[sanjuro]

I was thinking about how many people Blagojevich bleeped over when he tried to sell Obama's seat.

 

[1453]

Chicaho politics as usual. Why did anyone get f'ed over? that's just business as usual in that town. At least he didn't mail a rotten fish to anyone or chanted his opponent' names followed by "dead" while plunginf a knife into the dinner table....yet.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article5106463.ece

just look at their previous governors:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/10/illinois.corruption/

And that DNA runs through the governor's office, dating back to the 1920s.

• GOP Gov. Lennington Small, who served the state from 1921 to 1929, was indicted for embezzlement -- but later acquitted.

• Democratic Gov. Otto Kerner, who served from 1961 to 1968, was convicted in 1973 on 17 counts of bribery, conspiracy, perjury and other charges before being sentenced to three years in prison.

• Democratic Gov. Dan Walker, who served from 1973 to 1977, was convicted nearly 10 years later, in 1987, on bank fraud charges.

• Gov. George Ryan, a Republican who served from 1999 to 2003, was convicted in April 2006 of fraud in a case stemming from bribes paid for various state licenses. The disgraced ex-governor reported to a federal prison in Wisconsin in November 2006 to serve a 6½-year sentence.

 

[$tinkle]

outside of cook county, illinois is pretty diverse, so it's still difficult to paint them w/ the same brush; same for democrats.

however, chicago has been further tarred. how anyone can not be cynical now is puzzling. even if ORD weren't a ****hole, i'd never go there again

 

[RenegadeRick]

He didn't bleep me over. I have known he was corrupt for a long time. Pretty much everyone else 'round these parts did too. As a result, I am not sure how he got re-elected. Might just be like they say... big-city folk vote democratic.

I told everyone I could how dirty he was the last time he was up for election, but somehow the green party candidate I was promoting didn't get very many votes.

 

[$tinkle]

AP 3 ex-Ill. governors have served time since 1970s

Three former Illinois governors have gone to prison in the past 35 years, and a host of other governors have gotten into legal trouble.

_Otto Kerner, a Democrat who was governor from 1961 to 1968, served less than a year of a three-year sentence after his 1973 conviction on bribery, tax evasion and other counts. He was convicted of arranging favorable horse racing dates as governor in return for getting horse racing association stock at reduced prices. Kerner died in 1976.

_Dan Walker, a Democrat who was governor from 1973 to 1977, served 1 1/2 years of a seven-year sentence after pleading guilty in 1987 to bank fraud, misapplication of funds and perjury. The charges were not related to his service as governor.

_George Ryan, a Republican who was governor from 1999 to 2003, was convicted of corruption in 2006 for steering state contracts and leases to political insiders and helping cover up bribes paid in return for truck drivers licenses while he was secretary of state and then governor. He is serving a 6 1/2-year prison term.

In addition, William Stratton, Illinois governor from 1953-1961, was later indicted but was acquitted on charges of income tax evasion.

this is ****ing gold

 

[sanjuro]

I expect a certain amount of corruption from all politicians, and while what Blagojevich is wrong, it kills me that his selfish and criminal behavior is bleeping over Obama and his credibility, just when we needed someone to step up and lead.

And if what I am really afraid of, that Obama is beholden to the Chicago Political Machine, then we all really screwed.

 

[splat]

Lets not forget about Mayor Daley and the "dead" vote.

and the 1960 presidential election going to JFK in a very questionable fashion.

there is a Rich history of political Corruption

 

[1453]

And if what I am really afraid of, that Obama is beholden to the Chicago Political Machine, then we all really screwed.

If.

Funny.

Ramh Emannual is just there because he is really bleeping good at staffing the offices, and most real estate lawyers end up being the POTUS. THat's just common sense.

 

[Samirol]

If.

Funny.

Ramh Emannual is just there because he is really bleeping good at staffing the offices, and most real estate lawyers end up being the POTUS. THat's just common sense.

Rahm is a scary mother****er, which is what you want as your chief of staff. Obama was a constitutional law professor/senior lecturer, not a real estate lawyer. He did work with/directed groups that did tenants rights among other things, but simplifying it down to real estate lawyer is petty and not true.