Conspiracy or Coincidence? Blagojevich arrest

[the other one]

Blagojevich was arrested one day after ordering illinois public employees to cease doing business with Bank of America until it uses some of its bail-out money to help chicago factory workers.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/ny-usnatl095957900dec09,0,5239529.story

Today he is arrested after a 3 year investigation.

Coincidence, or Conspiracy?

[malaise]

1. I had the same thought but then again

He's not exactly a saint. Who's the number two?

[Robbien]

13. Blago pulled the BoA stunt because he was drumming up public support

We all knew the feds had turned one of his staff and had him wired. Blago knew he was in big trouble so went out in front of the cameras trying to appear as a populist to gardener good public opinion.

Blago was pulling a Ryan.

[ShortnFiery]

2. It's a covert message to us PEONS that the system is rigged and Corporations RULE.

:scared: :thumbsdown:

[Occam Bandage]

19. Chicago pols do this all the time.

When they get word that they're about to go down, they go on a blitz of populism, trying to cast themselves as "the good guys." Don't get suckered. His Repuke predecessor (who is now languishing in prison) did the same goddamn thing.

[ShortnFiery]

27. Thanks, I'll take this information and do a little research.

:hi:

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

47. They learned from Al Capone

He would throw street festivals right before he went on trial to look like a good guy.

[trollybob]

28. No, it's the U.S. Attorney. There's already over a million people in prison

in this country for victimless crimes. What's a few more?

[Raskolnik]

29. No, it isn't.

Blago was pulling a stunt to curry public favor.

[Dreamer Tatum]

52. Here's an OVERT message to you that you're full of crap nt

[Sebass1271]

3. conspiracy.. Cheney, paulson are involved in this

although i don't excuse blogo's corruption charges why now?

[Ike23]

7. No Conspiracy

By insinuating a conspiracy, in a way, you are excusing his behavior. Let's be honest here, he was under investigation for a long time, he broke the law and it shouldn't matter when he is arrested.

[Raskolnik]

30. Why not now? Would just before the election have been better?

Would just after naming Obama's successor have been better?

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

48. Because THEN the timing would be suspicious too (n/m)

[Decider]

4. Seems this country no longer knows anything

So many leaders are totally without ethics. Why is it so hard to live and work clean, and with honor ?
(Duke Cunningham as an example)

Regardless of party or ideology, it's a disgrace.

[trollybob]

31. There isn't a public official alive that I couldn't get indicted

if I were U.S. Attorney. By the way, why don't we start with the war criminal in the white house?

[Raskolnik]

39. Really? I'm not sure you know how federal charges really work.

I know some people throw around that "they could indict a ham sandwich" trope that they've heard on tv, but that's not really how federal court works.

[trollybob]

44. I'm sorry, as a former Illinois prosecutor, I think I know how it works

Jurors are like sheep, and that goes for grand jurors as well. Not ONE grand juror ever questioned why I wanted to have someone charged with a crime. Just a rubber stamp. People seem to think that because the U.S. Attorney or the F.B.I. say something, it's the word of GOD. And tell me what % of defendants are actually acquitted in Federal Court. Fair trial, my ass. Just look at some of the things being posted here and see how many people are willing to convict Blagojevich when they don't know shit about the case.

[Raskolnik]

45. Then you should know that the federal system isn't as...shall we say...permissive as the state

If you really were a state's attorney, you'd have to agree that the justice department does not, by and large, indict until they have a fairly solid case.

[Warpy]

5. Coincidence

but I'm sure the Illinois GOP has wanted to get something on him for years as payback for putting one of their governors in jug.

B of A might not be the villain in this one, by the way. It seems Republic's owner has bought a new factory in Iowa, which is where the workers' vacation and severance pay went. I think B of A smelled a very large rat.

[Robbien]

15. Not a coincidence. Blago knew the feds were thisclose to arresting him

so he tried to get good publicity by sticking up for workers.

First time in his life he stood up for workers instead of corporate interests.

[tritsofme]

6. More likely that he was very close to finishing the auction of PE Obama's Senate seat.

His "stand" against BoA was just a political ploy to get the news of his imminent indictment out of the news.

[underpants]

8. This is no surprise but then neither is the fact that CNN is barely covering the sit-in

they did just mention it but they have not said one word about the sit-in during the first 8 reports on Blagojevich

[trollybob]

34. Hey FOX News is probably already discussing which prison

the governor will be doing time in.

[Phred42]

9. Rod suspends Biz with BOA Yesterday and is arrested today

Anyone remember Elliot Spitzer's situation?

ALso

Daley was considering suspending City biz with BOA - bet he doesn't do it now!

:shrug:

[Robbien]

16. Blago is the opposite of Spitzer. Blago is corruption through and through

Spitzer strives very hard to uphold the rule of law and of course likes the ladies a bit too much.

Blago deserves to sit in a nice cozy jail cell eating baloney sandwiches.

[Phred42]

22. agree withthat -but the timing is still interesting

[Robbien]

23. The rumors about Blago being secretly taped were spreading around last week

So if you are questioning the timing. I agree. Blago has always had good timing. He knew he was in very hot water and looked around for something to pump up public support. The Republic Windows and BoA thing was like manna from heaven for him.

[Phred42]

26. Daley (some Aldermen) were considereing suspending biz with BOA also

Bet they don't do it..... now

:tinfoilhat:

[Robbien]

33. Everyone knew the death penalty suspension was just a Ryan stunt

but they knew it to be the right thing to do and went ahead with it anyway.

The BoA thing is the right thing to do. I expect Daley will continue taking the correct political course of action irregardless of Blago.

