Top 10 Stupidest Moves By Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich
Liza Porteus Viana
Contributor
Posted:
12/9/08
Just to be clear - what the Illinois governor has been accused of is absolutely breathtaking. Rod Blagojevich's activities and behavior in his alleged "pay-to-play" scheme and attempts to literally sell Barack Obama's Senate seat are crazy even in comparison to past political scandals.
I heard one politico on CNN say today, "it's just – even by the standard of American politics – incredible."
FBI special-agent-in-charge Robert Grant said: "I can tell you one thing, if it [Illinois] isn't the most corrupt state in the United States, it's certainly one hell of a competitor."
Somebody may want to go back and take another look at what this guy did while he served in the U.S. House for six years, and in the Illinois Legislature prior to that. I'm guessing this cat didn't just start his lowly ways this year.
Here are the Top 10 stupidest things Blagojevich - who has been arrested by the feds but is now out on $4,500 bail - did or said while the feds were watching and listening:
10. Talked about his schemes when he knew he was under investigation by the feds for various bribery schemes. On one recording, Blagojevich warned one person not to use the phone and saying, "The whole world is listening. You hear me?" Duh.
9. Committed his crimes in the Northern District of Illinois, Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's domain. Yes, this is the same guy who prosecuted the leak of CIA worker Valerie Plame's name to the press, and Scooter Libby. He's known for leaving no stone unturned.
8. Of all the things you ask for in return for appointing someone to the Senate seat the president may want, you ask for the post of secretary of Health and Human Services?
7. Swore like a sailor to anyone who would listen, it seems. That never looks good when someone's listening in.
"The bleeps are not really bleeps," Fitzgerald said during a press conference as he ran through some of the more expletive-filled things Blagojevich was caught on tape saying.
Here's a classic: On one recording, an advisor and consultant are telling Blagojevich that he has to "suck it up" for two years and do nothing and give this "motherf***er [the President-elect] his senator. F*** him. For nothing? F*** him." Blagojevich says he will put "[Senate Candidate 4]" in the Senate "before I just give F***ing [Senate Candidate 1] a F***ing Senate seat and I don't get anything." Rod, would you kiss your wife with that mouth? Yes, especially when she seems just as bad as him.
Patti Blagojevich is heard on the background in that call telling her husband to tell a deputy governor "to hold up that f***ing Cubs s***. . . f*** them" - referring to the Tribune/Cubs scandal.
6. Told people he was considering appointing himself to Obama's Senate seat, telling his deputy governor that if "they're not going to offer me anything of value, I might as well take it." Ri-ight. Because no one would think there was anything shady about that.
5. Thought that Obama would play his game. Blagojevich allegedly was overheard complaining at one point that Obama's people are "not going to give me anything except appreciation." He added: "(Expletive) them." Did he really think that "No Drama Obama," who clearly didn't take any BS in his campaign, was really going to be cowed by his demands or pressured into anything? "The conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave," Fitzgerald said.
4. Taking the job of governor in the first place, especially if all he wanted was money. His governor salary is $177,412 a year. The FBI said Blagojevich expressed frustration at being "stuck" as governor. "I want to make money," he was heard saying. Well, public service isn't always the way to go - especially if you're a blackmailing, potty-mouthed, world-class jerk (so people say, anyway).
3. Tried to shake down the CEO of Children's Memorial Hospital for $50,000. At one point, the governor awarded $8 million in funding to that hospital, but he allegedly wanted a $50,000 personal contribution from the CEO in return for his generosity. But that donation never came. Blagojevich then was heard via wiretap checking to see whether or not he could pull back the funding for the hospital. That's a low blow, Rod. You're definitely not getting any sympathy when you tried a scam that would ultimately affect kids.
2. Schemed to bribe a newspaper - a newspaper that reports on your screwups. If the Tribune Company wanted to sell Wrigley Field, Blagojevich allegedly said, then certain editors at the Chicago Tribune needed to be fired. Tribune editors say they never got any pressure from their parent company to skew any reporting. Tribune Co. says the company acted "appropriate at all times."
Editor Gerould Kern said in a statement: "The Chicago Tribune investigated allegations of misconduct involving Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich independent of the U.S. attorney's criminal probe. As a standard practice, our reporters contact individuals involved in these stories for confirmation and comment prior to publication. Consequently, we contacted the U.S. attorney's office in the course of our reporting."
1. Thinking he could get away with it. When are these guys going to learn - you always get caught. Maybe if Blagojevich only tried to shake down one or two people, he could have stayed under the radar. But this guy was allegedly trying to bribe nearly every one under the sun. Did he really think nobody was going to squeal?
Full Blagojevich Coverage
Why It Matters If Obama Talked to Blagojevich
Top 10 Stupidest Moves By Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich
Blagojevich Bombshell: The Upside for Obama
The Rod Blagojevich Video Treasury
Barack Obama Met With Illinois Governor About Senate Successor
Axelrod Denies Barack Obama Met With Rod Blagojevich
Blagojevich Fallout: Special Election for Obama's Open Seat
Governors Filling Senate Vacancies Is a Bad Idea
Obama Senate Seat Put on E-Bay
Obama's Senate Replacement Up in the Air With Blagojevich Arrest
I heard one politico on CNN say today, "it's just – even by the standard of American politics – incredible."
