What is his crime discussing a possible replacement for the seat of Obama in exchange for campaign contributions?

Did Clinton not made an offer on behalf of Obama to Joe Sestak of PA to drop out of race in exchange for a lucrative post in DC?

Or is it the Language he used on the phone?

If that is the case then Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and Dick Cheny all should be arrested as they have used profanity on open mike?

If Blago was charged under RICO then why was Jesse Jackson Jr. not arrested as he was suposedly present at meetings where some Indian Businessman offered 1Million in Cash to Blago campaign if JJ Jr. is made the senator.?

Only blago has commited is going against the wishes of the White House and he has alreay paid dearly for this.

Look at NY Gov. Patterson, he is muscled out of running for re-election with swift false stories about him in nothing less NY Times.

Wake-up!

I do live in the largest county in the world: The Cook County of IL.

You mean "Crook" County

"What is his crime discussing a possible replacement for the seat of Obama in exchange for campaign contributions?" Well, the answers are below:

18 U.S.C. § 201 : US Code - Section 201
Illinois 720 ILCS 5/Art.33(d) Criminal Code of 1961

If you offer something of value (a senate seat definitely qualifies) for something else of value (campaign contributions) that only YOU can offer due to your position as an elected or appointed official (i.e.: the Governor of Illinois), you open yourself up to being charged under several Illinois and US Federal laws (as Governor Blagojevich was and will be again).

Are the other politicians you mentioned guilty of the same thing? In my opinion, yes. Does that mean that Governor Blagojevich may be paying for their crimes as well (if they were crimes)? Possibly.

Until ALL "public servants" are held accountable, corruption will remain. "Horsetrading" will remain. The PEOPLE will have little power. I have nothing against honest dialog but there needs to be debate about issues and needs of a district, state or America... NOT "if you vote this way I'll make sure that you get something "special..." (wink wink wink) when your house is built or you take that trip (wink wink wink)...

Blagojevich insisted again that he was merely acting like a politician and never intended to gain financially from his powerful position.

Funny, those tapes sure sounded like he was trying to gain financially for himself or his wife by being appointed a well paid position in the Fed Govt.

He dares them to retry him???? Too bad this moron is as dumb as a box of rocks and can't figure out he got off once (most likely a bribed juror), but most likely won't get that same help again. He stands a better chance of "disappearing" if he says too much or the wrong thing while on his world tour. Who knows....maybe Jimmy Hoffa will have a neighbor soon, lol.

some people here are really drinking the "democratic juice". The Sate of Illinois is insolvent and can't pay its bill. but lets keep sending the same group to Springfiled. You are going to wake up some day and all the party loyalists are going to be sitting around wondering where all the businesses went.

The US Attorneys who lost on 23 of 24 of the most serious counts after SIX years of effort COME FROM THE SAME CAST OF SAME CHARACTERS as the Attorneys Obama and Holder want to use to TRY KSM AND THE OTHER DANGEROUS TERRORISTS in NEW YORK CITY.

Obama and his "Justice" Department cannot be trusted with a burnt out match.

__________________________________________________________________________________

"It could be worse" -- Barack Obama (campaign slogan 2010 - 2012)

I would like to remind many that we have seen governors resign with an understanding that the Lt governor would appoint them to the senate seat and no one threw a hissy fit

I believe Bolgo in that we have seen the same act happen in both parties

I personally want my politicians to barter for the best deal. As long he is not bartering for personal monetary gain, its perfectly legit as far as im concerned.

I never once heard blago ask for something for himself. He was try to get the best deal for Ill. To me thats being a good business man. And a good Gov.

I guess all the finger pointers wanted him to just give it away for nothing...

-madison- hmmmm, SIX years? so that burnt out match you're speaking of, originated in the BUSH administration?

Unless he was asking for money, property or personal services, he was doing what every politician does, his job...

mmmmm, okay; Good point. The issue at hand is; he broke the law. Clinton, Cheney, Condi, the entire Bush family, Rumsfeld and nearly all the prominant politicians over the last 100+ years have been selectively breaking the same laws throughout their careers and the history of the US political process. The hope is that someone else will end up paying the price and they send a lamb, or in Blago's case, an ox, to the slaughter once in a while to make it look good. Blago is just not a likeable guy.
The other issue is a juror 'bought' can put the brakes on the best cases. It might be worth while for the prosecutors to look into her finances, or other potential gains.

