News since it directly involves the only Orthodox governor in the country. The mods can move it to Town Hall if they think that's a more appropriate place for it. (CNN) -- Hours after federal investigators announced they had arrested Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff on corruption charges, U.S. attorney Patrick Fitzgerald declared Tuesday a "sad day for government."
Rod Blagojevich is currently serving his second term as governor of Illinois.
"Gov. Blagojevich has taken us to a new low," he said. "This conduct would make [Abraham] Lincoln roll over in his grave."
Fitzgerald said the government had bugged the governor's campaign office and placed a tap on his home phone.
FBI agents arrested Blagojevich, a Democrat, on Tuesday on federal charges in part related to the selection of President-elect Barack Obama's successor, the U.S. attorney's office said.
Federal officers took Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris -- also arrested on corruption charges -- into custody at around 6:30 a.m. (7:30 a.m. ET) without incident, FBI spokesman Ross Rice told CNN.
Each was charged with a count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and a count of solicitation of bribery, authorities said.
The government says the two were "conspiring to obtain personal financial benefits" for the Illinois governor by leveraging his sole authority to appoint a U.S. senator to replace Obama.
The Obama transition team is aware that Blagojevich is in federal custody, but has no comment, according to a senior Democratic source.
The government also accuses Blagojevich and Harris of threatening to withhold state assistance to the Tribune Company -- the company that owns the Chicago Tribune -- in connection with the sale of Wrigley Field baseball stadium. The company also owns the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field.
In exchange for assistance, the governor and his chief of staff wanted the newspaper to fire Chicago Tribune editorial board members who were sharply critical of the governor, the government said.
It alleged the two also sought to obtain campaign contributions in exchange for official actions.Blagojevich and Harris will appear later Tuesday in court, the attorney's office said.
Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley said Tuesday that it's "a sad day."
The governor's arrest calls into question whether he retains the power to name someone to replace Obama in the Senate, said Jeffrey Toobin, CNN's senior legal analyst.
"One of the many interesting legal questions that is going to come out of this is, if Blagojevich is arrested, and not able to perform his duties in a normal way -- is he allowed to name Obama's successor? I don't know the answer to that," Toobin said.
The investigation into Blagojevich and Harris has been going on for several years, Rice said. Tuesday's arrests are "pretty much a culmination of that case," he said. iReport.com: What do you think of Blagojevich's corruption charges?
In a 76-page affidavit, federal authorities say wiretaps caught Blagojevich conspiring to sell or trade the vacant Senate seat in exchange for financial benefits for himself and his wife, Patti.
At times, he discussed obtaining a substantial salary for himself at a non-profit organization or an organization affiliated with labor unions, as well as placing his wife on paid corporate boards where she might make as much as $150,000 a year, the government said.
During one recorded conversation, Blagojevich said he needed to consider his family and said he was "financially" hurting, the affidavit said.
"I want to make money," Blagojevich said, according to the affidavit.
The governor also often weighed the option of appointing himself to the Senate seat, saying he was "stuck" at governor and might have access to more resources as a senator than as a governor, the affidavit says. A Senate seat could also help him remake his image ahead of a possible presidential run in 2016. "If ... they're not going to offer anything of any value, then I might just take it," he said in one conversation.
The intercepted phone calls also caught the the governor and Harris discussing the possibility of the Tribune Company's obtaining assistance from the Illinois Finance Authority in efforts to sell the Cubs and the financing or sale of Wrigley Field, the government said.
Blagojevich allegedly directed Harris to tell Tribune officials that state assistance would be withheld unless members of the Chicago Tribune's editorial board were fired. The Illinois governor saw them as "driving discussion of his possible impeachment," the affidavit said.
"Our recommendation is fire all those [expletive] people, get 'em the [expletive] out of there and get us some editorial support," the governor allegedly said in one phone call.
Federal authorities also allege the governor and Harris schemed with others -- including convicted real estate developer Antoin "Tony" Rezko -- to obtain financial benefits for himself, his family and others, including his campaign committee, Friends of Blagojevich.
Reports from the Chicago Tribune last week said federal authorities were investigating the governor and were secretly taping his conversations -- with the help of his former congressional chief of staff, John Wyem.
"I don't believe there's any cloud that hangs over me," Blagojevich told WLS-TV in Chicago on Monday, as he responded to the reports of wiretapping. "I think there's nothing but sunshine hanging over me."
He added, "By the way, I should say if anyone wants to tape my conversations, go right ahead, feel free to do it. I appreciate anybody who wants to tape me openly."
Blagojevich, who turns 52 on Wednesday, is in his second four-year term as Illinois governor. His term ends January 2011.
Before that, he served as a U.S. Congressman for Illinois' 5th district from 1997 until 2003, according to his online biography.
He and his wife have two daughters.
Blagojevich announced last month that he was forming a panel to review candidates to replace Obama's Senate seat.
Several Illinois Democrats -- including Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth, a former congressional candidate who now serves in Blagojevich's administration -- have been mentioned as possible Senate replacements for Obama.
On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid reacted to the news, saying "I talked to the governor a few days ago, of course, about the Senate appointment and of course I'm very disappointed."
