Corruption...Selling A Senate Seat
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| Tue, 12-09-2008 - 10:07am |
It looks like Illinois governor actually tried to sell the Senate seat vacated by Obama:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28139155/
Ill. governor arrested on corruption charges
Feds: Blagojevich sought to profit from choosing Obama's Senate successor
WASHINGTON - Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested by FBI agents Tuesday morning on federal corruption charges, officials said.
His chief of staff John Harris was also charged, the U.S. Department of Justice confirmed in a statement.
Blagojevich, 51, and Harris, 46, both of Chicago, were each charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery
A 76-page FBI affidavit alleges that Blagojevich was intercepted on court-authorized wiretaps during the last month conspiring to sell or trade for personal gain the state's U.S. Senate seat, which is being vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.
The arrests follow a long and highly publicized corruption investigation.
Blagojevich and Harris are due to appear in federal court later on Tuesday to face the charges.>>>

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One of the things that has amazed me about this board since the election is how people on the right have actively looked for reasons to criticize Obama since he won. I understood the criticism during the election, but since the election it has really been ratcheted up a bit. I wasn't here following either of Bush's elections but I have to wonder if this was the reception he initially got? I didn't vote for him, didn't want him from the start, but I didn't run around looking for things to complain about. I gave him his chance - wasn't too terribly impressed - especially with the month long vacation in his first year - but until he proved himself totally incompetent I gave him a chance.
That is not happening with Obama - at least not from many on the right on this board. Sadly, there seems to be a 'Chicken Little' mentality. It makes some of us discount anything that the right says. Personally, given that it is clear Obama was not taking part in the plot to sell his senate seat I have no reason to be concerned. But it the rightwingers on this board want to keep claiming that we are scared or ignoring his 'troubles' or angry at his decisions - so be it. It just provides some comedic relief to read all the ranting.
What was the criticism of Obama? What I posted was an accurate observation of his own actions.
Did Bush get the same reception you feel Obama is getting, you bet he did.
Any President is going to get criticized. Obama may not be in office, but he is out there voicing his opinion, he is being criticized from some pundits and officials on the left for not stepping up more, if he did, the right would be all over him for not waiting until he was in office. He has had more press conferences than any other President Elect. As long as he keeps himself in the public eye, he will be criticized.
As much as Obama would like to distance himself from the corruption of Chicago politics, he can't. As someone else said, he grew up in it. That's were his political associations are rooted. It is going to follow him. Instead of lying and hiding from his associations, he could try to be honest and address it head on, especially if he has done nothing.
Don't you wonder why he initially said that there were no interactions between him, his staff, and Blago, and now he is "investigating" who on his transition team talked with Blago? Don't you find it curious that a Quincy Ill. news paper that reported on a meeting between Obama and Blago have now erased that article from the internet? Don't you find it curious that his own Chief of Staff, Alexrod, a man that should know, said on 11/23 that Obama and Blago had spoken about the senate seat replacement, but now are back peddling since Blago's arrest?
I do.
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An interesting article from the Washington Post.
Which I and a large part of the country are eager to hear what he has to say.
Update:
Sopal
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