The Violence Worker!

The Chicago Way?

One of the congresscritters Obama is trying to "persuade" to vote yes on his health scam bill has a brother.  Obama just announced that the brother was just nominated for a federal judgeship on the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. From The Weekly Standard:

Tonight, Barack Obama will host ten House Democrats who voted against the health care bill in November at the White House; he's obviously trying to persuade them to switch their votes to yes. One of the ten is Jim Matheson of Utah. The White House just sent out a press release announcing that today President Obama nominated Matheson's brother Scott M. Matheson, Jr. to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

John Hinderaker, of Powerline Fame and a practicing attorney says he doesn't think it's related.  

As to the Matheson nomination, I think the criticism is not well-founded. That doesn't mean that Obama didn't have one eye on Congressman Jim Matheson when he selected Professor Scott Matheson for the 10th Circuit. No one will ever know, probably. But Professor Matheson would be an ideal choice for Obama even if he didn't have a brother in Congress.

John goes on to say that Matheson is a qualified, albeit liberal, candidate in his own right and that very well may be the case. However, given the sordid reputation of Chicago/Illinois politics, it seems suspicious.

I may not be an attorney, but I have a sense of smell and this just doesn't smell like fresh fish.

VW

Blagojevich Indicted

"Rotten" Roddy Blagojevich was indicted yesterday for being a Chicago politician which means he was running a shakedown operation from the governor's office.  No surprise there, it was always a question of when, not if, he would be charged.

I've often speculated that Rotten Roddy won't swing too hard because knows where a lot of bodies are buried, but I'm not too sure about that any more.  I would guess that he might know a few things about the arcane Chicago machinery, but it's probably fairly compartmentalized -- which means he probably only knows a certain portion of it.  On the other hand, if he does know more than I suspect, he still isn't going to name names.  In order to keep himself and his family alive, he will keep his mouth shut.  Oh, he'll make a show of innocence and maybe play the martyr.  He may even be allowed to deal  a little if there is some low level mobster politician the bosses are willing to sacrifice, but don't expect big revelations or that he will reveal the Chicagoland king makers.

I dunno, I'm lousy at prognostication, but thems me thunks.

VW

Blagojevich Appoints A Senator

Illinois Governor Blagojevich certainly sports a set of of grade double-A, extra large huevos.  He's been accused of not being very bright and he may not be when it comes to some things, but he knows the art of the political street fight.  Blago is the consumate dirty pol and he knows how to wage dirty political war. 

Although he said he wouldn't appoint a successor to Obama in the Senate last week, he turned around and appointed Roland Burris today.

A defiant Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Tuesday appointed a black political trailblazer in Illinois to Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat, a surprise move that put race front and center in the ongoing drama surrounding the scandal-tarred governor.

Like I said, Blago knows how the game is played and he knows that the race card is a pretty powerful card in Democratic circles.  He knows that by appointing Burris, he's upset an apple cart full of Democrats. 

The decision put his opponents in the uncomfortable position of vowing not to seat a veteran politician who would become the Senate's only black member.

Blagojevich isn't about hunkering down in his bunker and hiding behind a battery of defense lawyers.  He will counter attack with some pretty big guns.  If he ever does go down, it won't be because he surrendered and he won't go down alone.

This is the stuff of classic opera buffa.  It's hilarious to watch the Illinois/Chicago political machine spit and sputter, ultimately incapable of dealing with a monster of its own manufacture.  The Illinois Democrats wish he would just go away gently while Blago deftly does end runs around their clumsy attempts to subdue him.

Please pass the popcorn!

VW

Two Thoughts

It's been a long day and I really don't feel like hammering on Blagojevich, but Lord knows, he deserves  to be hit with an eight pound sledge, hard and often.  So here are a couple of thoughts I have about him this evening.

First, I'm sort of surprised Governor Blago didn't immediately  take a leave of absence and check himself into some rehab hospital.  It seems to be the path to redemption for most pols.

Second, it fascinates me how politicians, when caught red-handed, insist that they are innocent and that they will eventually be acquitted.  Blago seems to be particularly narcissistic.  Blago is no dummy.  He's smart.  He might be a dirt bag, but he's a smart one.  That leads me to believe that his bravado might be based on the fact that he has the goods on some bigger fish.  Maybe it's Obama, and maybe it isn't, but he's either holding something, or he thinks he's somehow above it all.  Either way, it's will be interesting to see how this plays out.

VW

Blago Won't Appoint A Replacement

Everyone seems to be worried that Blagojevich can still appoint someone to take Obama's place.  As long as he is Governor, he retains that right.  Thinking back to the Coleman/Franken recount, there was a lot of speculation that the Senate might ultimately choose between the two.  According to the Constitution, the Senate is the ultimate arbiter of who gets to join their club.  Article I, Section 5 says:

Each House shall be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members, and a majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner, and under such penalties as each House may provide.

So why is everyone worried about who he will pick?  The Senate can veto Blago.  That essentially takes Blago out of the picture.

There is one last thing.  I'm thinking no body is going to want to be selected by him.  I would think that most folks up for the job are probably hoping they can distance themselves from this dirtbag as far away as possible.  It would appear to me that anyone who was chosen by Blago would be tainted by this scandal.

I don't think Blago is going to choose the replacement.  Nobody in their right mind would want the mark of Cain Blagojevich upon them.

VW

Blagojevich Does The Perp Walk

In the land of the Republican Lincoln, Democrat corruption runs wide and deep.  It's not even a well kept secret.  Richard Daly Sr, honed the Chicago Democrat machine into a disciplined army of corruptocrats.  I don't think there has ever been a time in Chicago's history that corruption wasn't a huge part of city politics.

So today, it was no surprise that Governor Rod Blagojevich, who's been under investigation for the last three years, suddenly had to clear his gubernatorial calender to spend some quality time with his defense attorney.  The only surprise here was the suddenness of his arrest.  Absent was the usual announcement that charges were filed and allowing him to turn himself in or negotiate his surrender.  They just flat out arrested him.

OK, Everyone agrees that Milorad "Just Call Me Rod" Blagojevich is a snake.  Even most of the vermin that inhabit the Fever Swamp known as Democratic Underground are ready to see him serve some time.  He's a bonafide crook and they have the recorded goods on him.  What's a cornered rat to do?  That's right, class, Rod "The Rat" Blagojevich will most likely have a little tete-a-tete with Fitzpatrick and try to cut a deal.

What the means is that there is a lot of two-bit Illinois politicos and dishonest business people who are probably starting to sweat.  I'll bet there are more than a few of Blago's rat friends scurrying for cover.  Add to that that, Tony Rezko is singing and prosecutors will be looking to cooberate his allegations.  This might go higher up the food chain in Chicago then a couple of low-life aldermen.

Now, I don't know if Obama is in anyone's sights.  Fitzpatrick said he wasn't, but that might be a feint to keep people off guard.  You never know and we'll have to wait to see how this plays out.

The hope here (and I know it's really a stretch) is that Illinois politics will finally get a huge dose of D-con.  I won't hold my breath!

VW