As far as im concerned he did NOT break the law unless he was trying to personally profit.

This is a complete twisting of the corruption laws. Trying to get the best deal for Ill. is not a crime.

Carlos makes a good point above that most will miss. He cites an ILLINOIS statute that makes what Blogo did illegal. So why are all the indictments against him and others in the past FEDERAL indictments? It's because the people of Illinois are too blinded to corruption to even see it's happening, let alone bring any indictments. So the Feds have to do the dirty work.

Fingers Magoo just proves that point.

Just another jewish person making excuses for their behavior. Is he linked to Isreal?

Kerry

What an ignorant statement, as this issue has nothing to do with race or religion whatsoever. What a bigot you are, for using this case to promote your own personal demented issues.

IF you saw Blago on Tv this morning, you would have viewed how deviant he was, and how much denial he is in. Typical political BS, but he got caught red handed.

He kept saying how much money the tax payers are spending, yet refuses to make a plea bargin, hence contributing to tax payers fees.

His words, have been and remain controversial to one another, which implies that is is living in his own little fraudulently designed world, one in which delusions, denials and deviant behaviors and thoughts persist.

Ryan22...Welcome to the Daycare Generation's version of "integrity, honesty and ethics". Can't blame them. Look at the 50 years of corruption they all learned from. From the moment white collar crime became punishable by a slap on the wrist, all common sense and values went out the window. One set of laws for white collar criminals and a harsher set of laws for everyone else.

I agree. I purposely did NOT watch this program because of him. I will not watch any program that is foolish enough to give this man air time. He's not news. He's a joke.

How can you trust this guy? He looks like he's wearing a field mouse on the top of his head!

He challenged prosecutors to release all of the evidence they had gathered against him, including tapes from the days leading up to his December 2008 arrest.

Who does he think he is kidding? His lawyers should have copies of all of the evidence if the prosecution is planning on using it. Why doesn't he ask his attorney to release the evidence?

Blagojevich said he would be more careful about whom he trusted when engaging in “political horse-trading.”

Didn't say he didn't commit crimes, just that he would trust different people while committing crimes.

“So you take no responsibility then, governor, for anything that’s happened to you?” Vieira asked.

I thought that titles were used as a form of respect. Does Meredith still respect him or does she feel he is still due the title since he once held it despite having fallen in disgrace and being convicted of felony counts?

wearing a field mouse

A field mouse? I've never seen any that big. How about a rat?

The man's a narcissist, quit putting him in front of the cameras !

I hope he gets sentenced soon on the count he is guilty of, and goes away.

Blago has made a mockery of justice in Chicago! Or maybe he's just the poster child of justice in Chicago. I wonder how complicit Obama was in this case, and if he helped Blago's defense or put a muzzle on the prosecution.... hmm?

That is the big question to me also,how was Obama involved?Wasnt Michelle involved also,and Blagos wife?I dont know,It came out in the beginning and now you dont hear a word about it.Could be just a false rumor.Can any clarify?

MikeD,

Mockery it was, but you are giving credit to the wrong side.

Generally, the prosecution wins in 94-96% of criminal cases that go to trial. The prosecution evens wins frequently when the accused is not guilty (bias of a generally ill informed public). Obviously, those falling down on the job here were not on the defense team.

Mock who you want, but what is released so far of the charges by the fed.gov is short of a prima facie case. When all the elements cannot be proved, even with a bias public (jurors) who generally seek punishment not justice in criminal cases, convictions are unlikely. Here it is so. (Hint: What you see from Hollywood is not how the injustice [sic] system works. If justice ever happens it is usually by accident, not design.)

Does this mean that if Blago is a dumb twit, the people who voted for him are more dumb than Blago?

safecracker...If Illinois is a state beholden to party bosses, there's your culprits. Primaries are overloaded with party boss cronies. Get rid of the party bosses and the situation ends.

That is absolutely CORRECT! You may be able to push Viera around, but a judge wouldn't be having any of this nonsense. He never answers the questions asked, he just babbles continuously, stating the same crap over and over.

Totally Agree!!! This guy is a crook and an idiot! I cannot believe the jury didn't convict him. Sheesh! He was an idiot on The Apprentice. I believe he was NOT there for the apprentice, but for his own agenda. Too many corrupt politicians in this country

An American..Have you checked on how utterly politicized the Attorney General's of most US states are? Find one not beholden to his mentor and you'll win the brass ring. Law isn't law anymore...it's negotiability.

I completely disagree. Meredith was amazingly calm, graceful, and polite. Blago was horrifically rude because not only did he interrupt her, he dodged just about every question she posed.

I agree AtLeeT...she keep her composure. He was the one that was rude. Just put him next to George Ryan...they can be cell buddies.

No, Meredith has not lost it. I'm sure even journalists find it extremely hard to sit there and be faced with a bold faced liar such as him and he even has the ("sllab" - spelled backwards) to put God into it according to the article above. He's a liar and a joke. And his hair is getting to the point where it's a joke. It's like Pinnochio's nose, except his hair just gets bigger.

I agree with AtLee and Illinois Resident - This SOB needs to do time in jail. His arrogance is disgusting (and I think it is topped only by Obama's arrogance).

I also agree that Meredith's composure and professionalism were impressive dealing with this spin-master!!!

I totally agree that he side stepped every question Meridith asked him. Meridith was extremely professional. If anything she was too nice. He should be glad that Ann Curry was not interviewing him. She would have made him pee his pants. All he did was kept repeating the same thing. Sounded like a moron -- Oh, Poor Me. Everyone is out to get me. GROW UP.

NO se wasnot.

She kept her pose, tried to keep to the script and keep on subject.

It was Blago who went all over the place. I do think his attorneys should grant him what he wants------to take the stand.

Sorta like what Faux News, Beck, and Limpbag do.

No it's more like MSNBC Keith OlberMORON, Chris"I get a tingle down my leg"mathews, or RachelDykeMaddCow.

Illinois...And most liars are first deniers.

I can think of a few more words too.....like Crook...A@@...Arrogant...Liar...

try those on for size Blago.

If you watched any of the tapes from when they were walking in or out of court you see how tight his wife would keep ahold of his hand. She was probably afraid of what would come out of his mouth next.

No way, this will denied Bubba and his brother a new wife and that is against the brothers civil rights.

Diane, Chicago...When one of your governors resign because he was caught with an Israeli boy toy he paid $200,000 to do nothing and then you get a Goldman Sachs CEO refugee, let me know. See? We in NJ keep trying to find the American dream for a governor...So far? A Gay American and A Goldman Sachs nightmare.

I agree with you Gary. I just hope that ALL politicians start to realize that the "backroom trading" that happens isn't always legal, or smart. I also hope they start busting MANY more politicians for doing it.

Excellent point.

I do not care what party they are from, or if they all do it. Get caught, go to prison end of story! Seems a lot of people are against corruption until it involves a member of their political party of choice. Then it is defend, defend, defend.

mar your remarks are exactly the reason why we have so many problems seating jury

No, I have to disagree with you bopdaddy. The reason we have such a hard time seating a jury these days is because people are finally reading and getting more involved in things. We have a lot of intelligent people who are current on current events and after reading and listening to the person being accused we form an opinion. Nobody with any intelligence has to sit through days of diatribe from overpaid attorneys, twisting facts around to get to the truth. Not to mention the compensation they pay a juror. With the economy as it is people HAVE to work and be at home to cook meals and take care of their family. Usually a persons gut feeling is the correct one according to psychologists. The problem with finding people to sit on a jury is because its hard to find people to sit on a jury who sound like the people off the street that Jay Leno interviews. Idiots. Even though they're not hard to come by (God knows we have an overabundance of them) you don't send out the jury duty requests to the right bunch of people. Not to mention the fact that the ones who would qualify every other way have probably been on parole or probation for a couple of years.

mar...OMG...roflmao...He has enough hair on that head to hide his bald brain. Sorry, It's Friday. Your post just struck my funnybone.

O.J. was found not guilty. You can't retry him. Blago was found guilty on one count, hung jury (mistrial) on the rest. They can and probably will retry him on those counts. I am surprised that his obstruction of justice felony conviction doesn't impress anybody. About the time Blago has to turn in his passport and register with his parol officer - even if he doesn't do time - I'm sure he'll start to understand how serious it is.

O.J. was found not guilty. And he's still in jail,isn't he?? Kharma's a b*tch!!

