Blago's Pick Tried to Execute an Innocent Man

Blagojevich's Thumb-in-the-eye pick for senator is quite a guy:

While state attorney general in 1992, Burris aggressively sought the death penalty for Rolando Cruz, who twice was convicted of raping and murdering a 10-year-old girl in the Chicago suburb of Naperville. The crime took place in 1983.

But by 1992, another man had confessed to the crime, and Burris' own deputy attorney general was pleading with Burris to drop the case, then on appeal before the Illinois Supreme Court.

Burris refused. He was running for governor.

Some more Juicy Tidbits:

"I cannot sit idly by as this office continues to pursue the unjust prosecution of Rolando Cruz," she wrote. "I realized that I was being asked to help execute an innocent man."

...

State prosecutors carried on with the prosecution, even after DNA evidence in 1995 excluded Cruz as the victim's rapist and linked somebody else, sex offender Brian Dugan, to the crime.

Perhaps Blago should have vetted the guy a little more. Then again A) he had to know all this, B) it isn't really about Burris anyway, and C) it's not like Burris was his first pick.

Every Illinois and national Democrat, and that includes president-elect Obama, who backed away from calling a special election (out of fear of losing the seat) owns this pick and the ensuing spectacle. The pain will now be longer and slower because they didn't burn it out when they had the chance. They have learned nothing from Ted Stevens, Rep Jefferson in LA, and Mark Foley, (Rangel soon to be added to this list). Remember, they could have called for a special election and removed the choice out of Blago's hands. Instead, they get to deal with two corrupt politicians for the price of one.