Possible Evidence To Indict Gov. Blagojevich

[bhk]

http://www.wbbm780.com/Possible-Evidence-To-Indict-Gov--Blagojevich/3026165


Possible Evidence To Indict Gov. Blagojevich


CHICAGO (CBS 2) -- A source tells CBS 2 News Wednesday night that a team of federal agents believes it has the evidence needed to indict Governor Rod Blagojevich. Investigators believe they've established solid evidence of fraud and conspiracy.

However, they are not the ones who make the decision to prosecute. It's up to U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and the Justice Department in Washington.

Others have told CBS 2 that an indictment of Blagojevich is not imminent. No comment from the Justice Department.

Last week, CBS 2 reported that the IRS assigned three teams of investigators to the Blagojevich case. But the governor says he's confident he has not broken any laws or rules. He says he's been careful to file accurate tax returns.

Copyright MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

It will be news when IL gets an honest governor.

[JasonF]

:banana: Maybe he can share a cell with his predecessor.

Man, what I wouldn't give for an honest governor. :sad:

[X]

It will be news when IL gets an honest governor.Of course this shouldn't reflect on the utmost honesty at the local level of Illinois politics in places such as Chicago.

[CharlieK]

I don't see a [D] in that article! You should post this in the media bias thread, too.

[kvrdave]

Honestly, what is the problem with Chicago and politics? I don't get it.

[funkyryno]

I don't see a [D] in that article! You should post this in the media bias thread, too.

That or the crappy reporting thread (if we don't have one, there should be one).

[Sheff]

I ended up voting for Blago for a 2nd term because there wasn't a better alternative. It would be nice to finally get one.

[dan30oly]

I don't see a [D] in that article! You should post this in the media bias thread, too.

If he were a republican it would have been the first thing mentioned and you know it.

[wishbone]

Honestly, what is the problem with Chicago and politics? I don't get it.Encyclopedia of Chicago: Politics (http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/989.html)Home-town columnist Mike Royko wrote satirically that Chicago's motto (Urbs in Horto or "City in a Garden") should instead be Ubi Ist Mio, or "Where's Mine?"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_history_of_Chicago

I remember reading Mike Royko in our paper growing up.

[sundog]

Honestly, what is the problem with Chicago and politics? I don't get it.

Actually, I'd say this problem comes from Blago thinking he could reap the benefits of Daley's political machine to get elected and then having the temerity to think he could pull off such fraud of his own once in office.

Essentially, dumb (and he is a major dumb fuck) Rod bit the hand that fed him.

Governor Ryan should be looking forward to a new roommate.

[JasonF]

Honestly, what is the problem with Chicago and politics? I don't get it.

Chicago politics aren't as bad as people say -- it's not like everyone around here is on the take. The Chicago Machine is still around, but it suffered a big blow in the 1970s when the first Mayor Daley died and left a power vacuum, and a second big blow in the 1980s when Harold Washington successfully challenged the machine for the mayorship. At the same time, there is a self-perpetuating network of people who help each other out, which makes it hard for outsiders to get in. The old story about Chicago politics is this one from Abner Mikva:

One of the stories that is told about my start in politics is that on the way home from law school one night in 1948, I stopped by the ward headquarters in the ward where I lived. There was a street-front, and the name Timothy O'Sullivan, Ward Committeeman, was painted on the front window. I walked in and I said "I'd like to volunteer to work for Stevenson and Douglas." This quintessential Chicago ward committeeman took the cigar out of his mouth and glared at me and said, "Who sent you?" I said, "Nobody sent me." He put the cigar back in his mouth and he said, "We don't want nobody that nobody sent." This was the beginning of my political career in Chicago.

That wouldn't happen exactly like that today, but somebody that somebody sent would do a hell of a lot better than somebody that nobody sent.

As for the current personalities, Governor Blagojevich is the son-in-law of Richard Mell, who is a loyal cog in the Daley machine. But Governor Blagojevich and Alderman Mell had a very public falling out a few years ago, to the point where Alderman Mell backed a guy who was making noises about running against Blagojevich when Blagojevich ran for re-election. So it's a mistake to simplify things and say it's all one big Daley machine.

Similarly, Mayor Daley was not a friend of Barack Obama's until Obama got the democratic nomination for the Senate. Which is why I laugh every time someone tries to tie Senator Obama to Chicago machine politics -- anyone with any knowledge of Illinois politics knows that just ain't the case.

[B.A.]

By the time he goes in, maybe Ryan will be on the way out.