FBI special-agent-in-charge Robert Grant said: "I can tell you one thing, if it [Illinois] isn't the most corrupt state in the United States, it's certainly one hell of a competitor."
Somebody may want to go back and take another look at what this guy did while he served in the U.S. House for six years, and in the Illinois Legislature prior to that. I'm guessing this cat didn't just start his lowly ways this year.
Here are the Top 10 stupidest things Blagojevich - who has been arrested by the feds but is now out on $4,500 bail - did or said while the feds were watching and listening:
10. Talked about his schemes when he knew he was under investigation by the feds for various bribery schemes. On one recording, Blagojevich warned one person not to use the phone and saying, "The whole world is listening. You hear me?" Duh.
9. Committed his crimes in the Northern District of Illinois, Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's domain. Yes, this is the same guy who prosecuted the leak of CIA worker Valerie Plame's name to the press, and Scooter Libby. He's known for leaving no stone unturned.
8. Of all the things you ask for in return for appointing someone to the Senate seat the president may want, you ask for the post of secretary of Health and Human Services?
7. Swore like a sailor to anyone who would listen, it seems. That never looks good when someone's listening in.
"The bleeps are not really bleeps," Fitzgerald said during a press conference as he ran through some of the more expletive-filled things Blagojevich was caught on tape saying.
Here's a classic: On one recording, an advisor and consultant are telling Blagojevich that he has to "suck it up" for two years and do nothing and give this "motherf***er [the President-elect] his senator. F*** him. For nothing? F*** him." Blagojevich says he will put "[Senate Candidate 4]" in the Senate "before I just give F***ing [Senate Candidate 1] a F***ing Senate seat and I don't get anything." Rod, would you kiss your wife with that mouth? Yes, especially when she seems just as bad as him.
Patti Blagojevich is heard on the background in that call telling her husband to tell a deputy governor "to hold up that f***ing Cubs s***. . . f*** them" - referring to the Tribune/Cubs scandal.
6. Told people he was considering appointing himself to Obama's Senate seat, telling his deputy governor that if "they're not going to offer me anything of value, I might as well take it." Ri-ight. Because no one would think there was anything shady about that.
5. Thought that Obama would play his game. Blagojevich allegedly was overheard complaining at one point that Obama's people are "not going to give me anything except appreciation." He added: "(Expletive) them." Did he really think that "No Drama Obama," who clearly didn't take any BS in his campaign, was really going to be cowed by his demands or pressured into anything? "The conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave," Fitzgerald said.
4. Taking the job of governor in the first place, especially if all he wanted was money. His governor salary is $177,412 a year. The FBI said Blagojevich expressed frustration at being "stuck" as governor. "I want to make money," he was heard saying. Well, public service isn't always the way to go - especially if you're a blackmailing, potty-mouthed, world-class jerk (so people say, anyway).
3. Tried to shake down the CEO of Children's Memorial Hospital for $50,000. At one point, the governor awarded $8 million in funding to that hospital, but he allegedly wanted a $50,000 personal contribution from the CEO in return for his generosity. But that donation never came. Blagojevich then was heard via wiretap checking to see whether or not he could pull back the funding for the hospital. That's a low blow, Rod. You're definitely not getting any sympathy when you tried a scam that would ultimately affect kids.
2. Schemed to bribe a newspaper - a newspaper that reports on your screwups. If the Tribune Company wanted to sell Wrigley Field, Blagojevich allegedly said, then certain editors at the Chicago Tribune needed to be fired. Tribune editors say they never got any pressure from their parent company to skew any reporting. Tribune Co. says the company acted "appropriate at all times."
Editor Gerould Kern said in a statement: "The Chicago Tribune investigated allegations of misconduct involving Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich independent of the U.S. attorney's criminal probe. As a standard practice, our reporters contact individuals involved in these stories for confirmation and comment prior to publication. Consequently, we contacted the U.S. attorney's office in the course of our reporting."
1. Thinking he could get away with it. When are these guys going to learn - you always get caught. Maybe if Blagojevich only tried to shake down one or two people, he could have stayed under the radar. But this guy was allegedly trying to bribe nearly every one under the sun. Did he really think nobody was going to squeal?
Full Blagojevich Coverage
Why It Matters If Obama Talked to Blagojevich
Top 10 Stupidest Moves By Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich
Blagojevich Bombshell: The Upside for Obama
The Rod Blagojevich Video Treasury
Barack Obama Met With Illinois Governor About Senate Successor
Axelrod Denies Barack Obama Met With Rod Blagojevich
Blagojevich Fallout: Special Election for Obama's Open Seat
Governors Filling Senate Vacancies Is a Bad Idea
Obama Senate Seat Put on E-Bay
Obama's Senate Replacement Up in the Air With Blagojevich Arrest