Patrick Fitzgerald did us one hell of a favor by moving on Blago when he did

[NNN0LHI]

He could have just as easily have waited for Blago to nominate a replacement Senator and Fitzgerald would have gotten two corrupt Dems for the price of one.

Silver linings.

Don

[polichick]

1. True.

[tom_paine]

2. Indeed. If the evidence is as airtight as it seems, we should not be defending him.

It may not turn out to be as airtight as it seems, and certainly I have not deeply studied the subjct, so other than thinking it seems so based on what I have heard, I can't be sure.

Plus, we've all seen how the laughably misnamed "Liberal Media" can destroy a Democrat while 100% censoring the fact that there was far more evidence that a Bushie did the same thing (or hired a hitter to do it).

Condit-Levy vs. Scarborough-Klausutis, anyone?

But yes, aside from those minor caveats, I tend to agree with you, Don.

[Saturday]

3. I don't think so.

No money exchanged hands. They will have a hard time convicting because of that. The Feds rushed and have a hard case to prove now.

[onenote]

12. they'll have no trouble getting a conviction -- the charge is soliciting a bribe

No money needs to change hands. And he's convicted himself with his own words which aren't even remotely ambiguous.

[MrsBrady]

15. blago is probably an ass

but does being an ass make you guilty?

I'm not defending him in any way. I don't know the guy. I wasn't there, and I'm not from Illinois.
But that never stopped me from having an opinion. :D

But what if they guy was just shooting off at the mouth to sound like a hot shot?
Do they have proof that money changed hands?
Who turned him in that he was asking for a bribe....and how would you prove that with one person's word against another (unless they had the tape rolling).

And why, if you knew you were under investigation, would you say anything about anything over the phone?
that's curious to me.

[Gothmog]

16. What is the Overt Act?

The Obama Senate seat is a conspiracy claim and conspiracy counts require an overt act. I do not see the overt act here. The statements made were stupid and politically disgusting but you can not get a conviction with some sort of overt act

[LaurenG]

4. Maybe but heck who wants a subversive criminal in government?

If someone was brazen enough to pay the gov for a seat they should be outed.

My veterinarian was a city councilman and he asked my mom for $10,000 to swing a vote for a nature preserve. She went to the governor and worked for a long time but got it named as a State Park instead.

Some people are so greedy, I wish there would have been a way to prove what the veterinarian/city council member had done.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

5. you betcha.

He did NOT move on the other indictments he has ready against Bloggo before November 4, AND he moved really fast to prevent the sale of a senate seat.

[still_one]

6. He just did his job like he should have done when rove committed perjury

instead he decided to let rove change his story multiple times until he got it right

I do NOT belong to the admiration society for patrick fitzgerald

[jasmeel]

7. That's NOT a silver lining... AND fitz can't even get a corrupt repub

which is like shooting fish in a barrel

[dysfunctional press]

9. here's a silver lining- george ryan probably has NO shot at a pardon at this point...

it wouldn't look to good to pardon/commute one illinois governor, when the new one is probably headed off to the pokey as well.

[sohndrsmith]

8. Ignoring the corruption part of this for a moment... is the

US Senate appointment legally/formally limited to be someone currently living/working for/representing that particular state, or can a sitting governor appoint... anyone they feel is qualified? I'm guessing the state connection is a requirement, but I'm curious whether or not it might be expected, if not a formal stip.

Probably a dumb question... my apologies, assuming it is, but I'm asking it anyway.

[dysfunctional press]

10. the governor could pick anyone who was old enough to be a senator.

anyone.

[sohndrsmith]

14. thanks! Now I have to do some more thinking on this... : )

... they certainly seem to focus on "home state" possibilities.

Correction - we/the media/etc. seem to focus on them, who knows what the governor's think. In the case of Blagojevich, I don't wanna know what in his head... frightening prospect, there...

[Vinca]

11. Or he could have moved prior to the election and caused

a massive, Republican orgasm. He didn't have as much on Blogo then, but he could have caused all kinds of problems for Obama, even though Obama is clean as a whistle.

[kstewart33]

13. Good point.