[leftofthedial]

10. no coincidence

[ProfessorGAC]

11. Don't Be Overly Sure

I don't trust Justice either, but as a resident of Illinois, i'm pretty concerned about Blago's cleanliness. I've got a bad feeling this a completely legit.
GAC

[leftofthedial]

18. It certainly sounds like his arrest was justified.

The timing is no coincidence.

[ProfessorGAC]

21. Well, That May Be

I suppose that is, indeed, a completely different issue. But, just a minor counterpoint, would be that it does take a LONG time to develop a corruption case against a high official. You may be right, but it still could be coincidental
GAC

[Raskolnik]

32. So the feds assembled and filed this complaint on less than 24 hours notice?

Really?

[leftofthedial]

42. who knows?

do you?

[Occam Bandage]

43. With months of taped conversations? nt

[leftofthedial]

49. I've already said he's likely guilty.

I'm just questioning the timing of the arrest.

Prosecutors can prepare a case for filing at any time of their choosing.

[Occam Bandage]

51. I'd bet he was trying to keep Blago from actually selling the seat,

and the Bank of America stunt was done by Blago as a response to his pending arrest, and not the other way around.

[Raskolnik]

I know that such a thing would be next to impossible, given the scope and depth of the complaint

If the President had issued an order the second Blagojevich was done with his press conference yesterday, an army of attorneys working in perfect concert would not have had time to prepare, draft, and file this complaint first thing today.

[leftofthedial]

50. they may have drawn up the complaint at any time during the three-year investigation.

they can file it at any time they choose.

[Raskolnik]

53. So they had it in the barrel ready to file, and waited until today because?

[leftofthedial]

56. I hope it was because they wanted to stop the process before he actually appointed someone

and radically further complicated the matter.

But I don't trust Fitzgerald, who IMO engineered the bush cabal's desired inoculation and whitewash of treason throughout the cabal in the Plame matter.

I think Fitzgerald is in effect repuke "muscle."

[Raskolnik]

58. If you think that about Fitzgerald, I don't think you have a reasonable opinion

of the situation.

[leftofthedial]

59. the feeling is mutual.

Fitzgerald is an excellent prosecutor, who does what he is told by his bosses.

[Raskolnik]

54. Dupe.

[Raskolnik]

46. Dupe

[happychatter]

12. Well we know that Bush's and Rove's WhiteHouse would NEVER target a Democratic Governor

... or use the FBI and US Attorney's office for political purposes

[Occam Bandage]

20. You think Patrick Fitzgerald is a Bush toadie? The guy who put away Scooter Libby?

[trollybob]

36. No, but he could have the Pope indicted if he wanted to,

or anybody else. He has way too much power.

[Occam Bandage]

41. So you think he made up his entire case?

[happychatter]

60. the fact is he let libby get away with taking the fall for Cheney AND Bush

and called it a "done deal"

but to answer your question, NO... I have no opinion at all

I don't have enough information

I just pointed out a fact, using sarcasm

I see YOU have a firm opinion

personally, my fucking KARMA ran over my DOGMA a long time ago

[zorahopkins]

14. *hen Bush/Cheney Is Involved, NOTHING Is

*hen Bush/Chenehy is involved, nothing is a coincidence.

You have to understand something -- Bush/Cheney, although voted out of office, *ill continue to do all it can to mess *ith the American People.

They *ill not go quietly. They *ant to be as mean-spirited and viscious as they can be.

This arrest is NO coincidence. Dig deeply, and you *ill find the corrupt hands of Bush/Cheney.

Note: In protest of the continuing occupation of OUR *hite House by the illegal and totally corrupt Bush/Cheney regime of thugs and cronies, I REFUSE to use the letter bet*een "V" and "X".

[Occam Bandage]

17. Your train of reasoning skipped over that "three year investigation part." Blago is scum. nt

[jules]

24. Neither

He's been under investigation for a long time and his indictment has been expected. The reason for this timing: since Nov. 5 he has been trying to sell Pres-elect Obama's vacant Senate seat. They even have him on tape stating that if "they" weren't willing to give anything of value for the seat, he would take it himself. If he had appointed someone to the Senate seat, that appointment would be tainted. Imagine that mess.

He did all this knowing that he would soon be under indictment. Hubris.

[slackmaster]

25. I think the real threat is the people who insist on defending the asshole

As for the Blagster, a better question would be "Threat or menace?".

[camera obscura]

35. This is less a set up and more one inept guy getting caught what most people do more smoothly

but unlike Spitzer it's no real loss to our side.

[Raskolnik]

37. Neither conspiracy nor coincidence.

Blago knew his time was short, so he pulled a political stunt to try and curry favor with the public.

It isn't going to work.

[annabanana]

38. From what I'm hearing... He tried to gain support by rousting BofA

and it didn't stop anything..

[dysfunctional press]

40. blago is a COMPLETE scumbag.

nt

[Dreamer Tatum]

55. Answer one simple question, please

In what way does this indictment alter the B of A issue whatsoever? In what way does it mitigate B of A's position?

What would B of A ACTUALLY gain from this? It has the same problem and issue it had yesterday. The next person to
be called Governor is likely to have the same position as Blogo.

VERY common joke in legal circles: When the law is against you, argue the facts. When the facts are against you, argue
the law. When both are against you, claim conspiracy.

Guess which one you're doing.

[Gold Metal Flake]

57. Blago wanted to sell the senate seat.

I think when things started to go that way, Fitz stepped up to bring things out (since his investigation was well along) in order to protect Obama's vacated Senate seat from being tainted.