Reminder; he was 'aquitted' not quite the same thing...good enough though.

In fact OJ went to jail years after the issue and was placed in jail for a thoroughly different reason!!! Get your facts straight before you just respond!

fran tornabene...Can we do that with Palin as well? I'm pretty sick of the Palin Soap Opera and that Horsemouth Tundra Tootsie.

He still held the title. Richard Nixon was still called president.

Nixon also 'just got caught' but at least he accomplished some good things while he was President.

Jefs...Nixon was his own worst enemy. Don't ever tell anyone who was a young adult when Nixon was president he ever did anything good. His policies were the same kind of wealth protectionism Bush I and II prided themselves on.

Nixon was "not a crook".

couldn't agree with you more!

US Gov vs. Blago - he had his day in court, he can appeal the one count and enough is enough regarding the subject. Due process was served.

Why don't people focus on more important issues: how is the Administration creating jobs; balancing the budget; controlling spending; changing the health care program; how will the gov. change social security; and what will the gov do to change the direction of Freddy and fannie?

Exodite Dragon...The system isn't broken so much as concealed under layers and layers of deliberate dimensional delusions of grandeur that never existed. Working class Americans were duped into believing that we could actually trust the chief decision makers in Big Business. We deluded ourselves into thinking they couldn't possibly only be out for themselves. Boy were we wrong!

At least one, and that is the one that counted, now he or she are counting their money. Its hard to fine 12 honest people in Shy-Town.

Many do believe he is questionable. But, he did go through the justice system......his peers heard the evidence, judicated and the results are what they are.

How does this differ from former Prez. Billie Bob and his impeachment process and his statement regarding the defination of sex?

safecracker...At least Clinton didn't destroy tapes or edit them like Nixon and Bush II. Tell me again why as soon Bush Baby got into the White House his Big Daddah's IranContraGate tapes all went through the shredder? Is that anything like the shredder party Cheney ordered on waterboarding?

I thought your comments to be enlightening......just when and what evidence supports your shredding statement?

Rather keep your corrupt city running business as usual huh? Fine - just don't make me have to pay for it with my entitlements from the feds

Nope, I disagree....chicago and Il are a political joke....should have spent the entire Olympics budget on trials. It is all about who you know, give jobs to friends, spend like there is no future (and look...now there isn't). Just as bad as CA...what a place.

I live in the Chicago suburbs.

Makes a person kind of ashamed they live in IL.........I live in central IL.

Sorry we dont want him in Colorado,at least I dont.Maybe Hollywood does.

But didn't the people of Illinois vote him in in the first place?

Wisconsin wants nothing to do with Illinois, you can keep him....with that said, stay out of Lake Geneva, it's just a freakin lake for gods sake. Don't you have those in Illinois?

judithboo

Blago got voted in the same way Obama got voted in. Most of the people were tired of the party in control and they didn't want 4 more years of the same. So they felt they had no choice but to vote the other party in, no matter who it was.

*shrugs*

CJS, you bring up a good point...by the way when is the US prosecutor going to issue charges against George W and key members of his administration for falsifying intellegence documentation, lying to the intellegence community and tying up US Troops, money and costing over 4000 lives in Iraq?
It has long been established that Hussein had no ties to Al Qaeda or any other terrorist organization, and lets not get started on WMDs...that's just the tip of the iceburg of legal issues that were ignored during the Bush administration. Nixon didn't hold a candle to him.

Jefscotarmy, I think folks are so bambozzled by the Bushwacker that they believe his lies just like Blago believes the lies he tells. He should have been impeached and sent to Iraq to find the mass weapons of destruction. Yes Blago is an idiot, but I can't recall any lives being lost because of his actions.

Janet...Most control freaks never accuse themselves of anything. And, their innocence is real even if they are the only ones who believe it. I think most Americans are in a mood now to start proceedings on all of those who like Blago believe they are all too entitled to power.

Pat704...You know as well as I do that Americans have stuffed down all of the past decade of getting dumped on. It won't be too pretty for the power freaks among us that's certain. Apparently, guys like Blago, the Noo Yawk Power Addicted, the Blankfein types and others think we should be satisfied that Madoff was caught. Little do they realize, that Enronitis is no longer going to get stuffed down American labors throats so easily.