I spent most of the morning on pins and needles. I was a huge Rod Blagojevich fan (read with plenty of sarcasm). He completely flaunted the law, even starred in a reality TV show, not to mention the puzzlement over how he could have even gotten elected to such a high office with no major skills in the first place. (I know – that part sounds a little like Rick Perry.) He just had that special something. As you know, he was railroaded convicted of trying to sell Barack Obama’s Senate seat. So the Feds had a few tapes of him asking what he could get for that seat. That’s nothing… unless a jury of your peers says that it is indeed something. Today, the judge decided that the former Illinois Governor needed to do about 14 years. It is more than time for him to exit the stage.
By ecthompsonmd|2011-12-07T18:20:22-04:00December 7th, 2011|Legal|Comments Off on Poor Rod
I’m in Seattle for a conference. There’s nothing like being packed in an airplane for a four an half hour plane ride.
Rod Blagojevich, former governor of Illinois, has been indicted on 16 felony counts. The charges include racketeering, conspiracy, wire fraud, extortion conspiracy, attempted extortion and making false statements. There was some speculation that his wife may be indicted also. That may happen, but it did not happen today. The Chicago Sun-Times has a very lengthy article on this indictment. The actual indictment can be read here.
The opening paragraph of the indictment reads: “Since 2002, even before he was first elected governor that November, and continuing until he was arrested on Dec. 9, 2008, former Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich and a circle of his closest aides and advisors allegedly engaged in a wide-ranging scheme to deprive the people of Illinois of honest government, according to a 19-count indictment returned today by a federal grand jury. Blagojevich, 52, of Chicago, was charged with 16 felony counts, including racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud, extortion conspiracy, attempted extortion and making false statements to federal agents. He allegedly used his office in numerous matters involving state appointments, business, legislation and pension fund investments to seek or obtain such financial benefits as money, campaign contributions, and employment for himself and others, in exchange for official actions, including trying to leverage his authority to appoint a United States Senator, announced Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.”
By ecthompsonmd|2009-04-03T03:20:05-04:00April 3rd, 2009|Domestic Issues|Comments Off on Blago may be looking at some significant time
I continue to be amazed at how Senator Ronald Burris has gone from political genius to a national embarrassment. Now it appears that former Governor Rod Blagojevich hired Ronald Burris, II, as senior counsel, for the state’s Housing Authority in mid-September. This worked out very well since the young attorney had just been slapped with a $34,000 tax lien and a mortgage company had foreclosed on his house. I remember the senator saying something about there was no quid pro quo. Maybe I was mistaken.
Well, this was a shocker — John McCain, in front of a conservative audience has warned that America could lose the game that it has currently going in Iraq.
It appears that President Barack Obama is planning on pulling out all combat troops from Iraq by August of 2010. The big question is what will be the residual force?
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, who has opened an exploratory committee looking into her chances at running for governor of Texas, said the strangest thing on CNBC. “Every major tax cut we’ve ever had in history has created more revenue (for the treasury).” This may not be the stupidest thing that has ever been said, but it is stupid nonetheless. Not one of President Bush’s tax cuts increased revenue. As a matter of fact, President Reagan’s tax cuts in 1981 decreased revenues so dramatically he quietly increased taxes in 1982 and again in 1983. I guess when you’re a senator, or a politician for that matter, facts don’t matter.
A new Government Accountability Office report reveals that companies that have been banned from doing business with the United States are continuing to do business with the United States.
Jesus’s General has come up with a new T-shirt that he is selling — “Palin/Plumber 2012 — EMPOWER THE STUPID!“
Keith Olbermann has an excellent summary of Governor Bobby Jindal’s speech. Watch:
