the Rod Squad - the Blagojevich Saga

Welcome to Politics, as usual, here in Illinois.

It was just announced this morning, that sitting Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevic (pronounced Blah-Goy-Oh-Vich) has been arrested (Along with his chief of staff, John Harris) as part of a probe into charges that he conspired to benefit financially (as the Governor) in the appointment of a U.S. Senator to fill the vacancy left by Barack Obama as he left to become president elect.

Yes, that's right... arrested in the wee hours of the morning at the Governor's mansion, and taken away in handcuffs. The chief executive of the state of Illinois

As per a federal criminal complaint, Blagojevich has been charged with threatening to hold state funds from the struggling Tribune company, in the sale of Wrigley field. In return for state help, the governor wanted some of the Tribune's editorial board (who had been critical of him and his people) fired.

I bet the Tribune will be doing a full workup of this story in tomorrow's paper.

He also wanted his wife to be placed as the director of some corporate boards, to gain $150,000 a year in director's fees.... as well as a job for himself at a non-profit organization or an organization affiliated with labor unions at a substantial salary.

Apparently Blagojevich's telephones have been legally tapped for the last month, and that's how they've gotten their information for this indictment.

Ain't politics grand? I've never been more proud to be from Illinois.