Blagojevich Compares Himself To Mandela, King, Gandhi

All, I can say is disgusting.

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BLAGOJEVICH IMPEACHED: House Votes Against Governor 114-1

Not surprising news here. What is surprising is that one person did not vote to impeach:

During the House's 90-minute debate on impeachment, no one spoke up to defend the governor. But Rep. Milton Patterson, a Chicago Democrat, made the sole vote against impeaching Blagojevich.

Patterson said he read the impeachment committee's report and wasn't comfortable voting against the governor. "I have no firsthand knowledge of any of the evidence," he said.

"I went by my own gut feeling, it's as simple as that," he said. "I read the report. If the government is going to indict him, let them go ahead and do that. That's their job and I'm doing my job."

Huh? Your gut feeling told you that there was not enough evidence to impeach? Usually I say trust you gut, but Milton Patterson should never trust his gut again.

Blagojevich To Appoint Former Attorney General, Roland Burris, To Obama's Senate Seat

I don't understand:

CHICAGO — Embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich is expected to name former Illinois attorney general Roland Burris to President-elect Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat.

State Senate President Emil Jones said Tuesday that Burris told him about the appointment. Burris did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Blagojevich was arrested earlier this month on federal charges that he tried to sell or trade the seat to the highest bidder. U.S. Senate leaders have said they won't seat anyone appointed by Blagojevich.

I have no idea who Roland Burris is. He may be the most qualified candidate in the history of the Senate. But I also know he has no chance of ever becoming a Senator. So I have to ask you governor, why are you throwing this dude under a bus?

Rahm Emmanuel exonerated from any wrongdoing in Blagojevich case

This was good news:

George Stephanopoulos has an early look at the Obama team’s internal review of its contacts with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, and the news is good for Rahm Emanuel. The incoming chief of staff, sources tell the ABC newsman, had only one “pro-forma” courtesy phone call with Blago, and only a “passing reference”—no deal—was made to Obama’s vacated Senate seat. Rahm also talked four times with Blago’s chief of staff, John Harris, about the seat, and made the case for picking Obama pal Valerie Jarrett, though he confirmed that all Blago would get was “appreciation” for it. The president-elect had expressed frustration over the US attorney’s request that he delay the release of his team’s review of its involvement with Blago’s alleged attempts to sell the Senate seat; it’s expected to be released this week.

Well, Obama may be allowing intolerance into the White House, but at least he isn't corrupt. Yet.

Rod R. Blagojevich is corrupt as fuck

I had never heard of Rod Blagojevich till today. I'm sure most of you had not either, but I am the kind of person who came 95 out of 100 U.S. Senators off the top of my head, so it was a little surprising to me that I had not.

Anyway, Rob had a pretty shitty day today apparently:

Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich of Illinois was arrested by federal authorities on Tuesday morning on corruption charges, including an allegation that he conspired to effectively sell President-elect Barack Obama’s seat in the United States Senate to the highest bidder.

Mr. Blagojevich, a Democrat, called his sole authority to name Mr. Obama’s successor “golden,” and he sought to parlay it into a job as an ambassador or secretary of Health and Human Services, or a high-paying position at a nonprofit or an organization connected to labor unions, prosecutors said.

He also suggested, they said, that in exchange for the Senate appointment, his wife could be placed on corporate boards where she might earn as much as $150,000 a year, and he tried to gain promises of money for his campaign fund.

Am I the only one shocked by this? Maybe I'm just naive as shit, but it's hard for me to imagine anyone being this unscrupulous. I know, I know, it's politics, and all politicians are self-serving. I accept that. But Rob Blagojevich has taken this to a new level. His behavior is downright Nixonian.