"Any time a high-ranking official, governor of a state like Illinois -- especially -- it reflects bad on government generally. I'm terribly disappointed and concerned," he added.
When asked what Blagojevich's arrest means for the appointment of Obama's Senate successor, Reid said he wasn't sure.
"I don't know. Maybe it means the lieutenant governor does it. I don't know."
The state's last governor, George Ryan, was convicted in April 2006 on racketeering and fraud charges.
Ryan reported to a federal prison in Wisconsin in November 2007 to serve a 6½-year sentence. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court of the United States said it would not hear an appeal from Ryan.
On December 1, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ilinois, asked President Bush to consider commuting Ryan's sentence, saying Ryan "has already paid a significant price" for his crimes.
"George Ryan is 74 years old. He has lost his state pension benefits and a commutation will not restore them. He would emerge from prison facing economic uncertainty at this advanced stage of his life," Durbin wrote. Alexis
Last edited by Logos - Alexis; 12/09/08 01:20 PM.
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This sad, but not surprising, news hit all of Chicagoland early this morning via all media.
At the start of the federal investigation about 2 years or so ago, many have felt that it was a foregone conclusion.
Amado
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In fairness, it should be pointed out that Rod Blagojevich is as much an Orthodox Christian, as Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi and Ted Kennedy are Roman Catholics.
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I didn't think I was being unfair. I don't know much about Governor Blagojevich's policies.
Apart from that, you bring up an interesting point: is there such a thing in Orthodox ecclesiology/theology as latae sentiae excommunications? All three of the above-mentioned "Catholics" have apparently been excommunicated. Can the same be said of Gov. Blagojevich?
Alexis
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Bill from Pgh Member
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"In fairness, it should be pointed out that Rod Blagojevich is as much an Orthodox Christian, as Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi and Ted Kennedy are Roman Catholics."
Amen...and 99% of the Mafia are Catholic...and I'm willing to bet my bottom dollar that the above names mentioned will receive proper Catholic burials if they so desire.
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Remember what the Desert Fathers said about a man falling.
"Do not marvel if you see a man fall because of the malice of the Enemy. But rather marvel if you see a man manage to escape the jaws of the Enemy."
Regardless of the man's sins, offenses, negligences, or other acts of wrong, he still has been plunged into Christ as we all have been. He may be an embarrassment to us and to
Christ's witness to the world in and through us all. But as the Lord would have it, "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone." I'd suggest we rather pray for the man's immortal soul and his repentance before he meets the Judge.
In Christ,
BOB
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Jessup B.C. Deacon Member
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In fairness, it should be pointed out that Rod Blagojevich is as much an Orthodox Christian, as Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi and Ted Kennedy are Roman Catholics. An accurate assessment. I've heard Rod on the radio. He is quite charming, a lot like our Gov. Rendel. But, Arius was more Orthodox than Rod Blagojevich. He needs prayer. One never knows. This downfall may be the cause of a metanoia. Dn. Robert
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Jessup B.C. Deacon Member
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Keep an eye on the Federal Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald. He is on a mission to put all of the corrupt officials in Chicagoland in jail. He was appointed by the Bush administration. But, he has prosecuted corrupt officials on both sides of the aisle. There are some rumblings that he might start delving into Sen. Obama's associations with the corrupt developer Tony Reczko, who is already in jail. According to the Chicago journalist/radio host, Thomas Roeser, Reczko does not like solitary confinement, and is allegedly ready to "sing". This bears watching. One other point made by Roeser-Fitzgerald is up for re-appointment. The incoming Obama administration will have something to say about that.
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That also could be what expedited the case. Chicago is one of the last bastions for the old-style political bosses. Tweed would be proud.
A question I have is this: if Obama's seat in the Senate is such a valuable thing, why was it given to him in the first place? I don't think such actors would be so naive so as to grasp with a shifting hope for change. Perhaps they found themselves politically checkmated by a brilliant tactician.
Terry
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I fail to see how my posting news that is imminently relevant to this Forum can be construed as casting a stone at the Governor. [Exasperated].
Alexis
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rcguest said: Amen...and 99% of the Mafia are Catholic And the Russian Mafia is probably 99% Orthodox, etc. etc. I'm not sure I see your point. Alexis
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I fail to see how my posting news that is imminently relevant to this Forum can be construed as casting a stone at the Governor. [Exasperated].
Alexis ALEXIS: Your initial post was the "casting a stone" and is an inflammatory remark since it begins "The Serbian Orthodox governor . . ." What does the man's religion have to do with his corrupt life as a public official? While you may or may not think you intended it, you gave offense to our Orthodox brethren here. You claim in your post that this is relevant to the forum. It is relevant as a news item in Town Hall, but it has no place when it begins the way it was begun. Now the thread has been derailed into a back and forth about who has the most corrupt members--Catholics or Orthodox. What's that about? I'm locking this thread because it has quickly become uncharitable, thus violating the rules of this forum. BOB
Last edited by theophan; 12/10/08 03:16 PM.
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I think Bob was urging caution to readers in general. It is a good caution. It is easy to look on this case with schadenfreude; the warning applies to those who would look on it with schadenfreude or mock the governor because of his faults.
Terry
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