Rod Blagojevich Arrested for Corruption
Illinois Governor is in Federal Custody for Pay to Play Politics
Dec 13, 2008
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is Publicly Shamed As Corruption Charges Surface
Twice-elected Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested by Federal officials on Dec. 9, 2008. He was taken into custody on charges that he attempted to sell former Senator Barack Obama's open Senate seat. The corruption charges have linked the Governor to the broader problem of pay-to-play politics in the legislative system.
On the day of the arrest, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan asked Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to resign. Then-President-elect Barack Obama echoed Madigan's sentiment when he released a public statement saying that he believes Blagojevich should step down. Citing evidence of extreme corruption on Blagojevich's part, supported by wire-tapped conversations between the Governor, his staff, and Senate hopefuls, Madigan has gone as far as asking the Illinois Supreme Court to relieve Blagojevich from his post.
The move is unprecedented and the Supreme Court Decision is still unknown. According to papers filed with the court, Madigan's request was made on the grounds that Governor Blagojevich is now "incapable of legitimately exercising his ability as governor" due to the "pervasive nature and severity" of the corruption charges he now faces.
Two-term Democrat Blagojevich received some bad news when his Chief of Staff resigned under increasing pressure from the State Attorney General. Immediately following the surface of evidence linking him to illeal deal-making, John Harris opted to resign. The decision could help him gain a lighter sentence following the inevitable trial to come. Acting as emissary between his boss, Blagojevich, and several key staff members of candidates for the position, Chief of Staff John Harris allegedly attempted to broker the sale of President-elect Barack Obama's open Illinois Senate seat.
He Did It All For the Cause
Governor Blagojevich stands accused of abusing his power as designated appointer of the next Illinois Senator. Typical of pay-to-play politics is the tenet that the person in a position of decision-making power is able to make specific monetary or favor-based demands for those who seek the ability to "play" in the notoriously heated arena of high-powered politics.
Allegedly keeping all options on (and under) the table during his wire-tapped negotiations, Governor Rob Blagojevich is accused of attempting to raise funds for the Democratic Party by offering up the open Illinois Senate seat.
Blagojevich is not the first Illinois Senator to be caught in Federal headlamps while acting below-board. Serving as Illinois State Governor from 1999 until 2003, Republican George Ryan entered Federal Prison, four years after he left office, after being convicted on corruption charges.
President-elect Barack Obama Comments on Blagojevich Scandal
For his part, President-elect Barack Obama has renounced the actions of both Governor Blagojevich and his predecessor George Ryan, stating that the public trust had been violated in both instances of pay-to-play politics in Illinois, leading to the cultivation of a culture of corruption that he emphatically condemns.
Washing his hands of involvement in the Illinois corruption scandal and defending the actions of his own team, Obama said, "As is reflected in the U.S. attorney's report, we were not, I think, perceived by the governor's office as amenable to any dealmaking."
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