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Yeah, some governments can be pretty bad...
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has been arrested, accused of trying to trade the Senate seat left vacant by US President-elect Barack Obama.Mr Blagojevich, as governor, has sole authority to select a successor to Mr Obama as junior Illinois senator.
FBI investigators said telephone intercepts showed he was trying to sell or trade the seat for personal benefit.
There has been no official word from Mr Blagojevich's office, although he has denied previous corruption allegations.
Mr Blagojevich has since been released on bail, the Associated Press news agency reports.
Barack Obama reacts to the arrest
Federal investigators, who have been working on a case against Mr Blagojevich for several years, have now charged him with a number of offences including soliciting a bribe.
The charges relate to a variety of corruption schemes in which the governor was allegedly involved, including so-called "pay to play" deals - the doling out of jobs, contracts and appointments in return for campaign contributions.
Mr Obama said he was "saddened and sobered" by the case, but insisted he had had no contact with the governor over the Senate seat.
The US Attorney's Office released a 76-page FBI affidavit detailing the charges against Mr Blagojevich, which includes transcripts of his telephone conversations intercepted by court-authorised wiretaps over the last month.
In the conversations, the Democratic governor allegedly discussed offering Mr Obama's Senate seat in return for getting a well-paid position at a non-profit organisation or a group affiliated with trades unions, according to the affidavit.
In the transcripts, on 3 November Mr Blagojevich said the seat was a "[expletive] valuable thing, you just don't give it away for nothing".
The day after the presidential election, according to the affidavit, Mr Blagojevich was recorded as saying: "I've got this thing and it's [expletive] golden, and uh, uh, I'm just not giving it up for [expletive] nothing."
He also allegedly talked about getting his wife Patti placed on a corporate board.
Mr Blagojevich has also been charged with illegally threatening to block state aid to the company that owns the Chicago Tribune newspaper.
Mr Blagojevich allegedly demanded that the company fire members of its editorial board in return for financial assistance in the sale of Wrigley Field, a Chicago sports stadium.
The governor's chief of staff, John Harris, has also been arrested.
Originally posted by Grand-Moff-Gav
Yeah, some governments can be pretty bad...
I was debating posting a thread about Blagojevich's arrest, actually.
The state of Illinois is simultaneously going "ABOUT DAMN TIME" and laughing our collective asses off. Even for a state known for corruption that's low. That article doesn't even include what's probably the worst thing in all of this - he threatened to cut $8 million in funding from a children's hospital in Chicago because the CEO didn't donate to his campaign. Said hospital? Is where my brother goes and my aunt works.
This article has a bit more info.
Re: The Government.
Originally posted by Kennedyward
The governmet supposably controlls everything but they never do a good job. They also lie about most stuff, and somehow find ways of violating our constitutional rights. At least that's my crazy beleif 😕
What about you guys?
Well, in free market capitalism the government shouldn't control everything. And while the ineptness of the bureaucracy is legendary, I wouldn't say never do a good job. You could apply most of this to the Bush administration, but to the Gov. in general? It seems like a reach.
Originally posted by Bardock42
Why?
If they control everything being ineffective would be impossible. Either they would have to make a mistake (losing control) or lack a piece of information (lacking control to begin with). Of course they could just be evil, but that's not the same as not doing a good job, just not the one you think they're doing/supposed to be doing.
Originally posted by Symmetric ChaosI believe that's what he meant. The government doesn't do a "good" job, as in not pleasing most people (which is obviously a silly thing). Though, either way, I don't think it inherently contradicts itself, it's just an odd notion to subscribe to.
If they control everything being ineffective would be impossible. Either they would have to make a mistake (losing control) or lack a piece of information (lacking control to begin with). Of course they could just be evil, but that's not the same as not doing a good job, just not the one you think they're doing/supposed to be doing.
"The" Government?
There are literally tens of thousands of governments. Nation-states, commonwealths, republics, dictatorships, grand duchies, sultanates, kingdoms, empires, and at the levels of federal, state, province, region, county, municipality, city, town, village, and even tribes.
Pray tell, which one are you referring to?
Originally posted by PeachYeah, from what I hear, I'm amazed he was never impeached or recalled before this, if his corruption was so well-known.
I was debating posting a thread about Blagojevich's arrest, actually.The state of Illinois is simultaneously going "ABOUT DAMN TIME" and laughing our collective asses off. Even for a state known for corruption that's low. That article doesn't even include what's probably the worst thing in all of this - he threatened to cut $8 million in funding from a children's hospital in Chicago because the CEO didn't donate to his campaign. Said hospital? Is where my brother goes and my aunt works.
This article has a bit more info.
Originally posted by Strangelove
Yeah, from what I hear, I'm amazed he was never impeached or recalled before this, if his corruption was so well-known.
Well, it is Illinois. I mean, look at Chicago. Daley's not the most spotless person in the world and that city definitely has its history.
I think it was mostly that they were lacking the actual evidence they needed to arrest him. When he was recorded discussing selling Obama's vacated Senate seat, though, that was what they needed to get him.
But yeah. No surprise to anyone here. Most of the state can't stand him.
Originally posted by Strangelove
In reference to Daley, I thought Chicago politics had more of a reputation for being bare-knuckled and nasty, not necessarily corrupt.At least lately.
For the most part, though there is still a fair amount of underhandedness going on.
I'll say this much, though. Politics in this state is never boring.
Originally posted by Peach
I was debating posting a thread about Blagojevich's arrest, actually.The state of Illinois is simultaneously going "ABOUT DAMN TIME" and laughing our collective asses off. Even for a state known for corruption that's low. That article doesn't even include what's probably the worst thing in all of this - he threatened to cut $8 million in funding from a children's hospital in Chicago because the CEO didn't donate to his campaign. Said hospital? Is where my brother goes and my aunt works.
This article has a bit more info.
And at the same time, IL and the dems are trying to distance this thing from Obama as much as possible.
Originally posted by Strangelove
"The" Government?There are literally tens of thousands of governments. Nation-states, commonwealths, republics, dictatorships, grand duchies, sultanates, kingdoms, empires, and at the levels of federal, state, province, region, county, municipality, city, town, village, and even tribes.
Pray tell, which one are you referring to?
The Secret World Government of course.
Originally posted by Quiero MotaIf they did that, I would assume because they figured that would be one of the major questions, seeing as the new President is a guy that had some power in that place.
So why did they to mention him at all? If he had nothing to with it, why did they immediately come out and say he had nothing to do with it?